Packaging and Shipping Fragile Artwork Overseas
Crate design, split lines, shock and humidity control, and the documents that should travel with a bespoke artwork.
1. Design split lines before fabrication
Oversize work should be designed to come apart. Concealed flanges and numbered joints let a large relief travel in standard crates rather than as an out-of-gauge shipment.
2. Build the crate around the weakest point
A crate is specified by the most fragile projection, not the overall size. Floating inner frames, foam contact points and no load on the relief face are the baseline.
3. Control moisture inside the crate
Silica gel, a vapour barrier and breathable wrapping prevent mould on gypsum and corrosion on metal armatures during long sea transit.
4. Stamp and declare timber correctly
ISPM 15 treated timber with a visible stamp, plus a packing declaration, avoids detention at destinations with strict biosecurity rules.
5. Send an assembly drawing in the crate
A laminated, numbered assembly sheet inside crate one saves a site crew from guessing. Include spare fasteners and a small repair kit.
Every project ships with shop drawings, a numbered crate list and a maintenance note. If your brief needs a different document set, tell us at enquiry stage.
Related reading
- How to Import a Custom Sculpture from China: A Practical Checklist
- Relief Wall Art Cost Guide: What Actually Moves the Number
- GRC, Fibreglass or Cast Resin: Choosing a Relief Material
- Incoterms for Art Projects: FOB, CIF or DAP
- Installing Large Relief Panels: A Site-Ready Sequence
Talk to the workshop
Need this applied to your project?
Send the brief and the destination. We will return a technique recommendation, a document list and a production schedule.
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