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You ship a painting face-protected, corner-protected, and boxed with no room to move, and you never let tape or bubble wrap touch the painted surface. LetterAgent shipping labels cover Canada-only Canada Post Xpresspost parcels up to 5 kg, so a small framed piece may qualify, while a large framed painting usually needs a carrier service booked directly.
Cover the face with a smooth, non-stick layer first: glassine paper or a clean plastic sheet works, and it must sit flat without wrinkles pressing into the paint. This layer exists because bubble wrap left against a painting can leave a dotted imprint on soft paint or varnish, especially in heat. Tape belongs on the backing board, never on the frame or the face. For a framed painting with glass, add a different step first: tape a large X across the glass with painter's tape, so if the glass breaks, the shards stay stuck to the tape instead of falling onto the painting.
Corners take the hits, so they get the most protection. Foam corner protectors, or cardboard corners folded over each corner and taped to the backing, spread the force of a drop. After the face layer and corners, wrap the whole piece in a layer of bubble wrap with the bubbles facing outward, away from the face layer. Then slide it into a flat box or a mirror box that fits snugly, and fill any leftover space so the painting cannot shift. A painting that slides even a little will wear through its face layer at the edges during a long trip.
| Painting type | Packing approach |
|---|---|
| Small framed painting with glass | Tape an X on the glass, face layer, corner protectors, snug flat box |
| Large framed painting | Double-box it: inner flat box, then a larger box with cushioning between them |
| Unframed canvas on stretchers | Face layer, then a cardboard sandwich that covers the whole face so nothing presses the canvas |
| Rolled canvas, no stretchers | Roll paint-side out around a wide tube, wrap in glassine, ship in a rigid tube |
| Painting on board or panel | Face layer and corner protectors, then a flat box; panels resist puncture better than canvas |
Flat is safer for finished, varnished, or older paintings, because rolling stresses the paint layer and can crack it, especially on thick impasto work where the paint stands proud of the surface. Rolled shipping suits unvarnished, flexible canvases that were painted to be stretched later, and it cuts the parcel size sharply. If you roll, roll with the paint facing out, not in: paint facing in cracks along the roll, while paint facing out stretches gently. Use a tube wider than your fist, never a narrow one, and cap both ends so the canvas cannot slide out.
Photograph the painting front and back before packing, and photograph each packing layer as you add it. For a valuable piece, those photos are the evidence that decides an insurance claim, since carriers often argue the damage came from poor packing. Declare the full value, and check whether the carrier's standard coverage excludes artwork: many do, or cap it low, so you may need separate fine-art coverage for a high-value piece.
Require a signature on delivery, and tell the recipient to inspect the box before signing. A dented corner on the box is a reason to open it at the door and note any damage on the delivery record before the driver leaves. Once a clean signature is given, claiming damage gets much harder.
A note on LetterAgent: shipping labels are Canada-only Canada Post Xpresspost, flat-rate, for parcels up to 5 kg, quoted up front. You describe the parcel to your AI assistant, approve the exact price, pay once, and receive a label PDF. If your painting is over 5 kg, oversized, or leaving Canada, that label cannot cover it, and you will need a carrier or fine-art shipping service booked directly.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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