What is the best (inexpensive) way to package a canvas painting before shipping?

Question

I have a 16x20 oil painting that I will need to ship before the end of next week. I know I'm going to go through the USPS to ship it. I just can't find a really good way to wrap it without spending a lot of money vs. how much this painting is worth. Any ideas? I've been googling all morning without much luck.

Answer 1

I have successfully packed paintings up to 30 x 40 in the following manner:



Make sure the painting is fully dry.



Place a protective layer on each corner - I have used thin foam or bubble wrap.



Cover the protective layer with cardboard corners.



Add a layer of styrofoam of about half an inch on top an bottom of each cardboard corner. Tape in place or hold with stretch film. I prefer to wrap all edges with the narrow stretch wrap to hold all four corners in place.



Place a cardboard sheet on both the front and back of the painting that is a few inches larger than the original painting. You will now have a sandwich with the painting in the middle. Add foam blocks around the edge of the painting to hold the cardboard layers separate from each other. Tape the entire package together to hold everything in place.



Place this sandwich package inside an outer shipping container, using foam peanuts or other packing materials to float the painting inside the outer container.



Hope that all makes sense! Kind of hard to explain without images.

Answer 2

no longer a sturdy concept. The canvas is primed for oil paint. Watercolor paint will probably take up into the exterior too directly. Watercolor paper is the appropriate floor to pant watercolors on. That paint is formulated to be diluted with water, no longer used directly out of the tube like oil and acrylic paint. the two your paint and canvas are student grade and extremely low high quality.