A protective coating makes a print tougher in use, but it does not make it indestructible in a parcel. The most common transit damage on coated work is not crushing but marking: wrapping materials pressed into a surface that was not fully cured, or prints rubbing against each other on a long journey. Good packing starts with timing.
Wait until the coating has cured
A coating that is dry to the touch may still be soft enough to take an impression. Packing too early can leave the texture of tissue, bubble wrap or film in the surface, or cause interleaving to stick. Allow the full curing time given on the coating’s technical data sheet, bearing in mind that cool or damp conditions can slow things down. If you are unsure, test by pressing your packing material onto a coated offcut from the same batch and checking it after a while.
Rolled prints
- Lay the print face up on a clean surface and cover it with a smooth, clean interleaving sheet, such as acid-free tissue or a non-stick release paper.
- Roll it loosely around a wide, rigid core. For most media, rolling face out reduces the risk of cracking the coating and ink on the surface; check the media guidance.
- Wrap the roll in a protective outer layer, keeping tape off the print itself.
- Place it in a strong tube with end caps, packing the ends so the roll cannot slide.
Flat and mounted prints
- Cover the face with a smooth interleaving sheet.
- Sandwich the print between rigid boards larger than the print on all sides.
- Protect corners with corner guards, as these take the most knocks in transit.
- Pack the bundle in a box with padding so it cannot move, and mark the box as flat, not to be bent.
Stretched canvases
Canvases need protection on the face and edges. Cover the front with a sheet of smooth paper or card so nothing presses directly into the canvas, add corner protectors, and box the piece with padding all round. Do not let bubble wrap sit directly against the coated surface; the pattern can transfer if the coating is not fully cured or the parcel gets warm. Our canvas prints page has more on finishing canvas work.
Multiple prints in one parcel
Never stack coated prints face to face. Interleave every print, keep the stack square so nothing slides, and do not overload a box. For large orders, splitting the shipment reduces the weight pressing on the lowest prints.
Include care information
Put a short care card in the parcel explaining how to unpack, handle and clean the print. Our guide to cleaning coated prints gives a basis for what to include.
Want advice on coating timing for a busy dispatch schedule? Talk to us on 01252 624 411 or through the Landor contact page.