4 Tips For Storing Your Artwork When Renovating Your House

However, you may wonder how to store your valuable items like artwork since most art pieces are expensive and delicate. Therefore, you need to handle these items carefully during moving and storage. If you don't store your artwork carefully, these items may suffer permanent damage like scratching, fading, and tearing. As a result, the value of your artwork will reduce.

This article highlights four tips to store your artwork when renovating your home.

1. Avoid Direct Sunlight

Most painting mediums, especially watercolors , chemically react with the ultraviolet rays from the sun. So, when you store your paintings in a place that receives direct sunlight, your paintings will fade and lose vibrancy. These rays can also weaken the strength of your canvas, making your artwork susceptible to tear.

Therefore, before you choose a storage unit, ensure this space doesn't receive direct sunlight. If you cannot find such a unit, put your paintings in cardboard boxes or cover your artwork with plastic wraps. These materials will create a barrier between your artwork and the sun's rays.

2. Choose a Cool and Dry Storage Unit

According to experts, the recommended temperature for an art storage unit is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature in this unit rises, the heat will make your artwork warp or crack and become unattractive. On the other hand, your unit will become humid if the temperature falls. When the humidity level in your storage unit increases, mold and mildew will grow on your canvas.

Before you store your artwork, use a hygrometer to measure the humidity of that unit. If the humidity is high, you can use air blowers to improve the ventilation of that room. However, your unit should not have many ventilations since these spaces may allow excessive moisture into your storage unit.

To protect your artwork further, use breathable materials to wrap your paintings. For instance, you can use a cloth instead of a bubble wrap to minimize the amount of moisture trapped on your art's surface.

Additionally, you can choose a storage facility that uses dehumidifiers to control the humidity of their storage units.

3. Protect Framed Art Pieces

If you frame your artwork, you need to protect the glass from breaking. First, before you place your painting in a box, place at least two strips of a painter's tape on the glass, running from one corner to the other. This way, your glass will not shatter and harm your artwork when the frame breaks.

After taping, use a generous amount of bubble wrap to pad the corners of your frame. If you don't have bubble wrap, you can opt for an eco-friendly alternative like a crumpled newspaper. You can also put your painting between two pieces of cardboard before wrapping it with bubble wrap for extra protection.

4. Store Your Artwork Separately and Upright

Horizontally staking your canvas painting can make your artwork loose and start sagging. Your art may also begin to show marks from the stretcher bars. Moreover, if you put framed paintings on top of each other, your artworks will collapse due to their weight. To avoid these problems, store your artwork vertically and separately.

If you have limited space, you can place the paintings vertically, laying against each other. However, ensure you put a conservation matboard two inches larger than your art between the paintings. This way, you will prevent creasing and unwanted chemical reactions that may destroy your art.

If you are planning to reuse your artwork after renovation, you need to store your paintings correctly. As a result, your paintings will look good at all times and you can save on the cost of buying new artwork. If you are looking for a reliable storage service provider, contact Brownsburg Self Storage Locker Inc.