Packing Blanket

Updated 4/11/10 PAB

Alternate names
Furniture pad, Moving blanket

Characteristics
Most packing pads or blankets are cloth with cotton-batten filing and quilted stitching. They are thick and durable and offer heavy duty protection when used as soft packing for furniture and sculpture.

Forms/Sizes
Most common size is 72" x 80".
Available in different grades usually measured by weight per dozen. Lighter weight, inexpensive blankets are multicolored using recycled fabric. Higher quality blankets usually have solid colors on at least one side.
A less expensive version is made with non-woven synthetic material in both 72" x 80 and 54" x 72" sizes.(insert photo)

Applications
This material is commonly used (and reused) by commercial movers for many purposes.
In the Art/Museum world it is often used to softwrap sculpture and furniture. In this application often another material (Tyvek softwrap, Tissue, etc...) is used between the object and the blanket itself. This is especially true if blankets are not segregated (often by color) by use (fore example for art contact vs general use).
To secure the blankets commercial movers sometimes use oversized rubberbands. Art services providers often use stretch wrap.

This moving tool is essential for use in the truck where it effectively dampens vibration when placed underneath cartons, and softpacked paintings. It is also used for the same reason when cargo is strapped to the side of the truck.

In the museum setting it is often used to pad equipment used to lift or transport artwork or as a protective layer used when rigging sculpture.

An under utilized way to use this same material is in the form of custom made covers. If you have casework, vitrines or anything that is handled frequently and vulnerable to abrasions, dents and dings consider having covers sewn to fit them.
Source(s)
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