How to Move Porcelain Correctly

Delicate, dainty, and beautiful, too, porcelain is a wonderful material, often used for decorative items such as fancy teacups and plates, as well as small statues and figures displayed with pride around the home. It also features commonly jewellery, antiques, and handmade items.

When handled with care or left on a shelf or in a display cabinet, porcelain is a joy. But when it comes to moving porcelain items, you have to work with great care, as even the little knock, drop, or impact may chip, break, or shatter your porcelain goods.

This guide looks at how to move porcelain correctly.

Step-by-step Guide on How to Transport Porcelain Safely

Whether you’re preparing for a whole-home move or just looking to transport a box of delicate porcelain items from point A to point B, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Here are the crucial steps to follow to ensure your porcelain has a safe trip:

• Gather the necessary packing supplies. For a job like this, you need premium materials, not cheap or flimsy alternatives. Invest in thick bubble wrap, quality packing tape, packing peanuts or paper, and boxes that are the right size for each item, as well as bigger boxes to put the individual boxes in for extra protection.
• Draw up an inventory of all the porcelain items to be transported. Make a note of each one, list quantities, take photos of the items prior to transport, and inspect their condition so you know what you’ve got and what it looks like before travel. That’ll make it easier to spot any missing items or damages done during the delivery.
• Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any dust and dirt from the surface of your porcelain items. Then, wrap each one in packing paper – use multiple (three to five) layers for best results. Tape bubble wrap all the way around the outside, and place each item in its box. Use extra paper or packing peanuts to fill in the gaps, and seal the box shut.
• Repeat this process for all your items, and make sure to write the name of what’s inside each box on the side in marker so you can easily identify them. If you’re entrusting the delivery to someone else, like professional movers in Toronto, it helps to write “Fragile” on the side, too, so the movers know to handle it with care.
• Once everything is in its individual boxes, you can put those boxes into bigger ones, sitting atop a layer of packing peanuts. And, again, seal and label them accordingly. Use extra paper and peanuts to fill the gaps before you seal each box shut.
• Next, it depends if you’re moving the boxes yourself or using professional movers in Toronto or elsewhere to help you. If you’re using pros, make sure to inform them about the amount of porcelain items and their fragile nature, and consider extra protection coverage, if desired.

Porcelain Correct Packing

When packing and transporting items that can be easily broken or damaged, like porcelain goods, it’s important to exert the utmost care and attention to detail. Here’s a look at some of the best practices for when you move porcelain:

The Right Packing Materials for Fragile Items

Material selection is paramount for ensuring your porcelain goods arrive safely and in one piece at their destination. Good materials include:

• Thick bubble wrap that’s new and fresh (without lots of popped bubbles) to absorb impacts and guard the porcelain against nicks and chips.
• Double-walled boxes that can handle some weight and pressure without bending or buckling beneath it.
• Styrofoam packing peanuts help to fill in all the gaps around and in between porcelain items. This prevents them from shifting during transport.
• Extras, like styrofoam sheets, cloth totes, and blankets, may also be helpful in giving you even more layers over your items.

Packing Methods

In terms of methods, we share our expert skills, which we also apply to our clients by doing the packing for them as well:

• Double Box: The double box method, as outlined above, involves putting your porcelain items in individual boxes and then those boxes in a larger box.
• Stacking: This method is best suited for plates and other flat porcelain items. It involves wrapping items individually and stacking them together so they move less.
• Layering: Layering is crucial to packing porcelain properly. Layer on lots of paper, peanuts, bubble wrap, and even blankets or towels to all help soften any impacts.

What Is the Best Way to Transport Porcelain

Packing is just one part of the process. You also have to transport porcelain correctly so that it doesn’t break en route and has the least risk of suffering damage, chips, and so on. Lots of factors play a part in this, like:

• Preparation: Make sure your porcelain goods are packed and prepped to the highest possible standard. They should be tightly wrapped up, without any room to move about, and sealed away under lots of layers of impact-absorbing material.
• Loading: Load ceramics and porcelain items onto a transport vehicle with great care. Put them in a spot where they’re least likely to move around, like against a wall, and use other boxes to seal them in place (but don’t put heavy things on top of them).
• Temperature: Excess heat or cold can damage porcelain and make it likelier to crack during transport. Try to place porcelain goods, therefore, in a temperature-controlled part of a moving van or vehicle.
• Pros: Hire trusted, pro movers who have experience in handling delicate goods, like porcelain plates and figures. And let them know what you need to move and what methods they’ve got to ensure it stays safe.
• Insurance: it’s often worth taking out some extra coverage when you’re moving delicate and valuable porcelain stuff, as even with lots of care and good packing, there’s always going to be a risk some of it gets broken or damaged somehow. 

Final Words

Each porcelain item should be carefully wrapped, individually boxed and placed in large insulated boxes for added protection. Proper labelling and inventory are crucial to organise and identify possible damage during long distance moving.

Key factors such as temperature control, careful loading of the vehicle and additional insurance further enhance the safety of porcelain products during transport. Ultimately, safely transporting porcelain requires attention to detail, patience, and the necessary resources.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your valuable porcelain pieces arrive safely, preserving their delicate beauty and craftsmanship. And if necessary, you will be able to involve professionals in the job.