How to Ship Large Furniture
Remove any feet or other fragile pieces from the furniture., Surround the furniture in Styrofoam sheets., Build the sides of the box., Make lids for the top and bottom of the box., Strap the entire box together.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove any feet or other fragile pieces from the furniture.
If a piece of furniture with feet is packed right-side-up in a box, the feet will likely be broken in transit as the box can be handled quite roughly.
If the furniture's feet, doors, or any other small or delicate parts can be removed and wrapped in bubble wrap, do so. -
Step 2: Surround the furniture in Styrofoam sheets.
Rigid Styrofoam sheets can be purchased at shipping or office supply stores, and are ideal for protecting large furniture.
Cut the sheets to fit around all of the furniture's surfaces, taping the sheets together using packing tape. , The 4 sides of the shipping box can be built from large sheets of corrugated cardboard, often available in a 30-inch x 40-inch (75 x 100 cm) size.
Cut the sheets to fit tightly around the Styrofoam sheets.
Avoid seaming the cardboard together at the corners.
Instead, bend the cardboard sheets to form the corners and tape them together where the ends meet. , Lids for the open top and bottom of your box can be made by cutting a sheet of cardboard a few inches wider than the opening on all sides.
Fold each side down, cutting away the excess in the corners.
Tape the corners together so that each lid looks like the lid of a shoebox. , When you're ready to ship, use polypropylene strapping in both directions to secure the lids to the box.
This strapping can be purchased at shipping supply stores or online through a specialty retailer. -
Step 3: Build the sides of the box.
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Step 4: Make lids for the top and bottom of the box.
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Step 5: Strap the entire box together.
Detailed Guide
If a piece of furniture with feet is packed right-side-up in a box, the feet will likely be broken in transit as the box can be handled quite roughly.
If the furniture's feet, doors, or any other small or delicate parts can be removed and wrapped in bubble wrap, do so.
Rigid Styrofoam sheets can be purchased at shipping or office supply stores, and are ideal for protecting large furniture.
Cut the sheets to fit around all of the furniture's surfaces, taping the sheets together using packing tape. , The 4 sides of the shipping box can be built from large sheets of corrugated cardboard, often available in a 30-inch x 40-inch (75 x 100 cm) size.
Cut the sheets to fit tightly around the Styrofoam sheets.
Avoid seaming the cardboard together at the corners.
Instead, bend the cardboard sheets to form the corners and tape them together where the ends meet. , Lids for the open top and bottom of your box can be made by cutting a sheet of cardboard a few inches wider than the opening on all sides.
Fold each side down, cutting away the excess in the corners.
Tape the corners together so that each lid looks like the lid of a shoebox. , When you're ready to ship, use polypropylene strapping in both directions to secure the lids to the box.
This strapping can be purchased at shipping supply stores or online through a specialty retailer.
About the Author
Sophia Nguyen
Sophia Nguyen specializes in architecture and design and has been creating helpful content for over 2 years. Sophia is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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