Custom Crating Services

A custom crate is priced individually, because the honest drivers are the item and the protection it needs rather than a flat rate. We look at the size and weight of the piece, the materials the build calls for, how complex the internal foam bracing has to be, whether it needs ISPM-15 heat-treated timber for export, and the number of crates in the job. A small crate for one framed picture is a very different build from a braced case for a marble sculpture or a run of crates for a machinery move. We assess the item, then send a fixed written quote with nothing added once the crate is built. Nothing is priced on guesswork over the phone.

Custom crating suits anything fragile, high-value or awkwardly shaped that an ordinary box cannot hold safely. In practice that means fine art and paintings, antiques and gilt frames, marble and sculpture, mirrors and glazed cabinets, musical instruments, and sensitive equipment or machinery. It is also the right choice for anything travelling a long distance, going into long-term storage, or being shipped overseas, where knocks, vibration and changes in temperature and humidity all become real risks. If you are unsure whether a piece genuinely needs a crate or would travel just as safely with expert soft-wrapping, tell us about it and we will give you an honest recommendation rather than defaulting everything to a crate.

Yes — awkward shapes are exactly what bespoke crating is for. Because every crate is built to measure, the shape and weight distribution of the item set the design rather than the other way round. A piano heading overseas, a top-heavy marble statue, a chandelier packed piece by piece, a large gilt mirror or a run of factory machinery each get a crate framed to their exact dimensions, with the bracing and lifting points worked out for that specific load. We survey the piece first, so the finished crate holds it immobile and can be handled safely at both ends without the contents ever taking the strain.

Yes — crated items are fully insured, with goods-in-transit and public liability cover in place on every job. Because a crate is usually built for something valuable, we talk through the declared value of the piece before the work starts, so the cover properly reflects what is being carried rather than assuming a standard household figure. If an item has a recent valuation, that helps set the right level; if not, we can discuss how to establish a sensible declared value. The crate itself is part of that protection: a made-to-measure case with proper foam bracing is what keeps the risk low in the first place, and the insurance stands behind it.

As a guide, we ask for around two weeks between agreeing the job and the crate being ready, so please build that into your timings for a move or shipment. That window covers surveying or measuring the item, designing the crate around it, sourcing the right timber — including ISPM-15 heat-treated timber where the piece is being exported — and building and fitting the internal foam bracing. Straightforward crates can sometimes be turned around more quickly, and if your dates are tight it is always worth asking, but two weeks is the sensible lead time to plan for. The earlier you get in touch, the more easily we can fit the build around your moving or collection date.

As a rule of thumb, if an item is high-value, irreplaceable, structurally fragile or being shipped a long distance, a crate is worth serious consideration. Mirrors, oil paintings, sculptures, marble, art glass and sensitive equipment almost always benefit. For more ordinary contents, expert soft-wrapping and our standard packing are usually ample, and a crate would be paying for protection you do not need. The distance and the journey matter too: a piece that would travel safely across the county in a blanket-lined van may still warrant a crate if it is going into long-term storage or being shipped overseas, where handling chains are longer and humidity becomes a real risk. The honest answer depends on the specific piece, so we are glad to assess it during a survey or discuss it on 01903 893731 and recommend only what is genuinely needed.

Yes, in most cases. Because we build with screwed and glued joints rather than nailing everything permanently shut, the lid and panels can be opened cleanly at the destination, leaving the crate intact for storage or a future move. Many collectors and dealers prefer to retain a well-made bespoke crate precisely because it remains fitted to that one item. A reusable crate is also the most sustainable option, since a well-built case can protect the same piece through several moves or a long spell in storage rather than being broken up after one journey. If you would rather we collect and dispose of the timber instead, we can arrange that too, and where the crate was built from ISPM-15 heat-treated timber for export it can equally be kept for a future overseas shipment.

Both — it depends on the item. The majority of crates are built at our workshop, where we can work to exact measurements with the right timber and foam before delivering the finished crate. But where a piece is too large, too heavy or too fragile to move first — a mounted sculpture, installed equipment, or a marble that should not travel uncrated — we build or complete the crate on site, measuring and assembling around the item where it stands. We decide the best approach when we survey the piece, and we will tell you plainly which it will be. The aim either way is the same: a crate made for that one item, with the piece never taking the strain of handling.

Yes — we build ISPM-15 compliant export crates for overseas consignments. ISPM-15 is the international standard for wooden packaging: the timber is heat-treated and stamped so it clears customs in the many countries that require it, avoiding the delays and rejections that untreated wood can trigger at the border. Beyond the compliance stamp, an export crate is engineered for a harder journey than a domestic move — commercial forklift handling, container stacking, long transit times and the constant threat of humidity — so we add moisture barriers and desiccant where the finish needs protecting. It works hand in hand with our export packing service and international removals, so one team can survey, crate and ship the piece without it passing through several sets of hands.