How to Ship Neon Signs Safely & Easily

If you are buying or shipping neon signs, you need to make sure that the signs are not damaged at any point during transit.

Neon signs are notoriously fragile. They can easily break when not packed properly, rendering the item useless when it arrives at your door. It is absolutely important to pack signs carefully.

Broken signs are more likely too difficult and too costly to repair. Here are a few tips on how to ship neon signs.

How You Should Ship Neon Signs

Neon signage, whether mounted or un-mounted, needs a special packing container made of foam or cardboard. The idea is to pack the sign inside a material that will absorb all kinds of external forces while keeping the sign intact.

Loose packing material should not come in contact with the neon tubes. This avoids the application of uneven pressure on the tubes while in transit. You can use rigid, non-expanding packing foam carved out to accommodate the shape of a sign, especially if you are shipping bare tubes.

A cheaper alternative would be to use newspapers crumpled together and packed tightly around the sign. You have an easier job if you are shipping a mounted sign that is enclosed in a glass, wood, or metal frame. The frame can easily help absorb external forces and prevent any breakage.

If signs are mounted, you can also place them inside a box and keep everything snug by inserting pieces of foam or crumpled newspaper.

Signs are typically double-boxed with bubble wrap or crumpled newspapers in between boxes to ensure safety. Avoid using packing peanuts since these are loose and will not secure the sign as well as a packing foam or crumpled newsprint will. Finally, mark the outside of the box with the word FRAGILE. Also use an arrow pointing to the right side to assist shippers in proper handling.

Factors to Consider When Shipping Neon Signs

There are a number of factors to consider when shipping glass signs, such as:

• Whether the signs are mounted or un-mounted
• The size
• Shape and complexity of the design
• The total weight of the sign
• The total value of the sign.

All these will affect shipping costs and the value of insurance that you may need to take out. Another consideration is the shipping distance. The farther you are from the seller, the more expensive the shipping cost will be. Another factor is the number of signs you need to ship. Most signs need to be packed individually which could mean that you will need to ship a couple of boxes if you are shipping more than one sign.

Shipping neon signs requires careful packing to ensure that the item gets to its destination in one piece. These signs are more expensive to repair than to replace, and they are not cheap. It is therefore important that you learn how to properly package your signs so that they are safe and snug during transit. If you are a seller, you reduce the risk of paying for replacements.

If you are a buyer, choose the carrier with a good track record in handling fragile items.