How Rudolf Láng Prints Are Packed for Transit

Rolled or flat depends on the format, and the difference matters more than most buyers expect. Here is how each one travels, and what protection it gets on the way.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

It depends on the format. Canvas editions ship rolled in a rigid cardboard tube, which is the standard method for unstretched canvas and protects the printed surface from creasing. Framed posters ship flat, packed face-forward with corner protection and a rigid outer layer. Both methods are chosen to prevent the two most common transit damages: creasing and frame breakage.

Why canvases travel rolled

A canvas print ships rolled. The print is wrapped around a core, cushioned, and placed in a rigid tube. This is not a cost saving. A stretched canvas is vulnerable at its corners, and a flat parcel offers those corners little protection against a drop. Rolled, the printed surface has no hard point that can dent or crack it.

The trade-off is honest and worth stating. A rolled canvas arrives unstretched, so it needs mounting before it can hang. If that step puts you off, a framed poster ships flat and ready to hang the day it arrives, or you can compare canvas and framed formats before deciding. The rolled method is the industry norm for good reason, but it does add one task at your end.

How framed prints are packaged

A framed Láng print ships flat, never rolled. The frame is the fragile element, so the parcel is built around it. The glass or acrylic face is protected, the corners are reinforced, and a rigid outer layer stops the parcel from bending in transit. Flat shipping also means the print arrives ready to hang, with no mounting step.

Flat parcels have their own weakness. They can be struck, and a hard impact at a corner is the one thing packaging cannot fully absorb. Inspect the corners before you open the parcel fully, and photograph any damage on arrival. If you are still weighing formats, choosing between canvas and framed poster covers which format suits which wall, and made-to-order delivery times explains when to expect the parcel.

What the packaging includes

A rigid tube for rolled canvas, sized to prevent the print from bending inside it
Protective wrap around the printed surface so nothing abrades it in transit
Corner reinforcement and a rigid outer layer for any flat-shipped framed print
Face protection on framed pieces so the glazing survives a knock

What to do when it arrives

Open a tube by pulling the print out gently, never by squeezing the tube. Let a rolled canvas relax flat for a few hours before stretching or framing it; the memory of the roll fades on its own. For a flat parcel, check the corners and the glazing first, since those take the impacts.

If anything arrives damaged, the fix is straightforward. Photograph the packaging and the print before discarding anything, then contact support through the Auvrique contact page. Damage in transit is a carrier problem, not a quality problem, and it is handled as one. The anxiety is understandable. The packaging exists precisely because prints are fragile, and the methods above are the ones that work.

A rolled canvas is not a cheaper parcel. It is the only parcel that forgives a two metre drop.

Format	Shipped	Primary protection
Canvas print	Rolled in a rigid tube	No hard corners to crack or dent
Framed poster	Flat in a reinforced parcel	Corner guards and protected glazing

Shipping method by format

Key takeaways

Canvas editions ship rolled in a rigid tube; framed posters ship flat.
Rolled shipping protects the printed surface but means the canvas needs mounting before it hangs.
Flat parcels protect the frame and arrive ready to hang, with corners as the main risk point.
Photograph any transit damage immediately, packaging included, before contacting support.

Related questions

Will a rolled canvas arrive creased or damaged?

Creasing is the risk rolled shipping exists to prevent. Wrapped around a core inside a rigid tube, the print holds its curve without folding. The surface can be flattened fully once it has rested, and any residual roll disappears after mounting or a short period under weight.

Can I request a canvas shipped flat instead of rolled?

Flat shipping for unstretched canvas is possible but rarely advisable. A large flat canvas parcel flexes in transit and can crack the printed surface or its coating. The rolled method is standard across the trade for a reason, and deviating from it usually increases risk rather than reducing it.

What happens if my print arrives damaged?

Photograph the parcel, the packaging materials, and the damage before you discard anything. Then contact support with the images. Transit damage is treated as a carrier issue and resolved with a replacement or refund rather than argued over. Keeping the packaging intact makes the claim straightforward.

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