How to Pack Your Art Collection for Moving to Dubai?

Moving is stressful, and it is even more stressful to move your art collection. But big villas in Dubai can look ten times as pretty if you take your artwork with you. You can certainly buy new paintings there, but taking the paintings of your native place or the authentic artwork that you have gathered over the years will help you decorate your villa better.

But each time even a single scratch occurs on the artwork, a true art lover suffers a mini heartbreak. Artwork is expensive and has a deep meaning behind it, so it is justified to feel a certain way. But if you hire professional packers and movers in Dubai, they will not only help you with carrying out the villa move but also help you with moving your art collection safely.

Also, the protection of your artwork largely depends on how well your art collection is packed. Professional packers and movers can help you with that perfection. So, booking them will not only reduce the damage risk but also save you from a lot of stress that comes with house moving.

If you are moving internationally, then you can look for affordable international movers who are experienced in moving art collections.

But if you are planning to pack your artwork yourself, then here are some tips from professional packers and movers that can help you:

Sort the boxes first

You can begin by sorting the size of the boxes. You can pack the small and medium-sized artwork together. When you are moving large pieces of artwork, they should be packed separately in specialty boxes that are a bit larger than the size of the frame that you are packing. You can easily get specialty boxes at any truck rental agency or moving supply store. If you are unable to arrange a special box, you can use a box that you have already used and flatten it. Just keep one thing in mind: your box should be slightly bigger than the frame.

Tape it in, making an X across the glass

If your painting has a breakable glass covering, then it is fragile and needs extra attention. Use masking tape and roll it around the glass, making an "X" all across the painting. It will prevent the glass from breaking and make it immovable during the transition.

Protect the surface of the artwork

Whether your artwork has a glass frame or not, you need to protect the surface. Even if the glass frame is not there, your painting can get damaged if it gets exposed to things during transit. Thus, packers and movers recommend using either plastic wrap or commercial palette wrap on the surface.

Make use of paper and bubble wrap

Spread the brown paper on a flat surface. The size of the paper should also be larger than the size of your frame. Then place the painting above it so that it becomes easy to wrap it. Make sure the surface is facing the paper and the corners are covering it from the backside.

In normal packing, people use normal newspapers to layer it up and for extra padding. But in the case of artwork, do not use newspapers for this extra padding because the print can affect the painting. Now, tape it up nicely using packing tape. Wrap it all around the frame both widthwise and lengthwise. It will prevent the paper from moving.

After doing this, use bubble wrap to provide an extra layer and padding over the paper. Wrap the bubble wrap in the same way as you did with the brown paper.

If you are packing small frames and photos in the same moving box, then also wrap each art item separately. Use brown paper and bubble wrap for each frame. Wrap all the articles individually and then keep them in the box.

You will need extra protectors for the corners of the picture frames. Use specialized cardboard corner protectors for that.

Movement Evaluation

Now, stack everything inside the boxes. The extra layers will fill up the space inside the box, which we made slightly bigger than the size of our box. After doing this, try and wiggle the box a bit. If you feel that the contents of the box are moving, then add papers inside the box or towels. It will provide more padding.

Thoroughly seal the Box

If you are using a specialty box, tape up one end of the box. Rest the tapped side of the box on a surface. Now, with the other unsealed end facing upwards, slide the painting into the box. While you are sliding the frame into the box, ask someone to hold the box.

If you do not have a specialty box, then use a flattened box that is taken apart and secured with tape. If the flattened box is large enough, then bend it around the frame and tape it up.

There is a fair chance that the box does not wrap around the frame. In that case, use another box to seal the exposed sides.

Label each box with its contents and descriptors

To avoid the unpacking hassle and to alarm the movers on the way, label the boxes with the title "Fragile items". Also mention the location where you want to place those paintings, like the living room, kitchen, or bedroom.

Place the boxes in the trucks

After successful packing, make sure that you do not skip this point of safe loading. Make the frames rest on their side, and not flat. It will be easier for the frames to absorb pressure if they are laying on the edge rather than flat. Stack up the pictures in a place where the chances of them falling over are nil. You can sandwich them between heavy objects; it will further prevent them from moving during the transit.

So, these are some expert tips to pack the artwork safely. But if you hire movers and packers in Dubai, then you should prefer to hire them. As it is just a myth that you will save on the extra cost if you pack it yourself, in reality, there are chances of damaging that expensive artwork and having a lifetime of regret.