How to Ship Artwork and Framed Prints

My neighbor is a watercolor artist who sells on Etsy. Last holiday season, she shipped 47 framed prints. Three arrived with cracked glass. Two had damaged frames. One was "lost" (still suspicious about that one). That's a 13% failure rate — completely unacceptable, and entirely preventable.

After helping her redesign her packaging process, her damage rate dropped to zero over the next 200 shipments. Zero. The difference wasn't luck or a better carrier. It was better packaging.

Art is emotionally charged. When someone buys a painting or a framed print, they've already decided where it's going on their wall. When it arrives damaged, the disappointment hits different than a dented Amazon box. Getting artwork shipping right matters more than almost any other product category.

Know What You're Shipping

Different types of artwork have very different vulnerabilities:

Let's go through each one.

Shipping Unframed Prints and Posters

This is the easiest category, and people still mess it up constantly.

Flat Shipping (Recommended for Smaller Prints)

For prints up to about 18x24 inches:

Place the print in a clear poly sleeve or acid-free tissue

Sandwich between two rigid cardboard sheets cut 1 inch larger than the print on all sides

Tape the cardboard sandwich together so nothing slides

Place in a rigid mailer or flat box

Mark "DO NOT BEND" on the outside (it won't guarantee anything, but it helps)

Tube Shipping (For Larger Prints)

For prints larger than 18x24:

Roll the print face-inward (artwork inside) around an inner tube or rolled cardboard core

The core should be at least 3 inches in diameter — tighter rolls cause creasing

Secure with a rubber band or tape (tape on the backing paper only, never on the art side)

Place inside a mailing tube at least 2 inches longer than the print on each end

Cap both ends and seal with tape

Flat vs. tube? Flat is always better for the art. Rolling introduces curl that has to be flattened out. But for large prints, flat shipping gets prohibitively expensive because of dimensional weight. Tubes are the practical compromise.

Shipping Canvas Paintings

Canvas is surprisingly durable as a material, but it's stretched over a wooden frame (stretcher bars) that creates a drum-like surface. Push on that surface and you'll dent or puncture it.

Small to Medium Canvas (Up to 24x36)

Place a piece of glassine paper or acid-free tissue over the painted surface

Wrap the entire canvas in bubble wrap — at least 2 layers, with the bubbles facing OUT (away from the canvas). Bubbles against the surface can leave impressions on wet or freshly varnished paintings

Place cardboard corner protectors on all four corners

Slide into a box 2-3 inches larger than the canvas on all sides

Fill gaps with crumpled paper or foam — the canvas should not move

Seal and label

Large Canvas (Over 36 inches)

Large canvases need a crate or a specialty art shipping box.

DIY mirror/picture box: Home Depot and Lowe's sell adjustable mirror/picture boxes. These telescope to fit various sizes. They're not perfect, but they're a good budget option.

Custom crate: For original artwork valued over $500, consider building a wooden crate or using a professional art shipping service. A crate costs $30-$80 in materials but provides the highest level of protection.

Shipping Framed Artwork (The Hard One)

Framed artwork with glass is the most damage-prone category. The glass wants to break. The frame corners want to chip. The backing wants to separate. Everything is working against you.

The Glass Problem

Real glass is heavy and shatters on impact. The fragments can then scratch or destroy the artwork underneath. This is why most professional framers use acrylic (Plexiglas) for shipped artwork.

If you're shipping framed art with real glass:

Tape an X across the glass using painter's tape (blue tape). Run tape from corner to corner, making an X, then add horizontal and vertical strips. If the glass breaks, the tape holds the fragments together and prevents them from destroying the art

Cut a piece of cardboard to the exact size of the glass and tape it over the taped glass surface

Now wrap the entire frame in bubble wrap — generous amounts, 3+ layers

Apply corner protectors to all four frame corners (foam, cardboard, or commercial corner protectors)

Frame Corner Protection

Frame corners are where 80% of damage occurs. They're the point of impact when a package is dropped.

Commercial corner protectors: These are foam or cardboard L-shaped pieces that slip over each corner. About $0.50-$1.00 each.

DIY alternative: Cut corrugated cardboard into 4-inch squares. Fold each square around a frame corner and tape in place. Not as elegant, but effective.

The Full Packing Method for Framed Art

Tape X on glass (if applicable)

Cover glass with cardboard sheet

Place acid-free tissue or glassine over the art/glass area

Apply corner protectors to all four corners

Wrap entire frame in bubble wrap (3 layers minimum)

Place in a box at least 3 inches larger than the frame on all sides

Line the bottom of the box with 3 inches of crumpled paper or foam

Center the wrapped frame in the box

Fill all gaps — top, sides, everywhere — with cushioning material

The frame should be immobile when you close the box

Seal with quality packing tape

For frames larger than 24x36, use a mirror/picture box or custom crate.

Carrier Options for Artwork

Artwork shipping gets expensive due to size. Most framed pieces exceed standard package dimensions.

USPS Size Limits

USPS has strict size limits that often disqualify framed artwork:

• Maximum length: 22 inches (Priority Mail Flat Rate), 108 inches (Priority Mail by weight)
• Maximum length + girth: 130 inches
• Anything over these limits must go UPS or FedEx

Dimensional Weight Impact

Artwork packages are large and light — exactly the scenario where dimensional weight hurts. A 24x30 framed print might weigh 5 lbs, but the shipping box (30x36x6) has a DIM weight of:

(30 x 36 x 6) / 139 = 46.6 lbs (UPS/FedEx)

That means you're paying for a 47-lb package even though it weighs 5 lbs. This is why artwork shipping costs can be shocking.

Cost reduction strategies:

• Use the smallest possible box (reduce dimensions = reduce DIM weight)
• Compare USPS (often uses actual weight) vs UPS/FedEx for each shipment
• Use a shipping platform like atoship to find the best rate across carriers
• For large artwork, consider freight or specialty art shippers

Insurance for Artwork

Art values are subjective, which makes insurance claims tricky.

Proving Art Value for Claims

Carriers will push back on art insurance claims because value is subjective. You need:

Sale receipt/invoice — the price the buyer paid

Appraisal (for original work over $1,000) — professional appraisal carries weight

Comparable sales — if you've sold similar pieces, document those prices

Artist credentials — gallery representation, exhibition history, press coverage

Photos of damage — multiple angles, good lighting

For prints and reproductions, the sale price is your value proof. For original artwork, an appraisal is almost mandatory for claims over $500.

Moisture Protection

Water is the other big enemy of artwork. A rainstorm during delivery or a humid warehouse can ruin a painting or print.

Protection methods:

• Wrap artwork in plastic before boxing (cling wrap or poly sheeting)
• Use plastic corner protectors instead of cardboard (cardboard absorbs moisture)
• Place silica gel packets inside the box
• Use "KEEP DRY" labels on the outside
• For original oil or acrylic paintings: ensure the painting is fully cured before wrapping in plastic (uncured paint can stick to plastic)

Temperature Sensitivity

During extreme temperature periods, upgrade to a faster shipping service to reduce transit time.

Special Cases

Shipping Without Glass

If you're selling framed art, consider offering a "ship without glass" option. Remove the glass before shipping and let the buyer source replacement glass locally. This dramatically reduces weight, shipping cost, and breakage risk. Not everyone will go for it, but for buyers who want to save $20-30 on shipping, it's a great option.

Rolled Canvas Art

Some sellers offer canvas prints without stretcher bars — rolled and shipped in a tube. This is far cheaper to ship but requires the buyer to have it stretched and framed locally. If you offer both options (stretched and rolled), make the cost difference clear.

Gallery Wrap Canvas

Gallery wrap canvases (where the art wraps around the edges) don't have a frame, which makes them lighter and easier to ship. But the painted edges are exposed and vulnerable to scuffing. Wrap the edges with extra care — foam strips along each edge work well.

Packaging Supply List for Art Sellers

Your damage rate should be under 1%. If it's higher than that, your packaging needs work. Every broken piece of glass is a return, a refund, and a disappointed customer. Invest in the materials and build the process. The math always works out in favor of good packaging.