How to Ship Stained Glass Pieces

by Laura
(USA)

Q: I am starting a stained glass business and need some tips on how to best wrap up the panels for my clients when I sell at craft fairs, and how to package them up to safely mail them.

Also, where do you suggest getting the supplies to do this?

Buy & Sell Art at the Yessy.com Art Gallery

A: You asked a good question about shipping stained glass:

Since you have put together beautiful stained glass designs, but you have to ship it, you need to take precautions in shipping.

1. It is best to ship on its end rather than shipping flat. You could try a sign on the crate that says "THIS END UP" If you must ship it flat- lay the stained glass on something solid, like a sheet of plywood.

Hopefully if there is any bump then the plywood would take the brunt of the bump so the glass will not break.

2. The best way to pack your stained glass - is to pack it in a wood crate. Make your crate out of wood or durable shipping substance.

Make it larger than the glass design so that you can pack with foam on all sides of the glass - top, bottom, left and right sides.

This way the glass design will not be able to move.

Find a reputable shipping company - possibly a trucking company to haul your design. After all the hard work you have put into it, the last thing you would want is for it to break before arriving at its destination.

Notes:

• It must not be able to bend
  
  
• If you ship UPS or Fedex or Post Office - it will be dropped and put through conveyor belts.
  
  
• Stained Glass is normally not insurable (from our experience). Your best insurance is the way it is packed.
  
  
• I would check out Home Depot, Lowes, or search online at Google, Ebay, etc. for the wood, foam, and other shipping supplies.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing by sharing your own tips, business, or work in our stained glass making area.