How to Package Art Prints for Shipping: Best Packing Options & Tips

How Print Type Decides Rolled or Flat Packing

Package an art print by matching the format to its surface: roll flexible unmounted prints into a rigid tube, and send mounted or heavily inked prints flat. That single choice, made before you touch any tape, prevents the cracking and curling behind most seller refunds.

The detail people miss is how you roll. Prints should go printed-side inward around a core wider than a tight coil, since a hard roll forces dense ink to split along the fold. A loose roll inside a slightly larger tube lets the paper relax rather than hold a crease.

Format also affects postage, not just protection. A capped tube ships as a parcel because of its depth, so its size sets your cost before weight even counts. Globe Packaging stocks tubes, board back envelopes, and book wraps together, letting sellers pack every print type correctly from one order.

Best Packing Options for Art Prints

1. Cardboard Postal Tubes (Rolled Prints)

Postal tubes are the standard for unmounted prints of A4 size and above. We stock them at Globe Packaging in 45mm and 50mm diameters across A3/A4, A2, A1, and A0 lengths, each supplied with plastic end caps for both ends.

Wall thickness is 1.35mm on the 45mm versions and 1.5mm on the 50mm versions, so neither collapses under stacking pressure. The 45mm diameter is the more widely used option in the UK because it passes through most letterboxes, which helps prevent returns and non-deliveries on Royal Mail services.

Pricing scales with volume. A pack of ten A2 tubes at 460 x 45 mm is £5.95, with 25 at £13.49 and 100 at £35.95.

Cardboard postal tubes with plastic end caps are the standard choice for shipping rolled prints from A4 to A0.

2. C3 Board Back Envelopes (Flat Prints Up to A3)

Board back envelopes suit unmounted prints that must stay flat, including signed editions and photographic prints where a curl is unacceptable. The C3 size measures 457 x 324 mm and fits an A3 print, with room for tissue interleaving.

The board specification provides protection. These are made from 600gsm board with a 120gsm kraft paper front, printed with "please do not bend" in red, and closed with a 45mm peel-and-seal lip.

Fifty cost £19.95 and 100 cost £36.95. The C4, C5, and C6 sizes handle A4 prints and below.

C3 board-back envelopes with 600gsm board and peel-and-seal closure keep unmounted prints flat during shipping.

3. C5 Book Wrap Mailers (Mounted & Backed Prints)

Mounted prints, prints sleeved with a backing board, and small framed pieces need depth and rigidity. The C5 Tenvowrap book wrap measures 406 x 302 mm with an adjustable depth between 0 and 70mm, so the wrap folds down to the exact thickness of the contents and the print cannot slide inside.

Each mailer weighs 238g, uses peel-and-seal adhesive strips, and is made from 100% recycled and fully recyclable board.

Ten cost £16.95, and 40 cost £46.95. Smaller C1, C2, C3 and C4 sizes cover prints below A3.

C5 Tenvowrap book wrap mailers offer adjustable depth up to 70mm for mounted, backed, or small framed prints.

Materials That Protect the Print Surface

The outer pack stops bending. A second layer handles marking, scuffing, and moisture.

Acid-free tissue paper is the standard interleaf for fine art paper. The 500 x 750 mm sheets are 18gsm, pH neutral, and free from acid and chlorine, so they do not bleed color or tarnish the print in storage. A pack of 100 sheets is £4.79.

Small bubble wrap with 10mm bubbles handles cushioning. A 500mm x 10M mini roll is £3.95 and a full 100M roll is £10.69. Use it around the rolled print inside a tube, or as an outer layer for framed pieces.

For sealing, ProLoc low-noise clear tape carries a 45mu film thickness against the 38mu-40mu of general polypropylene tape, with extra adhesive for repeated bench use. Six rolls cost £6.95.

How to Pack a Rolled Art Print

1. Interleave the print. Lay a sheet of acid-free tissue over the printed face before rolling.
2. Roll loosely. Roll printed side inward around a diameter smaller than the tube. A tight roll sets a curl and can crack dense ink coverage.
3. Sleeve it. Slide the roll into a cellophane or polythene sleeve to protect it from moisture.
4. Add end spacers. Wrap a short length of bubble wrap around each end of the roll so the print sits centered and cannot slide against the caps or gather scuffs.
5. Insert and cap. Load into a tube long enough that nothing protrudes, then fit both end caps.
6. Tape the cap seams. Tape prevents the caps from detaching under pressure in transit.
7. Label along the length. Apply the address label down the body of the tube, never across a cap.

How to Pack a Flat Art Print

1. Sandwich the print between two sheets of acid-free tissue, then between backing boards cut slightly larger than the print. Tape the boards together at the edges so the print cannot shift inside the sandwich.
2. Slide the assembly into a board back envelope or book wrap sized to leave minimal free space. Press the peel-and-seal strip down along its full length and check that no corner sits proud of the closure.
3. For mounted and glazed pieces, add a bubble wrap layer around the sandwich first. Use a wrap with enough adjustable depth to close snugly over the added bulk.

Art Print Packing Options Compared

Matching the Pack to the Print with Globe Packaging

Globe Packaging stocks all print packaging sizes at trade prices with same-day dispatch and free UK delivery over £50.

Format follows the print, not the order value. Rolled prints need a tube longer than the roll with taped caps, flat prints need rigid board on both faces, and every print needs a tissue interleaf between its surface and anything else in the pack.

We stock every size named here at Globe Packaging, from 45mm postal tubes to C5 book wraps, at trade prices backed by a price match guarantee. Orders placed by 4 pm are dispatched the same day, with free UK mainland delivery on orders over £50 (excluding VAT). Order your print packaging today.

*Note: Product listings, prices, and delivery times shown are approximate and subject to change. Contact Globe Packaging for the latest information.