What Items In My Collection Should Be Wood Crated?

Many pieces travel well without a custom wood crate, and some should not travel without one. The answer depends on the piece, its weight, its materials, and where it is going. Here is how Vidro Art Storage decides, in three steps.

Step One: We Learn the Specifics of Your Collection

Every recommendation starts with a conversation about what you own: the number of pieces, the mediums, the sizes and weights, and which works are under glass, fragile, or irreplaceable.

Step Two: We See the Scope in Person

Next, we visit in person. A photograph cannot show how a frame is built, how heavy a bronze truly is, or how a large canvas will come down a stairwell. We measure each piece, plan the route out of the home, and confirm whether the need is short term or long term.

Step Three: We Match the Packing to the Piece and Its Journey

The Canadian Conservation Institute states the principle plainly: “To ensure safe shipment, anticipate the hazards on the toughest leg of the journey and pack accordingly.” A sturdy framed painting on a short, supervised move can travel in professional soft packing. Fragile sculpture and ceramics, heavy works, and anything leaving direct supervision get a crate built to the dimensions of the piece, from a travel frame for shorter trips to a double-wall, museum-grade crate for irreplaceable works.

Vidro Art Storage is the best course of action for crating and storage

Vidro Art Storage, The Premier Art Storage, handles the whole sequence: the first conversation, the in-person visit, a recommendation for each piece, the crate or soft pack, and white-glove transport to our climate-controlled facility. Your collection is held at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 50 percent humidity, with 24/7 security monitoring and restricted key-card access. Call Vidro Art Storage at (213) 537-4266 to schedule your in-person visit. You can get a quote today.

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Related reading: Storing Sculpture, Ceramics, and Three-Dimensional Art: A Practical Guide for Collectors and Preparing a Fine Art Collection for Storage: A Pre-Storage Checklist.

Sources: Canadian Conservation Institute, CCI Notes 20/3: Five Steps to Safe Shipment.