You have an eye for beautiful works of art and your collection speaks volumes about who you are. Paintings, pottery, sculptures and more make up a private museum of artwork all your own.
But, the relentless march of time isn’t kind to your artwork. Paintings, in particular, show age when the image starts to fade and pigments change. Art conservation experts say that even well cared for paintings will show signs of aging.
How can you protect your artwork from damage and decay?
We searched high and low to find the best art storage tips and tricks used by serious collectors. Keep reading to learn how to store your art to protect its beauty for years to come!
Why Should You Handle Your Artwork With Care?
It sounds like common sense, but you should take the utmost care with your paintings whenever you’re near them. Some of the most common ways that unprotected artwork gets damaged are:
- Damage like rips, tears, loose and/or missing spots, dents, and smudges
- Permanent fingerprints on any polished surfaces
- Stains and marks from contact with skin, food and/or drinks, smoke, chemicals, etc.
- Damage from insects, rodents and other pests
- Other environmental damage
You may hire a professional to clean or repair some of the wear and tear that the painting may experience, but those services aren’t cheap and never get the artwork 100% back to its original state. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure in this case.
Packing Artwork for Storage
Ok, so you decided to put away some of your more precious pieces into artwork storage. What should you do to the paintings in preparation for storage?
Use gloves whenever possible and try to touch the painting as little as you can. Human contact causes damage to paintings, no matter how short or gentle the touch.
Wrap the painting in a thin plastic film to protect the surfaces from damage and dust. Be sure to allow some airflow through to the painting because you don’t want to create an environment where mold can grow on your painting!
For added protection, consider buying an art storage box to put individual paintings in. When you pack these boxes, use styrofoam or other dense packing materials to fill any gaps.
Transporting Items to the Art Storage Facility
Drive like a granny! The last thing you want is to take a hard turn, knocking over your paintings and damaging them. Give yourself ample time to drive as slow as possible when you have precious cargo like your artwork collection.
Stand the paintings upright as much as possible and be sure to secure them so they can’t flop around during transport. If you are transporting other objects as well, be sure not to store anything sharp or abrasive near the paintings.
If you feel at all uneasy about transporting your paintings on your own, consider hiring a professional. They know how to handle precious artwork and have the tools to move your collection from point A to point B without anything getting damaged.
Another tip is to buy an insurance policy for your artwork. Art insurance can help you recover the financial loss of one of a kind or irreplaceable piece in your collection. If your paintings are not insured, consider at least insuring them during transportation.
Tips for Storing Your Art for Short or Long Term
Don’t stack your paintings! Instead, use a rack system or stand them upright.
Paintings can absorb substances off the floor, so make sure your paintings don’t touch the floor either.
Keep your paintings out of the sunlight. Both direct and indirect sunlight damages and fades artwork. Look for a place where the sun doesn’t shine!
If you need to store your art for an extended period, consider using a professional storage company with climate controlled storage units who know how to store paintings. Not only will the temperature not get out of control, but the humidity is also kept low so your art has less of a chance to grow mold or other moisture damage. A fluctuating climate is one of the worst offenders when it comes to damaging artwork.
Few people know how to remove mold from paper artwork, so do your best to prevent it from growing in the first place!
Once your collection is safe in perfect painting storage, be sure to check on them every couple of months. That way, you can rest assured that rodents or other issues haven’t developed in your absence.
Earth Without Art Is Only “Eh”
There are many beautiful things in this world, and its human nature to enjoy looking at something that pleases the eye. Even mother nature stuns us with jaw-dropping beauty and artful forms. Without art, our lives would get pretty boring!
Since buying art isn’t cheap, you should take the time to care for the art you own to keep it in the best condition possible. After all, you don’t want to have to replace your whole collection every few years! The money you can save by not replacing or repairing your collection far exceeds the time and financial investment needed to store your art the right way.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned a thing or two about art storage. If you’re looking for more money-saving tips and family lifestyles, check out the rest of our blogs today!