The Do’s and Don’ts of Fine Art Storage

fine art storageWhen it comes to finding a solution for fine art storage, consider a fine art professional facility like Art Work Fine Art Services. Artists, collectors, and museums look to professional facilities to ensure that pieces are protected and stored properly. Here are several do’s and don’ts of fine art storage.

Fine Art Storage Do’s

There are a variety of best practices when it comes to preserving your art and collections during storage.

“We use many types of specialty products in caring for artwork. They’re chosen specifically because they don’t break down over time, meaning that we create high-grade crates, designed for multiple uses over long periods of time — perfect for exceptionally valuable pieces,” says Crating and Project Manager Rob Saccardi. “The materials that we use for long-term storage are great around sensitive artwork because they are inert or chemically stable.”

Do Wrap Pieces to Protect Them

Whether it’s temporary or long-term storage, protecting your pieces is the most important aspect of fine art storage. Artwork can become damaged without proper protection prior to storage. Wrapping and crating objects is the most secure way to protect your artwork. That’s why Art Work Fine Art Services ensures that all stored items are wrapped, inventoried, and even provides real-time information on objects during storage. 

Do Invest in Climate-Controlled Storage

When you store a valuable piece long-term, you expect it to be the same as you left it. In a constantly changing environment, delicate artwork can be subject to elements that may impact the quality of your piece. Heat, direct sunlight, and humidity should be avoided at all costs for fragile or valuable artwork. That’s why a climate-controlled storage solution is your best option for pieces that require more attention.

Do Consider Hiring a Fine Art Storage Provider

Fine art storage facilities, like those at Art Work Fine Art Services, are your best option for artwork storage. Our state-of-the-art storage facilities provide you with a secure location for your artwork away from the elements. We can accommodate anything from small paintings to large sculptures to an entire museum collection.

Related Article: Breaking Down Our Standard Storage Solutions for Your Fine Art

Fine Art Storage Dont’s

The safety of your artwork is crucial. Damage can occur with the wrong storage plan that fails to consider long-term safety, archiving, and custom-designed racks that support the weight of your collections.

Don’t Store Artwork in Piles

Fine art needs to be handled with care. Whether it’s traditionally framed artwork or larger pieces, you need a storage solution you can trust to handle your pieces. Consider a professional facility for custom-designed racks for the storage of paintings, sculptures, and oddly-shaped three-dimensional works. 

Don’t Skimp on Security

Before you pull the trigger with a storage provider, first ask yourself how secure you feel about your artwork’s safety. What protocols do they have in case of a fire? Do they have systems against intruders? If a storage solution doesn’t have precautions in place for your art pieces, that’s a red flag. Choose to partner with a professional facility that has 27/4 security systems, video surveillance, and sensors that detect smoke and heat.

Don’t Lose Track of Your Artwork

No matter how long you intend to store your fine art, you should have an inventory of all pieces being stored. Some professional facilities, such as Art Work Fine Art Services even assist in helping you keep track of your pieces. Digital image archiving, for example,  photographs your pieces and delivers photos to you to confirm the status of your collection. The photographs are even used in labeling the exterior of crates for long-term storage.

View our fine art storage services.

Specialized Knowledge From Our Experts  

For nearly 30 years, Art Work Fine Art Services has served as the trusted logistics partner to some of America’s most highly-regarded museums, galleries, collectors, and artists. We specialize in expert and custom solutions for domestic and international shipping, warehousing, and preservation of artwork. 

Our team is made up of passionate experts in many mediums, including design, painting, printmaking, carpentry, photography, and sculpture. Art Work FAS offers services in Portland and Seattle, in addition to California’s Bay Area and Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, New York City, and across the Rocky Mountains.  

To request an estimate for fine art storage, visit our storage service page or complete the form below.


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