LIOO Moving · Packing Guides
How to Pack Artwork & Mirrors for Moving
Framed glass shatters, canvas dents and sticks, gilded frames chip at the corners. One method does not fit all three, so this guide splits by material.
Framed glass & mirrors The X-tape method
Low-tack X across the glass. Painter’s tape, corner to corner. It won’t stop a break but it keeps glass in place and damps flex.
Corners first: cardboard or foam corner protectors — corners take the impact in nearly every frame break.
Paper, then bubble, then a picture box sized close to the piece. Fill gaps so it can’t slide.
On edge, always. A mirror flat on a truck bed is a drum head for every vibration. Mark which edge is up.
Canvas & paintings Protect the surface
Glassine paper against the surface (or clean paper if unavailable) — bubble wrap directly on paint can imprint texture and trap moisture.
Wrap loose, corners padded, box on edge like framed pieces. For stacked canvases, cardboard between every piece.
Watch temperature. Long hours in a hot truck are hard on oil and acrylic — load art last, unload it first.
High-value pieces When DIY is the wrong call
Marble-top consoles, gilded and antique frames, oversized mirrors, and anything appraised or irreplaceable travel differently: custom padding, never shrink wrap on finished surfaces, stone and glass on edge, condition noted before the truck. That is the standard antique and high-value moving protocol — if a piece would hurt to lose, put it on that crew’s list rather than in a self-packed box. Everyday framed prints, posters, and shelf decor can ride the normal packing service flow.
List the art, mirrors, and heirlooms when you request your quote — delicate pieces get assessed in advance so the right crew and materials show up.