Choose A Climate-Controlled Storage Unit If You Need To Store Paintings And Other Forms Of Art

23 June 2022
 Categories: , Blog


If you need to put household belongings in storage, you may wonder what to do with valuable and fragile items such as oil paintings and other artwork. If you have artwork that's very valuable, you may want museum-quality storage that has strict temperature and humidity control as well as tight security.

For general paintings and other forms of art, a public climate-controlled storage unit might be what you need instead. Here's why climate control is best for artwork and how to store your paintings and other forms of art in a storage unit. 

Paintings Are Protected From Temperature Extremes

Before you rent a climate-controlled storage unit, ask about the temperature and humidity range in the unit. A public storage unit may not have museum-quality climate control, but the temperature and humidity should be close to what you have in your home.

If your oil paintings and other forms of art survive in your home that's heated and air-conditioned, they will probably do just fine in a storage unit with climate control. When temperatures get too hot or too cold as might happen in a traditional storage unit, the oil paintings could be ruined. Even the wood frames could crack or warp.

If you choose climate control and pack your things properly, they have a better chance of surviving storage unharmed, even if they are in storage for the long term.

Artwork Is Protected From Dust, Light, And Bugs

Climate-controlled storage units are usually inside a larger building. This protects the units from wind-blown dust and bugs that could nibble on your paintings. Depending on how the unit is designed, your belongings may be protected from light too, which is important for long-term storage.

However, if light filters through because the unit is made of mesh fencing rather than solid walls, you can cover your artwork to keep it in the dark and for added protection from dust. Just be careful not to wrap oil paintings in bubble wrap since the bubbles push against the paint and potentially cause damage.

Your Unit Is Protected From Flooding

A climate-controlled storage facility may have multiple floors. When your unit is on an upper floor, you won't have to worry about problems with flooding because of an unusually intense rainstorm. However, you should always take steps to protect your artwork by wrapping, elevating, and covering it so it stays safe. You'll also want to leave plenty of room for air circulation and so other belongings don't press up against your fragile sculptures or oil paintings.


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