Packing for your prints?

[Bildifokus]

All my prints are picked up or delivered by me personal up till now. But I was thinking of the possibilties to ship prints up to A2 size by post. What packing are you using for your prints when you are shipping by post?

 

[kdphotography]

For me it depends on the type of "print"---whether it is framed or not, or a stretched canvas.

I will always place a piece of glassine on top of the print to help protect it from being scratched during shipment. Packing materials consist of flats, foam blankets, and corner guards. Framed wall portraits are also wrapped in a studio flannel blanket and plastic bag.

In the US, I have found that Fed Ex is the best shipper. UPS, in my experience, really beat up the boxes.

ken

 

[Bildifokus]

Thank you Ken!

I was thinking of sending my images that is printed on fine art papper in a paper tube to cut shipping cost. But I'm not sure if it is a good idea, maybe the print will be damaged rolled up? Has anybody experience from this type of shipping?

 

[kdphotography]

Shipping fine art paper prints flat is definitely my preference, but sometimes with a large print, it is easier (less expensive) to send a rolled print. In this situation, I would definitely use glassine paper and the largest diameter tube available, so as to not cause further curl issues or damage the print when rolling it up for shipping.

If possible, I'll leave extra media surrounding the print as a "buffer" that can be trimmed off when framed if the paper edges get dinged a bit in shipping.

ken

 

[Jack]

I use strips of foamcore in the box to protect edges of all prints. If framed, I layer foamcore between frames, faces, backs, edges and corners. Most often, I deliver a large order as matted and unframed. These have sheets of interleaving over the print surface to protect it, adn are wrapped together in a tight bundle of foamcore. Finally, for unmounted I roll them loosely with interleaving over every print surface to protect it, insert into tube and put that tube in another tube or tri-fold pak for shipping.

 

[Bildifokus]

Thank you for your answers!

I also prefer to send the prints flat, but I want to cut shipping cost. But maybe It's better to explain to the customer that the quality will be compromised.