Whether you are shipping an oil painting across Texas or a framed watercolor across the country, Austin Crate & Freight builds custom crates with acid-free materials, glazing protection, and foam suspension — the same methods used by galleries and museums.
Paintings fail in transit for predictable reasons — none of which have anything to do with the carrier driving recklessly. Canvas stretches and relaxes with humidity; a painting crated without moisture control arrives with canvas slack or drum-tight. Glazing (glass or acrylic) that is not isolated from the frame can vibrate its way to a crack. Oil paint and varnish from different eras respond differently to temperature swings; an antique painting shipped in summer heat can develop cracks invisible until weeks later.
Framed paintings have additional vulnerabilities. Ornate gilt frames are exactly as fragile as they look — a small corner impact chips the gesso and tears the gilded surface. We wrap each frame corner individually with foam before any other material touches the piece. The painting face is never covered with material that traps condensation, and the back of the canvas is never compressed.
Our crating process eliminates these failure points at every step — from the material we place first against the surface to the structural engineering of the wood crate that carries it.
Every painting goes through the same materials protocol regardless of size or price — because the failure modes are identical for a $500 print and a $50,000 oil.
Glass or acrylic glazing is taped with blue painter's tape in a cross pattern to contain any crack that occurs in transit. If the glazing breaks, it stays in place rather than damaging the canvas or surface beneath.
Acid-free glassine or tissue is placed directly against the painting face. Never plastic wrap, bubble wrap, or foam — all of which can adhere to paint layers or trap moisture against the surface.
Each frame corner is individually wrapped in PE foam before the painting is enclosed. Corner impact is the most common cause of gilt frame damage and we prevent it specifically.
The wrapped painting sits inside a wood crate on foam blocks spaced to absorb shock without creating pressure points. The painting floats rather than resting against a hard crate wall.
For high-value or antique works, we add a moisture-buffering silica gel layer inside the enclosure. This stabilizes the microclimate inside the crate for shipments through Texas heat or humid Gulf Coast routes.
Crates are built to the painting's dimensions — not to a standard box size. An oversized canvas gets a crate that fits it precisely, not one with 4 inches of loose space on each side.
Each medium and format has specific vulnerabilities. Our materials protocol is adapted to each.
Austin has a growing art market — galleries along South Congress, collector communities in Tarrytown and Westlake, and an active artist community that ships work to galleries, buyers, and exhibitions nationally. We work with all segments of the Austin art world.
Buying or selling a painting at auction, through a dealer, or privately. We pick up from residences, galleries, and auction houses. White-glove from wall to wall.
Gallery directors managing loan exhibitions, consignment transfers, and collector deliveries. We provide consistent crating standards and documentation on every shipment.
Artists shipping work to galleries, fairs, or exhibitions. Estate executors processing collections. We offer volume pricing for multiple-piece shipments.
Crating a painting in Austin typically runs $100–$400 depending on size and framing complexity. A small framed print might be $80–$150; a large ornate gilt-frame oil painting might be $300–$600. Freight is separate and priced by destination and dimensions. Call us for a fast quote.
Yes. Rolled canvas is shipped in a rigid tube with foam end caps, inner foam liner, and an outer wood or heavy cardboard crate. We do not roll canvases with existing cracks or very thick paint application — if that applies to your piece, we will advise on flat crating instead.
Most Texas shipments do not require a climate-controlled truck if the transit time is short (1–3 days) and the painting is properly crated. Very old, delicate, or high-value works may warrant climate-controlled freight for longer routes. We assess each piece and recommend accordingly.
Yes. We pick up from galleries, auction houses, moving sales, storage facilities, and private residences throughout the Austin metro. Call us with the address and we will schedule pickup — usually within 1–3 business days.
Yes. We photograph the painting at pickup and document any pre-existing condition issues before crating. This serves as a baseline for insurance claims and gives you documentation of the piece's condition at the time of shipment.
Austin Crate & Freight serves the entire Austin metro — custom crating, white-glove pickup, and specialty freight for items that standard carriers cannot handle.
White-glove furniture shipping and custom crating across Austin and all of Texas. Sofas, dining sets, bedroom furniture, antiques, and pieces too large or fragile for standard carriers.
Tell us the painting dimensions, framing, and destination. We will come back with a crating approach and fair quote.