LetterAgent

Mail physical letters by just asking your AI assistant.

Status: LetterAgent is currently in private testing ahead of public launch. Everything on this page describes the service as it works today.

Home > Guides > Shipping framed artwork

How do I ship framed artwork or prints?

Tape an X of painter's tape across the glass, add corner protectors, then sandwich the frame between rigid boards inside a snug box with padding on all sides. Glass is the failure point in almost every broken-frame story, so your packing should assume the glass breaks and keep shards off the art. For anything valuable, buy declared-value coverage and photograph the piece before you pack it.

How do I protect the glass?

Glass fails in two ways: it cracks from a corner impact, or it shatters and the shards scratch the artwork underneath. Defend against both. First, run painter's tape in a big X (or several) across the glass. The tape does not stop the glass from breaking, but it holds the shards in place so they do not rain down onto the art. Use painter's tape, not packing tape: packing tape adhesive can bake onto glass in a hot truck and is miserable to remove.

Second, put a rigid layer directly over the glass side: a sheet of foam board or corrugated cardboard cut to fit inside the frame. This is what absorbs the corner hit that would otherwise go straight through the glass. Third, remove the hanging wire and any D-rings or hooks from the back. Loose hardware inside a box becomes a hammer, and it will find the glass.

What's the best box setup?

What you're shipping	Packing method
Small framed piece (under about 16 by 20 inches)	Taped glass, cardboard over the face, corner protectors, then into a snug box with padding on all sides
Large framed piece	Build a sandwich: foam board, frame, foam board, taped at the edges, then boxed with the sandwich centered and braced so it cannot shift
Unframed print or photo	Rigid flat mailer or between two pieces of foam board; never in a plain envelope
Canvas (no glass)	Corner protectors and a box; the risk is puncture, so add a rigid sheet over the face

Corner protectors deserve their own mention: the corners take nearly every impact, and a crushed frame corner is the most common damage claim on shipped art. Cardboard protectors are cheap and effective; foam ones are better for heavier frames. If you are shipping something truly valuable or irreplaceable, a double box (packed box inside a larger padded box) is the professional standard.

What mistakes should I avoid?

Writing on the frame or glass. Marker bleeds through tape and labels; a "fragile" sticker on the glass leaves residue. Put markings on the outer box only.
Wrapping in newspaper. Newsprint ink transfers to mats and light-colored frames, especially in heat. Use plain packing paper.
Leaving the piece loose in an oversized box. Movement is what breaks frames. The packed piece should not shift when you tilt the box.
Skipping the photos. Photograph the piece, the packing steps, and the sealed box. If you file a damage claim, the carrier will ask for exactly this evidence.

What about rolled prints and posters?

If the art is not framed yet, do not frame it for shipping: roll it instead. A print rolled in a sturdy mailing tube travels far more safely than a framed piece, because you have removed the glass problem entirely. Our guide to mailing posters in tubes covers that method in detail. Framing is for display; tubes are for transit.

Related guides

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.

Need help? Ask your assistant: it can check a job's status any time. If it ever can't handle something: hello@getletteragent.com