Packaging Glass Shipments to Prevent Breakage in Shipping
If you ship glass containers or art pieces on a regular basis, then you are likely aware that standard shipping boxes are not enough to keep it from being broken during shipment. Standard packaging can cause glass to break, shatter or become scratched from regular movement of items during various modes of transportation. Depending on the size and shape of the items being shipped, there are a few tricks to packaging glass properly.
Close-Fitting Grid
For numerous items with the size shape such as glass jars of pickles, packing them inside a crosshatch grid made of Styrofoam or thick cardboard will cushion them and keep them from shifting inside the box. If these items have a higher value, you may need to also wrap them in bubble wrap or paper before putting them inside the cardboard grid.
Box Inside a Box
For a single item, packing it in a small close-fitting box with bubble wrap or paper will secure the item. Then, pack the smaller box inside a larger box that is filled with cushioning material such as Styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap.
Multiple Differently-Shaped Items
For shipping several items that are each uniquely shaped, use the same method as shipping a single item, a box within a box. However, you will need to use several smaller boxes and ensure that they are cushioned well between each of them.
Which Material is the Best for Wrapping Glass?
Glass is shipped using several different materials to protect and cushion it. These materials are bubble wrap, cardboard, shipping paper and peanuts. For wrapping individual pieces, bubble wrap and paper work best. Bubble wrap is not always the best solution depending on what you are shipping. You may need to ship a few items to yourself to decide which packaging is the best. Cardboard and peanuts work better for exterior shipping materials. Peanuts are only good if you already have secured and cushioned the glass inside a smaller box. Otherwise, they allow too much movement which may cause glass to break.
