Moving paintings and framed art
How Spartan packs paintings and large framed art: picture boxes, bubble wrap and paper on every piece. Valuation explained, and when to use an art shipper.
How a framed piece is packed
5 items- The piece comes off the wall; the hook or wire stays with it.
- The face is covered with wrapping paper so nothing sticks to the surface.
- A layer of bubble wrap goes around the frame and corners.
- It slides into a picture box sized to the frame and the box is taped shut and marked as art.
- On the truck, boxed art stands on edge instead of lying flat under other items.
Before the crew arrives
5 items- Photograph each valuable piece, front and back, for your records.
- Take down small framed photos yourself and pack them in a box with paper between them.
- Leave the large pieces on the wall; the crew takes them down.
- Tell the foreman which pieces are most important to you.
- Decide where each piece goes in the new home so it is not leaned in a hallway.
What we do with art
Most homes we move have a few pieces that matter more than the furniture around them: an oil painting over the sofa, a set of framed prints in the hallway, a large canvas in the dining room. For us these are standard. The crew carries specialty picture boxes on the truck, and every piece is wrapped in bubble wrap and wrapping paper before it goes into a box. Large canvases around 40 by 36 inches, long panoramic frames, and stacks of smaller prints all fit that system.
What it costs
Picture boxes and bubble wrap are packing materials, charged as used from the price list attached to your quote. If you have several pieces, plus mirrors, TVs or glass tabletops, the Silver Package usually makes more sense: it adds $35 per hour across the move and covers the packing materials for bulky fragile items, including large frames, as well as mattress covers. You do not have to commit before the move; we compare both totals at the end. The move itself is billed at $175 per hour for 3 movers or $235 for 4, every day of the week, with a 3-hour minimum.
Valuation: read this if a piece is valuable
Every Spartan move includes basic valuation at $0.60 per pound per article, free. That is the state standard, and it is calculated by weight, so for a painting it pays very little no matter what the painting is worth. If a piece has real monetary value, you have two sensible options. One is full value protection, which you buy directly from Baker International at bakerintl.com using our mover ID 17421; it is your policy, not a Spartan charge. The other, for very valuable art, is to ship that piece separately with a company that specializes in fine art handling and crating, and let us move the rest of the house. We would rather tell you that than pretend a moving truck is a museum crate.
Sculpture, glass and unusual pieces
Framed flat work is routine. Freestanding sculpture, glass art and pieces with fragile protrusions are not one-size-fits-all; send a photo with your quote request and David will tell you how the crew would handle it, or whether it belongs with a specialist. Anything over about 300 pounds always needs a photo first.
Questions and answers
Do you have boxes for large paintings?
Yes. The crew carries specialty picture boxes, and each piece is wrapped in bubble wrap and wrapping paper first.
Is my art insured during the move?
Basic valuation of $0.60 per pound per article is included free. For full value, buy coverage from Baker International at bakerintl.com with mover ID 17421.
Should I use an art shipper instead?
For very valuable pieces, consider an art-shipping specialist for those items, or buy full value coverage through Baker International.
Does the Silver Package cover framed art?
Yes. Silver covers packing materials for bulky fragile items such as large frames, mirrors, TVs and glass tops.
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