How to Ship a Canvas Artwork: Ship Artwork on a Budget
Generally, artworks are related to the heart for many of us. It holds our emotions and love. Just think you want to send your paintings as a gift to your relatives or friends who live outside your country. Or you are moving out to another country, and you need to transfer your paintings and canvas. Also, you can run a business where you often need to transfer your paintings to another place.
That’s when you need to know how to ship a canvas painting. You just need to be very cautious while shipping your canvas paintings to hold and keep their value and worth of them. Here, I will describe the whole process of how you can pack and ship artwork and large paintings.
How do you Pack Canvas Paintings for Safe Shipping
Before shipping, you just need to be very careful with the packing of the canvas so that it can be safe and free of damage during the whole transit period. Here is the process of how you can pack your canvas for safe shipping:
- Set up a Secure Surface:
If you want to protect your paintings and canvas from scratch and dust, you need to use a special paper named glassine paper. First, take a piece of glassine paper and lay it down on the surface. Then, put the face of your painting or canvas down on the glassine paper.

- Secure the Corners:
When you also want to add extra protection to the edge of your canvas, just fold the corner of the glassine paper on the edge of the canvas and use tape to attach and secure them.

- Use Cardboard for Extra Support:
During transit, there’s a possibility that your canvas will get bent or damaged. To prevent this damage and provide an extra solid backing to the canvas, you need to use sturdy cardboard sheets. Put the Sturdy cardboard sheets and tape the glassine with it.

- Cover with Plastic & Bubble Wrap:
Take a plastic bag and place your canvas or paintings inside the bag. Then, wrap it with bubble wrap and use tape to seal the whole thing. It will provide an extra shield to your canvas, save your paintings from moisture, and absorb any shocks or impacts during transit.

- Use Corner Protectors for Frame:
You need to attach cardboard corner protectors to the corners of the canvas so that it can increase protection. It will help you to reduce the risk of damage to the corner of the canvas, and this works like buffers.

- Use Styrofoam Sheets:
There can be a chance of potential bumps and jolts to the canvas during shipping. To provide an extra layer of protection to prevent damage in this kind of situation, you just need to use styrofoam. Take a styrofoam, place your canvas on it, and then place another styrofoam on the canvas. Make it look like a sandwich, and then secure the styrofoams with tape.

- Place in the Shipping Box:
Take a sturdy and strong shipping box and place your wrapped canvas and paintings in the box carefully. When you select the box, for extra space and additional padding, choose a box that is slightly larger than the canvas.

- Fill Up the Empty Space:
When you choose a larger box for shipping, it leaves some extra space inside the box. So, you need to fill up that space with some cushioning materials like packing peanuts or others to prevent the movement of the canvas inside the box. It will help your canvas to stick to the exact place and reduce the chance of any damage.

- Seal the Box Securely:
To protect your package from external touch and damage during transit, you just need to seal your box properly with tape. Create a tight seal for the edge and corner.

- Add a label on the Box:
Finally, add labelling on your shipping box with a marker so that it can be delivered properly to the right place you want. Add all the information that is needed.

How Long Does It Take to Ship Canvas Paintings
When you send or transfer your canvas and paintings somewhere, it can take different time periods to deliver your paintings. Generally, the location of your delivery and the shipping company or platform you are choosing for shipping are responsible for the time period it will need for shipping.
Your paintings may reach the appointed location within one day if you choose any efficient, fast, and reliable shipping company or courier service. If the sending location of the paintings is too far and you have chosen a regular courier service, then it may take longer, like one week or more. So, you need to choose the perfect shipping company for early delivery.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship Canvas in Your Own State
Generally, the shipping depends on the size and weight of the canvas and paintings that you are sending. How big and heavy your painting is decides the cost. If your paintings are small and their weight is less than 5 pounds, and you are transferring them inside your state, then the shipping cost may be between $30 – $70. If your paintings are large and their weight is around or more than 10 pounds, and you are shipping them across the country, then your shipping cost might go up to $50 or even more.
So, the shipping cost generally depends on how large and heavy your canvas is and the distance of its delivery. For choosing the right shipping platforms for your canvas in a short time, you can use a shipping calculator. This will help you compare different shipping platforms, and you can choose a budget-friendly and reliable shipping service according to your needs and requirements.
How to Ship Canvas Internationally (Including Cost)
If you are sending your paintings and canvases internationally, then you must take a delivery quote from the efficient and reliable shipping platform you are choosing. It is very important to get the quote for a smooth process and perfect delivery and is also going to help you choose the best, most budget-friendly, most trustworthy, and most efficient shipping courier.
The cost range might be between $60 to $300 if you are sending your paintings within the same country. Here is a shipping calculator so that you can calculate and estimate the right cost. Also, you will be able to do the right budget for your shipping and make sure there is safe and good delivery for your paintings and canvases.
Final Words
Paintings that are related to our emotions and love can be transferred and shipped anywhere within the country or overseas. Canvas painting of any colour like water, acrylic, or pastel can be transferred safely, avoiding all kinds of damage and issues and also without any concern. You can ship them anywhere, and there won’t be any damage to their quality. These can be shipped holding their quality and will spread the actual beauty and significance wherever you send them. You can have assured, convincing, and secure transport, which will delicate the quality and beauty and hold them after delivery.