Custom Art Print Shipping Boxes Made to Fit Your Artwork

What are art print shipping boxes?

These are corrugated boxes cut to the size of a print, canvas or frame. The inside dimensions include room for whatever padding you add.

Shape follows the work. Unframed prints go in a shallow box. Glazed frames and canvases need more depth, so the frame never touches the walls.

If your art ships alongside other goods, compare it with our general shipping boxes for mixed orders.

Should I ship a print flat or rolled?

Ship flat when the work is mounted, framed or printed on heavy stock. Roll only posters and light, unmounted paper.

Many sellers use both methods. Open editions go out in kraft paper tubes for rolled posters, while originals travel flat.

A flat box also holds a backing board, a certificate and a thank-you note in neat layers.

Which board protects artwork best?

Stiffness matters for flat prints. Cushion matters for glass. Pick the board that covers the weak point of the piece.

Flute heights are explained in our corrugated board flute guide. The table shows where we usually start.

How do I protect the corners of a frame?

Corners take the hardest hits. Fit a guard on each one before the frame goes in, so no corner touches the box. You can add edge protectors sized for frames to the same order.

Cover the glass with a cross of low-tack tape or a sheet of card. If the glass cracks, the shards stay put and will not scratch the print.

Then wrap the frame and fill any gaps. A frame that can slide even a little is the one that arrives with a split corner.

How do I ship an unframed original?

Sandwich the work between two stiff boards cut slightly larger than the paper. Tape the boards to each other at the edges, never to the art.

Lay glassine or acid-free tissue over the surface first. Pastel, charcoal and soft pencil all smudge without it. You can order matching cardboard sheets for backing boards with your boxes.

The sandwich then goes into a shallow box with a snug fit. A box only about 1/4 in larger than the boards stops the bundle from sliding.

Can you make boxes for several print sizes?

Yes. Most print shops sell three or four standard sizes, so one matching box per size keeps packing fast and packages snug. Less filler also means less to buy.

We can carry the same artwork across every size so the range looks like a set. Each size gets its own proof, so you can check the design on smaller panels. For very shallow sizes, see flat cardboard boxes for thin items.