When we say “soft packing” or “boxes” we’re referring to packaging that does not contain any wood. In these instances, the art works are packed using flexible, protective materials, with the first inner layer being either glassine paper, tissue paper or Tyvek fleece. This is covered with a layer of bubble wrap, plastic wrap and/or cardboard.
One example of soft packing is our FastART Box, which is custom-made to your specifications at our in-house workshop.
We also offer packaging made with wood in the form of transport frames and transport crates. We build these frames and crates to your specifications, providing maximum protection and stability for the art being transported.
Transport crate – construction and materials:
It takes a lot of materials to build a transport crate. As well as the different types of wood, our crates also contain plastics (such as styrofoam and flocked foam) as well as felt, corrugated cardboard, paper tape, and various metal parts including the handles and Phillips screws.
The rear panel, lid and front panels of each transport crate are assembled from good quality (composite) wooden boards (spruce and rarely oukumé) that are 19 to 22 mm thick. Two contact strips made of especially solid wood, e.g. beech, are attached lengthways to the base. Additional crossways battens, also made of solid beech, are affixed to the top and bottom of each end of the front panel to make the crate even more stable. There are either one or two metal handles on each side (depending on the width, height and weight of the crate) so that the crate is easy to carry.
The interior structure of a transport crate can vary depending on the type, size and material of the goods to be transported: for example, several pieces can be transported in a single crate, or separators can be used to keep a vase or sculpture held safely in place.
Climate-controlled crates have been specially developed to maintain the temperature inside the crate for as long as possible, keeping the conditions as close as possible to those in a museum or other indoor space. This is intended to ensure that the piece suffers no damage if subjected to fluctuations in temperature, such as when being transported in the cargo hold of an aircraft. To this end, the entire crate is fitted with an inner layer made of an insulating material, such as styrofoam. Rubber seals are included to guarantee that each individual wooden panel remains airtight.
The lid of the transport crate is closed using Phillips screws in threaded sockets. This means the crate is easy and quick to open and close.
For protection, the crate surface is treated with two coats of a solvent-free, water-based varnish.
Constructing transport crates in this way means that they can last for a good 10 to 15 years, depending on how often they are used.
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