(Updated February 28, 2025)
When it’s time to move, the last thing you want is for your cherished art to be damaged along the way. Whether it's a framed painting, a family photo, or a precious mirror, ensuring its safe arrival at your new home should be a top priority.
Many moving services offer professional packing for artwork, but if you want to go the do-it-yourself route and pack your art on your own, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the right materials, techniques, and steps to pack your art like a pro—so it arrives at your new place safe, sound, and ready to shine.
Essential Supplies for Packing Art for Moving
When preparing to pack your framed art for moving, the first thing to do is have the right materials at the ready. You can buy these items at a hardware store, online moving supply store, or through your moving truck rental company. Here’s a list of what you’ll need:
Sturdy boxes, sized slightly larger than the artwork
Packing tape
Painter’s tape or artist’s tape
Bubble wrap
Brown packing paper
Markers
Palette wrap
Glassine paper
Flat sheets of cardboard
How to Pack Framed Art for Moving
Now that you have your supplies ready, it’s time to get to work packing your framed artwork.
1. Match artwork with an appropriate-sized box
Large pieces of framed art should be packed individually to ensure the best protection.
When choosing boxes for your artwork, each box should be slightly larger in length, width, and height than your artwork in order to allow enough space for the packing materials.
Small and medium-sized artwork can be packed together. However, it’s important to group them in similar sizes and pack them boxes suitable for their size. This reduces the risk of pieces bumping up against each other and causing damage during the move.
2. Prepare artwork for packing
There’s a lot to cover before putting artwork into a moving box. The first step for framed art is to protect the glass.
Use the painter’s or artist’s tape to create an X pattern across the entire glass. This helps prevent the glass from shattering and also keeps the glass from moving around if it does happen to break.
For artwork without glass, wrap several layers of palette wrap around each piece to keep the art from getting scratched.
3. Wrap the artwork
Once the glass or art is protected, it’s time to wrap it up.
The first layer will be the brown packing paper. Lay the paper out on a large, flat work surface, making sure the paper is at least twice the size of the artwork.
Place the art face down in the center of the paper.
Fold one side in, creasing the edge, and fold the other side to meet it.
Secure the paper by wrapping tape around the entire piece.
Next, fold the paper down from the top and wrap tape around the entire piece lengthwise.
After the paper layer is on, it’s time to go through the same process with bubble wrap:
Lay out a piece of bubble wrap twice as big as your artwork on a flat surface, and place the brown paper-wrapped art face down.
Fold and tape around the width of the art, and then fold and tape lengthwise.
Having both layers taped snugly helps prevent damage to the artwork during transit.
4. Box the artwork
Now it’s time to get your framed art into a box.
Tape one end of a box with packing tape, and holding the box upright, place the artwork inside it.
Even after accommodating the packing material, you might still have some room in the box. Close the box and shake it gently. If the artwork shifts, add packing material to the sides and the ends of the box.
Now it’s ready to be sealed. Tape the remaining end tightly with packing tape.
5. Create a label
It’s important to label each box going in the moving truck, as that tells the movers where the box should be located in your new home. But with framed artwork, the label has added importance.
Using a large black marker, write the word “FRAGILE” on each side of the box to alert everyone handling your boxed artwork they need to use extra care when moving this box. (You can also purchase stickers that say “FRAGILE” from a moving supply vendor.).
When moving framed artwork, it’s very important to follow each step carefully. It might seem cumbersome at first, but once you’ve gone through the process a few times you’ll move through it all more quickly.
How do I pack my framed pictures for moving?
Packing framed pictures follows the same steps as that of packing framed artwork for moving, with one very crucial difference: For a framed picture with glass, you’ll still make an X on the glass with tape just like you would for framed artwork.
For a framed picture without glass, wrap each picture with glassine paper, tissue paper, or another type of non-acid paper instead of palette wrap. This creates a barrier against grease and moisture. Then follow up with brown packing paper and bubble wrap as above.
How to Pack Canvas Art for Moving
Not all fine artwork is framed. If you have canvas art in your collection, there are steps to take to ensure its protected during a move.
While the process of packing canvas art is similar to that of packing framed artwork for a move, there are several differences.
1. Start with the right size box
When choosing boxes for your canvas artwork each box should be slightly larger in length, width, and height than your artwork. This is important as you need to provide enough room to cushion the artwork with extra packing material as needed.
Take care to package large artwork individually. However, small and medium-sized artwork can be packed together in single boxes.
2. Protect the corners of the canvas
Unlike framed artwork, canvas works don’t have the protection provided by a frame. Professional movers protect canvas paintings by using foam or corner protectors to prevent damage.
If you’re moving canvas art, add these to your packing essentials check-list. Place the corner protectors on the canvas before moving to the next step of wrapping your art.
3. Wrap the canvas
Now you’re ready to wrap the artwork.
Lay the canvas down on packing paper at least twice the size of the artwork.
Then, fold it lengthwise first and secure with tape, wrapping the tape around the entire canvas.
Next, fold the ends down and tape around the entire piece.
Complete the same steps with bubble wrap. Both layers will help keep the artwork from damage and breakage during transit.
4. Test the box size with the artwork
Tape a box end, and with the box upright, place the canvas artwork inside. The canvas should fit snugly.
Shake the box gently. If the art shifts, add packing material to the sides and top and bottom of the box before sealing it.
5. Label the box
Use your black marker to label where the box should go in your new home and be sure to write the word “FRAGILE” on each side of the box, or use stickers provided through your moving company.
Pack Like a Pro: Expert Tips for Moving Artwork
Professional movers have the packing materials and boxes needed to help make packing wall art for moving easy. But you can get those materials and do it yourself just as well by following the steps above, especially if you know some of the techniques the pros use.
Here are a few important things to keep in mind when packing art for a move:
Wear clean cotton or disposable gloves when packing unframed artwork and photos. This protects the pieces from oils and residues on your hands.
Make sure to pack large pieces in individual boxes to prevent damage in case they bump together.
Add corner protectors to your artwork before packing to ensure corners don’t get damaged.
Don’t wrap artwork with newspaper. The newsprint can rub off and stain the artwork.
Use heavy, sturdy boxes when packing artwork. A flimsy box puts your artwork at risk for damage during transport.
How to Load the Truck: Securing your Artwork for Transport
You’ve got your fine artwork packaged like a professional to help keep it safe while moving. The next step is to do what you can to ensure it’s secure during transport.
When loading artwork into a moving truck, the first thing to do is make sure it’s upright. Never stack artwork flat, as you run the risk of stacking boxes on top of it, which could break the glass or the supports on the canvas.
Place upright boxes between heavy objects such as sofas or bookcases that are secured well. This is another way to help ensure no pressure is exerted on the boxed artwork from other boxes or furniture when the truck shifts on turns. You can also add moving blankets around the boxes to provide an extra layer of protection.
Packing Art for Moving: FAQs
Can I use plastic wrap instead of bubble wrap for packing artwork?
Bubble wrap is the recommended packing material for framed artwork and canvases.
While plastic wrap can protect surfaces from getting marked, it doesn’t have the cushioning features of bubble wrap. Another drawback to plastic wrap is it can stick to surfaces and cause damage to your artwork; even if it’s layered on top of brown packing paper, there might be a tear in the paper or a missed area, and it’s not worth risking damage from plastic wrap.
What’s the best way to pack a mirror for moving?
The primary goal is to protect the glass.
Creating an X pattern on the glass with painter’s tape or artist’s tape helps prevent it from breaking and can also hold the glass together to prevent it from shattering if it breaks.
Then, wrap the mirror in brown packing paper and bubble wrap as detailed above for packing framed artwork.
Mirrors have one additional step: Put a flat piece of cardboard on each side of the mirror, securing it with tape, before putting it in a box.
Once in the box, check to make sure the mirror doesn’t shift when the box is shaken slightly. If it does, add more packing materials until the mirror is snug. Then label “FRAGILE” on both sides of the box.
Is it okay to pack artwork with other fragile items in the same box?
Packing artwork in the same box as other fragile items isn’t recommended. Artwork needs extra cushioning and a snug-fitting box to keep it from being damaged during transit.
Packing artwork with other items puts it at risk for being torn or damaged from the items pushing against it during transport. Even though they’re labeled “FRAGILE,” every fragile item has its own way of being packed for moving.
When to Hire Professional Movers
Learning how to pack art for moving isn’t difficult, but if you have a lot of framed artwork, canvases, pictures, and mirrors in your home, it can be a tedious, time-consuming job. It’s also something that people get better at with practice.
Professional movers have the right tools and materials at their disposal plus experience in packing to help ensure artwork isn’t damaged in transit.
Hiring professional movers to pack your artwork can also help reduce your stress during the move and give you greater peace of mind that your belongings will arrive at your new home safe and intact.
Make Your Move with Colonial
By following the steps above carefully, you can ensure your artwork stays safe for their journey. But if you’re looking for some help from the pros, our team at Colonial Van Lines can pack your artwork and other items with expertise. With our full-service experience and 50 years of interstate moving under our belts, you can reduce the stress of your move and rest easy that your belongings are in safe hands. Get a free quote here.