Shipping something fragile or oversized? Why professional packing pays off
If what you’re shipping is breakable, awkwardly shaped, or simply irreplaceable, how it’s packed matters more than which carrier moves it. A good pack turns a nerve-wracking shipment into a routine one — and, just as important, it keeps your insurance coverage intact if the box gets dropped. Here’s why professional packing is worth it, and what actually goes into one.
The short answer
Most shipping damage isn’t bad luck — it’s under-packing. A vase in a too-big box with a few loose sheets of paper will rattle around and crack. A framed print with no corner protection will arrive with a bent frame. Professional packing solves this with the right box, the right cushioning, and enough of both. Bring the item in; we’ll pack it to survive the trip.
What a proper pack looks like
Good packing follows a few principles, whatever the item:
- The right-sized box. Two inches of cushioning on every side is the working rule. We size the box to the item rather than forcing it into whatever’s on hand — often that means a custom-cut box built around the piece.
- Real cushioning. Bubble wrap, foam, air pillows, and molded padding chosen for the weight and fragility — not a handful of packing peanuts thrown on top.
- Immobilization. The item shouldn’t shift when you shake the box. Movement inside transit is what breaks things.
- Double-boxing for the truly delicate — a padded inner box floated inside a larger outer box, so an impact to the outside never reaches the item.
For heavy, valuable, or genuinely oversized things — a stone countertop sample, a piece of machinery, an antique, artwork — a cardboard box isn’t enough. That’s when we build a wooden crate sized to the piece. Crating costs more than boxing, but for something you can’t replace, it’s the difference between “it arrived” and “it didn’t.”
The insurance angle people miss
Here’s the part that catches people out. Carriers will sell you declared-value coverage, but they can — and do — deny claims when the item was improperly packed. “Insufficient packaging” is one of the most common reasons a damage claim gets rejected. So a poorly packed shipment isn’t just more likely to break; it’s more likely to break and leave you holding the loss.
When we pack it, it’s packed to the carrier’s standard, which keeps your coverage meaningful. If you’re declaring real value on a shipment, letting us do the packing is the cheapest insurance you’ll buy.
What we can pack and ship
Just about anything that needs to travel:
- Glassware, ceramics, and art
- Electronics and instruments
- Furniture and oversized items
- Auto and machine parts
- Awkward shapes that don’t fit a standard box
Bring it in unpacked — trying to wrap it yourself first usually just means we redo it. See professional packing for what’s involved, and our shipping services overview for the carriers and options we offer.
A few tips before you come in
- Don’t seal it up at home. We can’t verify the internal packing on a box that’s already taped shut, and carriers won’t insure what they can’t inspect.
- Know the value. If you want to declare and insure the item, have a rough replacement value in mind.
- Photograph valuables before you bring them in, especially one-of-a-kind pieces — a pre-ship photo makes any claim smoother.
Where and when
All three stores — Cochrane Plaza and Tennant Station in Morgan Hill, and Branham in San Jose — handle packing and shipping. We’re open Monday through Friday 9a–6p and Saturday 10a–5p, closed Sunday. No appointment; walk in with your item and we’ll take it from there. Find the closest store on our locations page.
For anything fragile or oversized, the packing is the shipment. Let’s get it right.