How to Pack Fragile Art and Mirrors for a Long-Distance Move
When cardboard is enough, when a custom crate is worth it, and how to protect glass in transit.
Published 2025-12-13 · 5 min read · Packing
When cardboard is enough, and when it isn't
A small framed print can usually be safely packed in a mirror or picture carton with corner protectors and packing paper. Larger pieces, anything on canvas, or art with any real monetary or sentimental value crosses a line where a custom wood crate is the safer choice. As a rule of thumb, if replacing the piece would be expensive or impossible, it belongs in a crate, not a cardboard box.
Corner protectors and glass, handled separately
Foam or cardboard corner protectors on every framed piece prevent the single most common damage point — a knocked corner that cracks glass or bends a frame. For anything behind glass, an X of painter's tape across the glass, not directly on artwork, helps contain shards if the glass does crack, keeping loose fragments from scattering across the piece itself during transport.
Mirrors need a rigid, flat carrier
Mirrors should travel in a telescoping mirror carton sized specifically to the piece, packed flat against cardboard on both sides with padding in between, and always transported standing on edge, never flat, so weight doesn't concentrate on the glass surface. Never stack anything on top of a boxed mirror, and label it clearly on both broad faces so it's handled correctly by everyone on the crew.
When to bring in a specialist
For genuinely high-value fine art, sculpture, or anything an appraiser or insurer has specific requirements for, ask your mover about custom crating and climate-controlled transport before move day. Coordinating with an appraiser or insurance provider in advance, and documenting each piece's condition with dated photos, gives you a clear record if a claim is ever needed.
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