Shipping Prints

[Mike W]

How would you go about packing and shipping a print mounted on a 13X15 mat? (unframed). I was going to bubble wrap it and put it in a flat box, but I'm worried about the box getting crushed, or otherwise damaged. Thanks-Mike

 

[Roger Thoms]

I have shipped prints that way and not had any problem. Make sure that the box is big enough and that you use enough bubble wrap that if the box get damaged the print will still be OK. The other method I use is to sandwich the print between to stiff pieces of card board and then use a mailing envelope made from card stock. I then have post office stamp it Do No Bend.


Roger

 

[Roger Thoms]

Greg's advice is very good and much more detailed that mine. Very good points on the card board running 90 deg, the 2 inch borders, and the plastic sleeve.

Roger.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Get offcuts of Gatorboard/foamcore (most frameshops have heaps of the stuff, also great for making wall titles) and sandwich the mounted print between tissue paper in that, then a second later of either stiff cardboard or more foamcore and maybe bubblewrap over all of it (to cushion the inevitable blows). If the print is recessed because of the mount, cut out a piece of bubble wrap and put that in the recess before final packaging. Tape all edges really well. Insure the item and post.

There is really no fail-safe method as all items going through the post will be subject to some banging and loading pressures even end up under a tonne of other stuff, including pointy boxes etc. It's a good thing you're not shipping glass framed prints: these are disastrous shipped anywhere except by specialist road couriers who transport and insure fine art.

 

[preuss]

Two15x17” masonite boards inside a thin box. That should do the trick.

 

[plummerl]

As a member the print offer program of Friends of Photography (now defunct), they always mailed out the prints sandwhiched between two sheet of masonite, period, no box! After more shipments than I can remember, not one ever arrived in anything but perfect condition.

larry

 

[monodave]

I ship prints around the world, packed in thin protective bags (polyester archival sleeves), between sheets of mdf board. I have shipped up to 80cm x 60cm prints in this way with no problems.

 

[Mike W]

Thanks

Thanks for the helpful replies! I'm going to use at least foam core or masonite.

 

[patrickjames]

If you are in the US, Lowe's or Home Depot will cut the masonite for you for free. I usually get a pile of them made when I go. It is pretty cheap stuff.