Shipping a large fine art print: packaging, customs, insurance (EU, UK, US)

A large fine art print on aluminium or acrylic doesn’t travel like an ordinary parcel. At Cars and Roses, every piece ships with UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on the destination, in packaging built to survive a long-distance move without the surface or corners shifting — and if it still arrives damaged, we replace it for free. Here’s exactly how a fine art print gets from the studio to your wall.

How we pack a large format print

A print on aluminium dibond or under acrylic doesn’t have the same weak points as a traditional framed piece: it’s the corners and the surface that absorb impact, not glass. Packing happens in three layers. First, direct surface protection — a non-abrasive film or interleaving sheet that keeps the printed face from ever touching the rest of the packaging during handling. Then reinforced corners — high-density foam or triple-wall board depending on the size — because that’s where roughly 90% of transit impact concentrates. Finally, a rigid double-wall box or crate sized to the print rather than an oversized standard box, so the piece can’t slide or pick up play during transit.

Very large formats (over a metre wide) ship in a custom wooden crate or reinforced box rather than an off-the-shelf carton: the weight of aluminium dibond over a large surface makes standard packaging insufficient, especially for international shipping with multiple handling points.

On an acrylic print, the main concern is scratching rather than weight: the surface ships with a protective transit film (removed only at installation) and the corners get rigid guards that prevent any direct contact between the acrylic and the outer packaging. It’s the combination of both — surface protection and box rigidity — that makes the difference over a journey of several thousand kilometres.

This level of care isn’t a marketing detail: a numbered limited edition print is a piece you can’t simply “reorder with one click” if something goes wrong — every copy is unique within its series, with its own number and certificate. Packing a print like a piece of art rather than a poster follows the same logic as numbering or the certificate of authenticity: trust is built as much in how the piece arrives as in the photograph itself.

Why a signed piece deserves this level of care

It’s tempting to treat shipping as an afterthought once a print has been produced and numbered, but the reverse is true: the packaging is the last step in the same chain of trust as the certificate and the edition count. A collector who has just paid for a numbered, one-of-a-kind piece expects it to arrive the way it left the studio — not scuffed at the corner because a standard box was used to save a few dollars. That’s the reasoning behind using a dedicated crate for anything over a metre wide, rather than defaulting to whatever carton happens to be on hand.

Carrier and real delivery times

Prints ship with UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on destination and local carrier availability — not standard postal mail, which is too bulky and fragile a channel for this kind of shipment.

Destination	Carrier	Time after shipping
Continental US	UPS / DHL / FedEx	4 to 7 business days
European Union	UPS / DHL / FedEx	1 to 2 weeks
Rest of the world	UPS / DHL / FedEx	1 to 2 weeks

This window starts once the print ships, after it has been produced, numbered and its certificate of authenticity prepared — production itself adds a few more days depending on how busy the studio is at the time of the order. A tracking number is provided as soon as the package leaves the studio, wherever it’s headed.

Customs and international delivery

Within the European Union, a print travels like any intra-EU parcel: no customs formalities, no surprise fees on delivery. Outside the EU — for example the UK, Switzerland, or anywhere else outside the Union — import duties and local taxes may apply on arrival, payable by the recipient, depending on that country’s regulations and the declared value of the print. The exact amount varies a lot from country to country: for an order heading outside the EU, it’s worth checking with local customs or with us before ordering, rather than being surprised at delivery.

Damage in transit: our policy

Despite reinforced packaging, a transit impact is still possible over a long journey or with several handling points. If a print arrives damaged — a bent corner, a scratch, a marked surface — the policy is simple: an identical print, with the same edition number, is remade and reshipped free of charge, no extra cost. Just flag the issue quickly with photos of the packaging and the print to trigger a replacement, without needing to return the damaged piece first in most cases.

On arrival: what to check before signing

Before signing the delivery note, a quick look at the outer packaging can flag a problem early — a crushed carton, a punctured one, or one visibly reworked by the carrier. If in doubt, it’s worth noting a reservation on the delivery slip and taking a photo before even opening the box — this makes handling a replacement much easier if one turns out to be needed. Once unpacked, check that the surface is intact, that the edition number on the certificate matches the one engraved or printed on the back of the piece, and keep the packaging for a few days just in case.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays customs duties outside the EU?

The recipient, according to their country’s customs regulations. The amount depends on the declared value of the print and varies a lot from country to country — it’s worth checking before ordering if delivery is heading outside the EU, so there’s no surprise on arrival.

How long does it take to receive my print after ordering?

You need to add production time (numbering, quality check, certificate) to the transit time above: within the US, that’s generally a bit over a week in total; internationally, more like two to three weeks depending on destination.

Is my print insured during transit?

The print is protected by reinforced packaging built for long-distance transit, and covered by our free replacement policy if damage is confirmed on delivery — so you don’t pay anything extra if something happens along the way.

The box arrives visibly damaged on the outside, what do I do?

Note a reservation on the delivery slip if possible, take a photo of the packaging before opening it, then open it and check the print as normal. If there’s real damage, contact us with those photos: an identical print ships again for free, with no complicated process.