All Things Fine Art

A student recently asked about my recommendations for wrapping paintings that will be transported by car to exhibitions. She was referring to those hand delivered and not shipped (shipping is another story). Below are some tips that will help you wrap your work in a safe way for others to handle, open for hanging and re-packing for transporting back home. There are, obviously, a number of ways this can be done but the following has worked well for me for a long time and I rarely have a frame damaged while in transit.

Shelf liners or rug skid-proof sheeting are cushioned

and are excellent for protecting frames.

Their flexibility makes them easy to use.

TIP: I use a shelf liner which has small holes in it (see picture above). You may if you wish, cut a sheet approximately 2 1/4 times the size of the frame and make sleeves using tape or stitch up the sides with heavy string. You can also simply wrap the liner around the frame and tape or use rubber bands (see TIP below) to secure the liner. Shelf liner comes in various widths and lengths. For extra large paintings you can purchase sheets (or blankets) made to slip-proof throw rugs. I find large sheets extremely helpful for wrapping 30x40 and larger paintings. I purchase these blankets in stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, Target, Home Goods, etc.

TIP: If taping shelf liner be sure to use tape that will stick to the product such as a heavy duty plumbers tape, masking tape, duct tape, etc.  However, I prefer to use extra large rubber bands instead of tape. These large bands can sometimes be found in hardware stores or on-line and are used for garbage cans and some industrial purposes. They go on and off easily and are reusable. Check your local office supply. For extra large bands, check with www.uscargocontrol.com. Bands of 27-36” are available and are very reasonably priced. Other options may be available via the internet.

TIP: My friend and artist, Jann Lardy, uses 6-8” lengths of plastic foam pipe insulation to protect her paintings (see photos at end of post). The strips come pre-sliced along one side and are hollow in the center so they fit easily over a frame. The strips can be cut to any length that you prefer with a serrated knife. These in combination with the shelf liner give ultimate protection to any painting. At Home Depot I also found a flexible pipe liner that can very easily be stretched around frame corners and held in place with the blanket and bands.

TIP: Prominently mark your name on EVERYTHING you use for wrapping with a permanent broad-tipped marker, including the rubber bands. If you wrap effectively with good materials you can count on the fact that you probably won’t get your materials back if they are not well marked. Good wrapping materials have a way of coming up missing when it’s time to pick up your paintings after a show. Sad to say, even marking them doesn't always guarantee them coming back to you but it certainly helps.

TIP:  I generally stack several of these bundled framed paintings in a box for transportation which gives them further protection, especially if I’m handing them over to others for the delivery. When shipping, I also add a sheet of extra strength cardboard (same size as the external dimensions of the frame) to the front and back of the frame before wrapping to protect the painting from possible damage. I usually purchase strong boxes of an appropriate size at a nearby UPS store.

 Photo on left shows two types of pipe insulation. One is more rigid and is cut to extend slightly beyond corners of painting. The second is flexible and can be bent around corners. The photo on the right  shows the painting w/ pipe insulation in place wrapped with shelf liner held w/ rubber bands.