[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":110},["ShallowReactive",2],{"copy:\u002Fcrating\u002Fsculpture":3},{"path":4,"h1":5,"metaDescription":6,"kicker":7,"lede":8,"panel":9,"spec":22,"drawing":41,"photo":42,"sections":43,"faqs":89,"related":102,"sources":109},"\u002Fcrating\u002Fsculpture","Sculpture crating and shipping crates","Solid lumber crates for sculpture: contoured cradles, padded contact points, no load on fragile projections and clear sling points for a heavy piece.","Sculpture","A sculpture is crated in a solid-lumber crate with a contoured cradle that supports it at its strongest points, padded contact surfaces, and nothing bearing on a thin projection. Send photographs, the overall dimensions and weight, and the destination country and we draw the cradle from them.",[10,13,16,19],[11,12],"Best for","Bronze, stone, wood, steel works",[14,15],"Construction","Solid-lumber crate",[17,18],"Support","Shaped cradle, padded saddles",[20,21],"Lifting","Sling points marked, base plate",{"rows":23},[24,27,30,33,36,38],[25,26],"Frame","Solid lumber, sized to the piece's weight",[28,29],"Cradle","Shaped bearers and saddles at load-bearing points",[31,32],"Padding","Closed-cell foam, felt or tissue against the surface",[34,35],"Hold-down","Straps or bolts to the base plate, no point loads",[20,37],"Strongback and marked sling positions",[39,40],"Quote needs","Photos, overall dimensions, weight, base type, destination","solid-lumber",null,[44,49,59,64,69,74,79,84],{"h2":45,"paragraphs":46},"Supporting the piece where it is strong",[47,48],"Sculpture rarely has a flat underside. We read the piece first: where the mass sits, which parts are cast thick and which are thin, whether the armature is steel or wood. Then we cut the cradle bearers so each carries weight through the base, the plinth or the thickest section.","Arms, wings, fingers and drapery are projections that are never asked to bear load. If a thin limb overhangs, a block supports the weight under the body and a pad holds the limb away from the crate wall.",{"h2":50,"paragraphs":51,"list":54},"Holding it still",[52,53],"A heavy sculpture moves by inertia, so it is tied down. A bronze with a base plate is bolted through the plate with lag bolts into the timber skid. A stone or ceramic piece with no mount is held by padded straps over a saddle and blocked on each side, with wedges snugged until the piece does not shift under hand pressure.","Straps never touch a patinated or polished surface directly. A layer of felt or closed-cell foam goes first, and sometimes tissue under that, because some patinas and waxes mark under pressure.",[55,56,57,58],"Patina protected from pressure and from foam off-gassing","Loose parts, bases and mounts numbered and crated together","Glass or acrylic elements removed and packed apart","Outdoor pieces dried completely before wrapping",{"h2":60,"paragraphs":61},"Edges, corners and pressure marks",[62,63],"The most frequent damage to a sculpture in a crate is a pressure mark or a chipped edge. We avoid hard timber against a surface, use two layers of padding, and leave air gaps so there is no rubbing even if the crate vibrates for a long time.","Wax coatings, lacquers and some patinas soften with heat. A crate that will sit on a hot dock gets a reflective outer film and, where needed, a note asking the carrier to avoid long outdoor storage.",{"h2":65,"paragraphs":66},"Materials behave differently",[67,68],"Bronze is robust but its patina is not. Marble and limestone chip at edges and stain from tannin in raw timber, so a barrier film sits between stone and wood. Wood sculpture swells and cracks with humidity change, and ceramics and cast glass are brittle at every sharp edge.","We adapt the packing to what is in the crate: buffering for wood, barrier film for stone, extra edge protection for glass and ceramic. If you do not know the material, tell us what you can and send photographs.",{"h2":70,"paragraphs":71},"Why a solid lumber crate",[72,73],"A solid lumber crate is closed boards on a framework, strong enough for dense loads that would crush plywood panels. Boards run vertically and horizontally with corner posts, and a top with joists keeps the box from racking. It is heavier than a sheathed crate and suits stone and bronze.","For a light or large sculpture, a sheathed crate can save tare weight. We pick the build after we know the gross weight, the piece's footprint and how it will travel.",{"h2":75,"paragraphs":76},"Lifting and orientation",[77,78],"A heavy piece needs a lift plan. We provide forklift entry through the skid, mark sling points on the crate rather than on the sculpture, and add a strongback or a lifting eye on the base if a crane will be used. The centre-of-gravity mark is painted on two faces, since a tall figure with its mass low can still tip.","ISO 780 pictograms and a tip indicator go on the outside. The lid carries a short note saying which way up, and whether the sculpture should be left in the crate until it is moved to its final spot.",{"h2":80,"paragraphs":81},"Export and installation",[82,83],"Heat-treated, IPPC-stamped lumber is used for the frame and skid on export shipments. We keep the crate spec on file so that an edition of the same piece can be packed to match, and a crate made for a touring exhibition can be built with screws to open for condition checks.","If an installer will unpack on site, we say how the cradle comes apart and leave the crate drawing with the shipment.",{"h2":85,"paragraphs":86},"Large and composite works",[87,88],"Kinetic pieces, mixed-media assemblies and pieces that break down into parts are crated part by part. Each component rides in its own pocket with a numbered position on the crate drawing, and the fasteners, hanging hardware and installation drawings travel in a sealed bag fixed inside the lid.","A piece taller than a standard crate may be laid horizontally on a cradle sized to its length. We then check that the lying position does not load a weak section, and the lid carries a note explaining why the piece is horizontal and how to stand it up.",[90,93,96,99],{"q":91,"a":92},"Can a sculpture be crated without a base?","Yes. We build a cradle that supports it at its strongest section and strap it with padded contact.",{"q":94,"a":95},"What if the sculpture is outdoors weathered?","Dry it fully first. Trapped moisture inside wrap or film causes staining and, in wood, cracking.",{"q":97,"a":98},"Do you crate very heavy stone pieces?","Yes, in a solid lumber crate with skid runners sized to the gross weight and lifting points planned with the rigger.",{"q":100,"a":101},"What do you need for a quote?","Photographs, overall dimensions, weight, material, the type of base, and the destination country.",[103,104,105,106,107,108],"\u002Fcrating","\u002Fcrating\u002Fartwork","\u002Fcrating\u002Fstone-slabs","\u002Fcrates\u002Ftypes\u002Fsolid-lumber","\u002Findustries\u002Fmuseums-and-galleries","\u002Fguides\u002Fcrate-markings",[],1794178337238]