Packing & crating
Crates built around the thing inside, not the other way round. Heat-treated lumber for export, foam where it touches, skids so a forklift can do its job.
What you get
- 01A look at the item firstphotos and measurements, or a visit for bigger jobs
- 02A crate designed for the item's weight and weak pointsincluded
- 03ISPM-15 heat-treated lumber on export cratesincluded
- 04Blocking, bracing, foam or a shaped cradleincluded
- 05Moisture barrier for ocean crossingsincluded
- 06Handling marks stenciled on the outsideincluded
- 07A packing list in a pocket on the crateincluded
- 08Photos of the item packed, before the lid goes onincluded
FIG. 01 — tensioner and band
Which crate?
Measure the item, add about 4 inches on every side for padding and the frame, and see where it lands. If it's between sizes, we'll tell you which one it really needs.
"From" means the simplest crate at that size. Odd shapes, heavy point loads and very fragile pieces take more lumber and more hours, and the quote will show it.
Inside the crate
- Skids. Runners under the base so forks can get in.
- Base deck. Takes the weight; the item is bolted or blocked to it.
- Bracing. Diagonal and cross members that stop racking.
- Blocking. Timber fixed against the item so it can't slide.
- Foam or cradle. Cut to shape where the item touches the crate.
- Moisture barrier. Lines the walls on ocean shipments.
- ISPM-15 mark. Shows the lumber was heat-treated.
- Handling marks. This way up, fragile, center of gravity, lift here.
- Lid. Screwed, not nailed, so customs can open it and close it again.
Not everything needs a full crate
Fine-art soft pack + travel frame
from $180 per piece
Glassine or acid-free wrap, foam corners, then a timber travel frame that keeps the surface from touching anything. Fine for a canvas going by truck or inside a crate with other pieces. For an ocean crossing on its own, we'd usually crate it too.
Palletize & shrink-wrap
$45 per pallet, pallet included
Cartons stacked square on a pallet, corner boards, banded and wrapped. Loose cartons get lost and crushed in a shared container; a wrapped pallet usually doesn't.
Crating prices
- Packing labor$68/hour per packer2-hour minimum
- Standard export crate, up to 20 cu ft, ISPM-15from $295
- Medium crate, 20–60 cu ftfrom $520
- Large / custom engineered crate, 60+ cu ft, skids and bracingfrom $890
- Palletize & shrink-wrap$45 per pallet, pallet included
- Fine-art soft pack + travel framefrom $180 per piece
Indicative prices. Your written quote is what counts. Rates updated October 2026. Written quotes hold for 30 days.
Send us
- Photos from a few angles, plus anything already damaged
- Length, width, height and a rough weight
- Where it's being picked up: house or business, stairs, elevator, loading dock
- Where it's going, and whether it leaves the country
- What it's worth, if you want it insured
- Anything we should know: loose parts, glass, a finish that marks easily
Example scenario
Illustrative, not a client shipment. Priced with our published unit rates only; surcharges, government fees and accessorials left out.
Two framed canvases and a bronze, shipping out together
- Fine-art soft pack + travel frame, 2 canvases2 × from $180
- Medium crate holding both frames and the bronzefrom $520
- Packing labor, 1 packer, 2 hours2 × $68 = $136
Freight, insurance and any export paperwork would be separate lines on the same quote.
Things that can change a crating price
- Stairs with no elevator, or a long carry from the truck
- Items that have to be partly taken apart first
- Waiting time if the item isn't ready when the packers arrive
- Liftgate or residential pickup charges from the truck carrier
What we won't pack
Hazardous materials without written approval, anything perishable, cash and bullion, firearms and ammunition, and anything that's illegal to ship where it's going. The full list is in our Shipping terms.
Packing is done by our packers or a partner crating shop close to where the item is. Your quote names which, and the freight after that goes with licensed carriers.
| Task | Done by |
|---|---|
| Quote, booking, coordination, paperwork chasing | We✓Us |
| Packing, crating, palletizing | PackersOur packers or a partner crating shop near the cargo (named in your quote) |
| Ocean carriage | CarrierLicensed ocean carriers and FMC-licensed forwarders |
| Air carriage | AirlineAirlines, booked through air freight forwarder partners |
| ISF, customs entries, bonds | Broker partnerLicensed customs broker partners |
| Storage, devanning, pick & pack, FBA prep | Partner warehousePartner warehouses |
| Cargo insurance | Third-party insurerThird-party insurers |
| Pickup and final delivery in the US | Carrier partnerCarrier partners |
Crating questions
Q01Do I need an ISPM-15 crate?
If the crate is solid wood and it's leaving the country, almost certainly yes. Most countries require wood packaging to be heat-treated or fumigated and stamped, and untreated wood can be refused or destroyed at the border. Plywood and other processed wood are generally exempt, but don't count on that alone. We use heat-treated lumber on every export crate.
Q02Can you pack at my house?
Usually, yes. Packing is done by our packers or a partner shop near the pickup address. Send the address with your request and we'll confirm who can do it and when.
Q03How long does a crate take to build?
A standard crate is often same-visit work. Custom crates for machinery or awkward shapes take longer, because they're designed first. We put the date in the quote rather than guess here.
Q04Can the crate be reused?
Often. If it comes back in good shape and the ISPM-15 mark is still legible and unaltered, it can carry the item again. If it's been repaired with new wood, that wood needs to be treated too.
Send us a photo of it.
A few details about the cargo and where it's going. We reply within one business day, Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00 ET, with a written quote or the questions we need answered first.
No online payment · Written quote first