The statistics of art damage show that most cases involve neither contingencies nor natural disasters, but happen because of human error. Careless handling, wrong choice of packing materials, and disregard to environmental factors cause irreparable damage and trigger long-term decay. The same goes for crating; if performed well, it becomes a bulletproof protective layer for your art. If it’s done wrongly, it can’t protect art and will even accelerate and worsen damage. Read on to see how improper crating destroys paintings and what precautions are needed not to let it happen.

What Mechanical Damage Are Paintings Vulnerable To?

Paintings shipped without adequate cushioning are exposed to the full spectrum of kinetic forces. Even routine handling procedures can cause shocks directly to the artwork. The consequences range from canvas punctures and tears to stretcher bar impressions and paint flaking. Other mechanical risks include compression and weight damage, caused by stacking heavy objects on top of a crate or using crates that are too small for the artwork. Abrasion and surface contact also belong to the mechanical damage category; these problems occur if the painting is not properly isolated from the crate’s walls.

How Improper Crating Destroys Paintings: Impact of Environmental Factors

Climate-related damage occurs in a crate that is not climate-buffered or sealed. In these cases, paintings are subject to repeated cycles of expansion and contraction under the influence of environmental factor fluctuations. Temperature extremes affect the painting’s mechanical properties and the behavior of varnish, while condensation causes moisture within a sealed crate without vapor barriers.

Chemical and Biological Risks of Wrong Crating

Paintings may suffer from chemical damage if the crate’s interior materials are wrongly chosen. Not all foam, wood, and adhesive products are safe for fine art, and the crating team should take these properties seriously when developing a packing strategy. Many commercially available materials off-gas volatile organic compounds and acids, which react with paint layers and cause degradation. That’s why it is a must to use acid-free, museum-grade materials in crate design and artwork packaging.

Entrust Crating to Professionals to Enjoy Full Safety

Now that you know how improper crating destroys paintings, it’s time to take all the necessary precautions for safe transportation and storage of your precious property. Hire professionals with lots of hands-on crating experience to handle your paintings, and their safety will be out of question. Fine Art Shippers has a crating workshop in New York, where we perform custom crating based on individual parameters of every artwork.