The Framers Forum

Just wondering. I assume it isn't recommended, but just in case I'm being too cautious.

A customer wants to ship the frame and really likes AR70 or museum acrylic. The museum acrylic is out of budget and I really can't see it would be safe to use glass and ship it. Unless there are couriers that would guarantee the safety?

Does anyone ever ship glazed frames and can recommend a courier? Otherwise we'll just go for standard acrylic.

Thanks

Never used them myself but have read good things about them.


https://www.fragilistics.co.uk/


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I've been sending out framed pictures with glass glazing for many years.
For an average 600mm x 600mm glazed frame, this is what I do =

Cover the glass in this stuff from Toolstation, so if it does break, the glass is still held in place,


Next, I make a bespoke carton using Double Wall Corrugated Sheets from Kite Packaging.

Then I give it to APC Couriers who do a nationwide overnight service for around £13 to £15. I use these guys as they have a reputation for carrying the parcels and not flinging them.

But do get a quote from Fragilistics, as well.

You don't say where it is being shipped to, which would alter advice offered.

For overseas shipping there are dedicated art shipping companies often based near major (and some minor) airports. They would usually be able to construct a crate to suit the framed piece and arrange collection and so on.

For shipping within the UK we use a local art and antiques courier. They collect and deliver door to door in the same van and have insurance to deal with glazed items. There are various ones around the country. Ours is unsurprisingly based in Devon but they've just delivered something to Wales for us, so they might be useful. Let me know if you'd like their number.

Alternatively most major galleries and auction houses have people they can recommend which might turn up someone more locally for you.

Ooh thank you all, that gives potential options. Its UK delivery so fairly simple (in fact, probably only 3.5 hours drive).

Its not especially valuable but is an original painting for a wedding present and my concern is the glass breaking and damaging the art. The protective film is a good shout. I suppose my question is, should the glass break - how would it be covered. Would the insurance cover it being taken to a framers to be reglazed? A question to ask.

I think I'll go back to them with some more info for them to make an informed choice but it is reassuring to know that it can be done. I have another one being posted Royal Mail to Ireland. That's having acrylic, I'm not even giving the option as it is a favour.

Ooh, there is an APC courier in our town. Well I never!

I've used these people in the past and they are specialist art shippers. Not too dear.

https://www.aardvarkartservices.com/

I ship glass and highly recommend looking at the published guides by the such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. for their design standards.
As a personnel note I am in favor of using 50mm rigid polystyrene expanded foam panels on all 6 sides of the package. AKA home insulation sheets for walls.

My brother works for a wine merchants and they use APC due to shipping fragile bottles. They did once change to a cheaper alternative but switched quickly back again. I did try to ship a large picture via them but I think because wasn’t registered with them as a business they wouldn’t take it and it was over the dimensions for my brothers company so I couldn’t swing it through them. I ended up using DPD and it arrived safely. But I did use an awful lot of packing and made sure every air hole was filled. Plus I covered the entire package in “Fragile, don’t even think about dropping it, you t*ssers!” Tape....it seemed to work!

As far as I'm aware from my research, general couriers do not insure against glass breakage. I'm sure others can clarify, but there is a packing technique where the piece is basically floating in a box, padded with a number of layers of bubble and filling. One thing I always do before fitting a piece for shipping is to use a "Telum Diamond Smoothing Pad" from Lions, to sand down the edges of the glazing which reduces the chance of breakage through shock to the glass in the frame. Saying that I have only agreed to ship small pieces, making the customer fully aware that there is an uninsured risk involved.
For high value pieces, Mid Wales Freight is actually a national and international art courier!

Thanks all,

I've been looking at DHL/DPD etc and they seem to say as Justin says - not insured. Which is interesting as I had a glass item sent from Amazon via DPD with very little packaging yesterday. I'm curious what would have happened had it smashed.

I got an online estimate from one of the art companies mentioned (who's name I have now forgotten as I'd had a glass or two ....) for approx £32 which I thought was not too bad.

I've thrown it back to the customer to decide and will look at Mid Wales too. I'm happy to make any packaging if they need and have enough spare wood to make a proper case or fashion something sturdy. I even have some random scraps of 25mm celotex boards knocking around for packaging.

Grateful as always.