Each piece needs its own wrap — paper first (clean packing paper, not newsprint), then bubble wrap for glasses and anything with handles or stems. Plates travel vertically, not flat. Flat-packed plates rely on the box holding rigid, which it won’t over a 600km road journey. Vertical plates share load between edges and the box wall. Pack them tightly enough that nothing shifts but not so tightly that pressure cracks the rims.

Stemmed glasses (wine, champagne) need individual cell packs or cardboard dividers, not just bubble wrap touching each other. If the stems touch during loading vibration, they break at the base regardless of the wrap around the bowl.

Mirrors and framed canvases travel in mirror packs — double-walled boxes sized to the piece with a foam-lined interior. A mirror wrapped in bubble wrap and put in an undersized box will break at the first sharp corner. We can supply mirror packs as part of our packing service or advise on the right size to order.

Original artwork (oil on canvas, watercolours, works on paper) needs climate consideration as well as physical protection — humidity and temperature swings affect paint, varnish, and paper. Framed works under glass need the glass protected with tape forming an X across the surface before wrapping, so if the glass breaks in transit the fragments stay in place rather than cutting through the canvas.

Antique furniture with inlay, veneer, or gilding needs packing paper between the surface and any protective wrap. Bubble wrap stuck directly to some finishes can lift the surface on removal. Furniture with removable legs, doors, or shelves should have those removed and packed separately — not left on in transit and secured with tape, which marks the finish.

For genuinely high-value or irreplaceable items, we offer crating — timber frames built to the piece with foam lining. This is what commercial shippers use for gallery pieces and museum loans. It’s overkill for everyday furniture but right for antiques worth more than the cost of crating.