How to Correctly Store Fine Art
Those items you hold closest to your heart, you need to know are being looked after in the best possible way. Knowing how to store your most prised possessions is very important as you don’t want to accidentally cause any unforgiving damage to them just by simply storing them incorrectly.
Fine art is one valuable item that can be rather awkward to transport and store, so we’re going to talk you through the best way to ensure you have stored your fine art correctly, so it won’t be in jeopardy of incurring any accidental damage.
Temperature
The ideal temperature for fine art storage is somewhere between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius and with 47 to 55% humidity.
Make sure you keep it away from any air flow coming in from outside such as; windows, vents or doors.
Basements and attics
Basements and attics are known for being prone to dramatic temperature changes. For instance, in the summer months they can become extremely hot and stuffy, and in the winter incredibly cold.
These types of environments make them likely habitats for insects and rodents, so even though it may be tempting to store your art here as it tends to be a vacant space, it’s advisable to store them in a central room in the house, somewhere that is dry and safe. The absolute ideal environment would be a closet.
The art of hanging
When it comes to displaying your fine art, it needs to be hung properly, making sure it is fully supported and stable with no chance of falling from its mounted position.
Never hang your art above a fireplace. Although a seemingly ideal place to display your artwork and make a proud feature, the heat, smoke and ash will rise up and could permanently damage your artwork beyond repair.
Light
The UV rays from sunlight can have largely damaging effects to your artwork if left exposed to it.
If you cannot find a suitable place that will avert sunlight then make sure you rotate the artwork around regularly to save the same spot from receiving all the light and fading, causing lasting damage that cannot be rectified.
Insurance
If you decide to hire professional storage facilities, it might be worth checking you have the right insurance package. Should the unfortunate arise and your artwork sustains damage whilst in storage, you will have the necessary insurance to be able to process a claim.
Packaging
Firstly, wrap the corners of the artwork in a thick layer of cardboard and then in a separate layer of bubble wrap. Try not to let any of the packaging materials touch the surface of the artwork, but if the frame seems rather unstable then wrap it separately, again with cardboard and bubble wrap.
Britannia Sandersteads
If you’re looking for reliable and professional storage company in Croydon, London or Surrey, then you needn’t look any further than right here at Britannia Sandersteads. Our storage facilities provide the perfect environment to offer you safe and secure fine art storage.
So, if you want to make sure that your fine art is in the best hands – or for the movement of any other valuables – then please get in touch with Britannia Sandersteads today for more information about how we can care for your artwork.