Securing glass furniture for a safe and damage-free house move
It is normal to be concerned about damaging your furniture when moving, but even more so when you are moving glass furniture. Following a few simple steps will provide your furniture with as much protection as possible and allow for a safe and damage-free move. Undamaged furniture is something everyone strives for when relocating their belongings and it is possible to achieve. Let’s have a look at the steps involved to ensure the best possible outcome when you move your glass furniture.
Enlist a professional
By far the easiest and safest method is to enlist a professional such as Adlam Transport Services to provide a full pack-and-move service. When experienced people pack delicate items such as glass furniture, you can be assured the most appropriate packaging materials and methods will be used to provide as much protection as possible for every item. It takes away the stress and inconvenience of doing it yourself. If you prefer to do it yourself, then read on!
Gather your tools
The first thing you will need to do is make sure you have everything you need at hand. Bubble wrap, moving blankets, packing tape, and cardboard will be essentials. You may also need tools to dismantle your furniture such as Allen keys and a screwdriver. In some instances, it may even be worth having custom-built wooden boxes but we will get into why a bit later.
Flat packing is far safer
If your furniture can be dismantled, it is highly recommended to do so before packing it. Flat-packed furniture has a significantly lower risk of damage due to removing any stress points such as joints or overhangs. Of course, not all furniture can be disassembled. You may be able to remove the shelves and doors, however the structure of the cabinet needs to be secured in its existing form.
How to securely pack a glass cabinet
The first step is to lay out your moving blankets to place the shelves on after you have removed them from the unit. This ensures there will be no scratches or chips from laying the pieces on a hard surface. You can place small pieces of cardboard on each corner of the shelf for extra protection before wrapping each one individually in bubble wrap. If you do not have bubble wrap you could wrap each shelf in a moving blanket or a similar protective layer. Once this is done, depending on how well you want the shelves protected, you could add an additional layer of protection by finishing it off with a cardboard outer cover. The cabinet unit itself follows the same principles. Attach small pieces of cardboard to any corners, then wrap the unit in the same way you wrapped the shelves. Be sure to use plenty of packing tape so the protection does not slip or move during the move.
Keeping your television safe during transit
We all know how fragile LCD screens can be, so this is one of those examples where a custom box may be the answer. The few extra dollars to buy a purpose-made wooden box could save you a lot of frustration and expense in the long run. Simply wrap your television in a moving blanket, secure it with tape and insert it into the box. It should be a nice snug fit with no room for the TV to move around during transport.
Glass top tables
Most tables can be easily dismantled for transport. Simply remove the glass top and wrap carefully as with the example of shelves. If you cannot remove the glass top, it is still possible to wrap it just as effectively with the only difference being the legs will be protruding from the wrapping. Do not wrap the entire table to resemble a large box. This is the least effective way of protecting your table as there will be a lot of open room under the wrapping that could allow impact damage. Wrap the glass as if it were a separate piece, top and bottom, and then wrap cardboard around the legs to prevent scratches.
Mirrors
Mirrors are notoriously fragile items to transport. This may come from a common misconception that it is already protected in a frame, so people tend to only protect the front of the mirror, however, the back of a mirror can be just as fragile as it is essentially the same as the front, just not reflective. When protecting a mirror, treat it as you would a tabletop. The frame may seem sturdy, but if that becomes damaged or bent, it could result in the glass of your mirror cracking. Wrapping the entire mirror in protective materials will give it the best chance of arriving in one piece and undamaged.
Unusually shaped items
There will always be that one awkward piece when protecting your furniture from damage during transport. Regardless of the size, shape or dimensions, the trick is to pad out any extruding points with cardboard by placing a small piece on the tip. You need to protect the edges of odd-shaped items the same way you would protect the corners of glass shelves. Once this is done, using bubble wrap is ideal as it can fit into smaller spaces than a moving blanket, ensuring a more snug and secure cover for your item. Depending on how fragile your item is, you may wish to add an extra layer of protection with a moving blanket taped around the outside before fitting it into a sturdy cardboard box or wrapping cardboard around it creating a box effect if it is a larger piece.
Consider the final shape of your wrapped furniture
Your furniture may be perfectly wrapped, but is it in a shape that will make it easy to stack and transport without tipping over? The squarer or more uniform the shape of your item, the better it will be for loading and securing in the removal van. Considering the shape will save you money as less space is used, and it will also provide your furniture with the highest chance of arriving in one piece.
Be generous with the padding
The more padding and protection you wrap around your glass piece, the less likelihood there is of scratches, chips, or impact damage. While your packing materials may seem like an expense you would prefer not to have, it is definitely not the time to budget and use old sheets instead of thicker moving blankets, corrugated cardboard or bubble wrap. Sheets alone do not offer the padded effect to properly protect your furniture.
The unpacking
It is essential to take as much care unpacking your glass furniture as you did when packing it to be ready for transport. Use scissors to remove packing tape and carefully unfold the layers of protection. Strong-arm tactics of tearing at the packaging or pulling against it to remove it could result in damage to your piece.
We trust these tips will give you an idea of how to efficiently package your glass furniture for secure moving. Adlam Transport Service is available to assist, should you decide to enlist the help of professionals. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help make your move a success.