The All-time Way to Pack Picture Frames and Mirrors

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How to pack pictures, mirrors, canvases and similar items for moving

When it comes to packing household goods, some belongings crave special intendance and attention. This is especially true for things like framed pictures, mirrors and professional person artwork. You don't desire to arrive at your new home and detect shattered glass, chipped frames or punctured canvases. To forestall this type of damage, carefully follow the pace-by-stride processes below.

Gather supplies

Earlier y'all kickoff packing, make sure to take the proper supplies on hand. Read the steps below to make up one's mind what materials are needed for the items you're moving.

Materials:

  • Packing paper
  • Packing tape
  • A permanent marker
  • Bubble Wrap
  • Picture show/mirror boxes
  • Small moving boxes
  • Cardboard tube
  • Artist'southward tape
  • Apartment foam or paper-thin sheets
  • Glassine, acrid-free or archival paper
  • Photo boxes or albums

Steps for packing picture frames and mirrors

Whether information technology's a $thirty painting from the store or your Grandma's antiquarian mirror, yous desire to make sure it's safe during transit. First by gathering the advisable supplies, so follow these steps:

  1. Using the artist's tape, create an "X" across the glass. This will assistance go along the glass intact during transit.
  2. Cut a piece of cardboard or foam board slightly larger than the frame, place it over the drinking glass and secure it with packing tape.
  3. Wrap the entire piece in ii or more sheets of packing paper and tape loose ends.
  4. If you want, add a layer of Chimera Wrap for additional padding and security. Secure with packing tape.
  5. Cushion the bottom of a picture/mirror box with packing paper, and so slide the object into the box. Proceed in mind, big items should be boxed individually in specialty boxes. Smaller mirrors and framed pictures can exist wrapped and boxed together. Stack these items vertically and do not lay them flat.
  6. Fill up extra infinite with more than paper to forbid shifting.
  7. Tape and label the box "delicate" on all sides.

How to move canvases

The best way to pack a sheet will depend on if it's stretched across a wooden frame or rolled. Here are the steps for each scenario:

Stretched

  1. Cover the canvas with glassine, acid-free or archival paper.
  2. Tape a canvass of foam or paper-thin to the back of the canvas.
  3. Put the sheet into a plastic gallery wrap bag to protect it from wet.
  4.  Wrap the unabridged thing with two layers of Bubble Wrap and secure it with tape.
  5. Sandwich the sail between ii sheets of foam boards or cardboard and use the packing tape to bind the pieces together.
  6. Line a picture/mirror box with padded paper and slide the canvas into the box, filling empty spaces with more paper.
  7. Tape and characterization the box.

Rolled

  1. Lay the sheet between 2 sheets of your option paper (painted side down).
  2. Loosely coil the canvas and paper (rolling too tight tin can cause damage).
  3. Roll with Bubble Wrap.
  4. Slide the sheet into a cardboard tube.
  5. Place the finish caps on and seal them with packing tape.
  6. Label the tube.

Best way to store loose photos

If you're similar most people, you lot probably have hundreds or thousands of loose pictures buried abroad. Organizing them can be fourth dimension-consuming, but well worth it — especially if many are older and irreplaceable. There are 3 platonic ways to organize loose photos:

  • Albums. Probably the virtually popular mode to store pictures is in an album. However, you lot'll want to avoid "magnetic" peel-and-stick albums and ones that aren't acid- or lignin-free because they tin can cause damage to the pictures. Wrap albums in a layer of packing newspaper, and stack them vertically inside a moving box.
  • Photo boxes. These come in all sizes and colors and are great for long-term storage — just brand sure to use acrid-complimentary cardboard or metal boxes. Many also come equipped with divider alphabetize cards to help organize, simply if they don't, you can as well layer the photos between sheets of acrid-free paper. Or, simply lay them flat in the box. When it comes time to move, wrap the boxes in packing newspaper and place them inside a moving box.
  • Digital storage. Digitally backing upwardly images will take some fourth dimension, simply you'll be happy you did if something ever happens. At the very to the lowest degree, consider digitally storing your favorite photos. Do this by scanning the images to a reckoner and so storing them on a cloud service, an online photo storage website, an external hard drive or a USB Flash Bulldoze. Or, upload them directly from your phone, tablet or camera.

Learn more than nearly storing pictures from the National Archives.

Helpful tips

While packing photos, canvases and like items, there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Don't exceed 40 lbs. per box.
  • Avoid wrapping pieces with newspaper because the ink could cause damage.
  • Don't use packing peanuts for padding. Due to static, they tin be difficult to remove from glass.
  • Wash your easily or vesture cotton gloves before handling whatever photos or canvases. The oil from your hands tin create smudges and harm the quality of the items.
  • Load boxed frames on their side. Never lay them apartment because the pressure can fissure the glass.

Want more than tips?

Check out this resources on packing household goods for even more than helpful tips! And if you take whatever questions well-nigh moving your pictures, mirrors and artwork, leave a comment below. Nosotros're happy to help.