Changing your place of residence always comes with many positive and negative emotions. People are often excited to move, but the thoughts of the actual moving day can extinguish the enthusiasm. So many decisions have to be made, numerous questions answered and concerns addressed. Of course, we all want our belongings to remain undamaged after the move too. However, some items can be very tricky to relocate. If you are a passionate art collector, you must know what we are talking about. Your precious items were probably the first things on your mind at that particular moment you decided to move. Here are some fine art handling tips that you might find helpful.
Make no mistakes – hire professionals for fine art handling
First of all, you have to decide whether you’ll be moving your fine art by yourself or you will hire the professionals. Naturally, our advice to you is to hire a reputable moving company for such an endeavor. Since you are a collector or at least a connoisseur, you probably know how delicate your art pieces are, so why risk damaging them? We recommend visiting dorothyandmarthamoving.com since they excel in art handling. It is their specialty and their passion.
Feel free to ask them everything
The reliable moving company that offers fine art handling services must have the answers to all of your questions about packing, transport, unpacking and possible storing. Even if you decide to do this move by yourself, they will give you pieces of advice that you need.
Let’s take a look at some packing techniques for fine art handling
Packing paintings is a very delicate job even when they are framed
When it comes to protecting your framed art for the move, the procedure is the following:
• Protecting the glass by duct tape – if glass shatters, the chances are that it will easily damage the painting it is supposed to protect. This way, even if the glass breaks, it will remain in place. By reinforcing the glass you are also protecting yourself from the injuries that often occur on a moving day
• Protecting the frame by Styrofoam – material which is quite useful in fine art handling.
• Putting the framed artwork in a cardboard box that fits it as much as possible
• Inserting some crumpled newspapers in the box to keep the frame from moving during transport
• Taping the box and securing it with some extra tape at the bottom
Protecting the unframed canvas is slightly different
Professional movers know better than to touch it with bare hands. The special type of gloves is used for that purpose and there is a protective paper designed not to smudge the painting. The paper is used for wrapping and it needs to be taped at the back of the canvas. A good piece of advice is not to use the packing Styrofoam peanuts when protecting the canvas inside the moving box since they can deform the box.
Packing statues and figurines – that is no job for amateurs
First, you need to make sure that your fragile hollow items are stuffed with packing paper which absorbs the possible shocks in transport. After that, they need to be wrapped in some soft material that would prevent their breakage or chipping. If the statue or a vase is big or very heavy, the recommendation is to use a moving crate for its shipment. Again, you need some soft padding at the bottom of the box or the crate.
One step done – two more to go!
With packing successfully done, there are transport and unpacking left to do. Highly trained staff of a reliable fine art handling company will make sure that your art is intact during the transport. They will not just shove the boxes into a moving truck or carry your painting turned upside down. Make sure that your arrangement includes unpacking so that you get the help needed throughout the entire relocation process.
Consider some art storage solutions
Is your new place ready for your art collection? Do you even have enough room for it? If you are halfway through the renovation or you haven’t found the perfect spot for your precious belongings in your new house, don’t rush it. You should look for companies that can offer you fine art storage to keep your art safe and secure. The state-of-the-art technologies that they have will protect your belongings from humidity and temperature fluctuations. You can also opt for a 24/7 monitoring system to enhance security.
Maintenance is very important in fine art handling
Time takes its toll on every single piece of art, so proper maintenance is crucial. Experts working in art storage units are familiar with every aspect of art preservation and maintenance. So, you can contact them every time you need some advice concerning your art pieces. Or, you can take a walk to your nearest gallery or a museum. If you use social networks as a source of information, please take every advice that you find with a pinch of salt, because they are not always the best choice.
Don’t forget the insurance
Moving your art collection is not done every day, so take your time to plan and organize it thoroughly. If investing in fine art is something that fulfills you, then you will probably go above and beyond to ensure its safety. Without a doubt, getting the moving insurance is what you should do.
If you are moving your art possessions outside the USA, make sure that you have all the necessary permits and licenses to do so. Sometimes, you might even need them when you move locally too. Inform yourself about it, hire professionals and be prepared enjoy your smooth move since you know that your fine art handling will be done professionally.
