What we typed
24 x 36 inch framed canvas painting
For flat art, stating the finished dimensions up front is what counts; it lets the estimate build a picture box around the frame rather than guess at one.
Collectibles
How much does it cost to ship a framed painting?
A framed painting around 30 × 24 inches ships in a 36 × 28 × 6 inch picture box at 10–25 lb packed. The flat, wide shape makes dimensional weight the price driver, and glass over the artwork adds both weight and risk — quote with the frame's real outer size, not the canvas size. One live run below shows how the pieces add up in dollars.
Live parcel ratesFreight review pathTracking included
The number behind this page
A live quote drives everything here: 40 × 28 × 4 in at 9.9 lb, FedEx Smart Post at $57.84, New Hampshire to Idaho.
A 24 x 36 framed canvas, priced across the country
The line we fed the SMKlog calculator on 2026-07-24 read “24 x 36 inch framed canvas painting”, with Manchester, NH 03101 as origin and Boise, ID 83702 as destination. The box, the weight, and the four rates below are that output verbatim.
Packed box it returned
40 × 28 × 4 in
102 × 72 × 11 cm
Packed weight 9.9 lb (4.5 kg).
Route
Manchester, NH 03101
to Boise, ID 83702
Manchester to Boise is nearly a coast-to-coast pull, and each rate below carries that distance in it.
Flat and wide is expensive: 40 × 28 × 4 ÷ 139 comes to roughly 32.2 lb dimensional against 9.9 lb real, so the surface area of this box is what's being priced. Slimming the package is worth more than lightening it.
| Carrier | Service | Price | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx | Smart Post | $57.84 | 9-10 business days |
| FedEx | Ground | $78.94 | 8-9 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $81.48 | 8-9 business days |
| UPS | Ground Saver | $83.46 | 7 business days |
All four prices are final checkout amounts, the label and SMKlog's charge rolled together, with nothing appended later. FedEx Smart Post led at $57.84. Carriers refresh tariffs continually, so consider this a dated worked case and pull fresh rates for your own pair of addresses.
Typical packed size
A snug picture box near 36 × 28 × 6 in. Corner protectors go on first, then a protective layer over the art, stiff cardboard against both faces, and no rattle room anywhere. An X of tape across glazing keeps the glass together if it breaks.
Packed weight
Between 10 and 25 lb, typically. Because the package is flat and wide, its dimensional weight usually tops the scale weight, and that higher figure is the one the carrier bills.
What moves the price
Zone, speed, and how slim you keep the box. Manchester, NH to Boise, ID is about as long as domestic lanes get; the identical carton on a short hop would quote well under these numbers, which ran $57.84 to $83.46 across four services. A fixed price for framed art would have to be wrong one way or the other, so the calculator asks for your route instead.
Framed painting shipping questions
What box size do I need to ship a framed painting?
Plan around 36 × 28 × 6 in packed. Fit corner protectors to the frame, cover the art with glassine or plastic wrap, add cardboard sheets on both faces, and choose a picture box that holds it all snugly. Where there's glass, run tape in an X so shards stay in place if it cracks.
How much does a framed painting weigh packed for shipping?
Typically 10–25 lb once packed. Measure and weigh the sealed box before quoting, because carriers bill the greater of real weight and dimensional weight (length by width by height over the carrier's divisor), and shortfalls get invoiced back to you as adjustments.
Should I add shipping protection to a painting?
Yes for anything above a couple hundred dollars: declare the value and take shipping protection at checkout. Default carrier liability caps at $100, far below what most framed art is worth.
Is it better to remove the canvas from the frame?
For a valuable oversized piece, an unstretched canvas rolled into a tube ships cheaper and safer than a large glazed frame. At standard sizes, leave it framed, guard the corners properly, and send it intact the way a buyer expects it.
How much does it cost to ship a framed painting?
Box size first, then distance, then speed. A 36x28x6 box computes to 44 lb dimensional weight, and that 44 lb gets billed even though the packed painting weighs about 18 lb; flat, wide boxes almost always bill past their true weight. Cross-country zones and air upgrades build from there. The SMKlog calculator turns your description and route into live USPS, UPS, and FedEx rates in one step.
What is the cheapest way to ship a framed painting?
Ground, in the slimmest box that still takes corner protectors and a bubble layer. With 44 lb on the bill, UPS and FedEx ground tend to beat USPS, whose sweet spot is small parcels under about 5 lb. Resist the roomy art box, since spare inches on a flat carton balloon the dimensional weight fast, and get the label online at commercial pricing, usually 20-40% below the counter.