Pink and blue abstract paint texture for packing and crating

Packing & Crating

Object-specific packing and crating using conservation-appropriate materials.

Protection designed around the object, not the box.

Pink and blue abstract paint texture for packing and crating

Protection strategy

Packing matched to the artwork and route

Service rhythm

Packing decisions follow the artwork and route.

Packing and crating are selected by medium, surface sensitivity, value, route, climate, handling environment, and destination.

Soft-pack and reinforced options

Conservation-minded materials

Domestic and international crates

Review

Object

Assess the object

Review

Route

Select packing method

Review

Risk

Document and prepare transit

Client scenarios

Protection changes with the object and route.

Art packing and crating should respond to the medium, surface, route, handling environment, and destination requirements.

Local move

Soft-pack protection for controlled fine art transport.

Local NYC moves may need careful wrapping, edge protection, handling notes, and vehicle preparation rather than a full crate.

Domestic route

Reinforced protection for multi-stop or longer-distance movement.

Additional protection can support regional routing, fair schedules, storage intake, and receiving-site constraints.

Global

Custom crates for international art shipping.

Crate design, condition documentation, labeling, and paperwork support cross-border handoffs and freight environments.

Packing begins with the object, route, handling environment, and destination. Aiston prepares paintings, sculpture, antiques, mixed media, framed works, and delicate objects for transport, storage, viewing, and shipment.

The right method may be a soft pack, slipcase, reinforced travel frame, or custom crate. The decision depends on medium, surface, glazing, frame condition, dimensions, weight, route, and how many handoffs the work will experience.

Common Projects

  • Local soft packing for fine art transportation
  • Reinforced packing for regional or domestic routes
  • Custom crates for international shipping, fairs, exhibitions, and high-value objects
  • Packing before storage, viewing, installation, or release

What Aiston Coordinates

  • Material selection by object type
  • Condition checks, photos, labels, and documentation when needed
  • Coordination with transportation, storage intake, viewing, installation, or shipping
  • Unpacking requirements and destination handling notes

For cross-border shipments, see International Art Shipping.

What Helps Us Plan

  • Artwork photos, dimensions, medium, and condition concerns
  • Frame, glazing, surface, hardware, and weight details
  • Route, destination, timing, and carrier or agent requirements
  • Whether storage, viewing, installation, documentation, or international shipping is involved

Request Service

Tell us what needs to be packed, where it is going, how it will travel, and whether storage, viewing, installation, documentation, or international shipping is part of the project.

Operational details

The packing decision is a risk decision.

Aiston reviews the practical risk factors before choosing soft packing, reinforced protection, slipcases, travel frames, or custom crates.

Protection designed around the object, not the box.

Surface

Medium and sensitivity

Paint surface, glazing, frame condition, substrate, age, and stability influence material selection.

Movement

Route and handling chain

Local delivery, domestic logistics, freight transfer, storage, or international shipping each changes the level of protection.

Destination

Receiving and unpacking

Site access, destination agents, climate, dock conditions, and unpacking requirements shape the final method.

Records

Documentation before transit

Photos, condition notes, labels, and inventory references can support insurance, release, and chain of custody.

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