Art Storage Greenwood, Indiana

Are you an art collector with a collection that is outgrowing your current space? Are you an artist who can’t seem to find room for another one of your masterpieces? You may think that your art collections need to be stored in a highly protected safe or vault. This is not the case! Smith Valley Storage provides great art storage for the Greenwood, Indiana community along with affordable pricing and security.

Art Storage Tips for Artists and Collectors

Clean your art. Before you place your valuable collection in a storage unit, clean it! You can use a micro-fiber cloth to take off any dust that may have collected.

Make sure that rust and other contaminants are removed with a metal polish or wood polish, as suggested by Artworkarchive.com. There is also the option to have your piece professionally cleaned. This will ensure that the artwork is completely rid of dust particles and potential rust damage.

Humidity is your enemy. Humidity dictates how much moisture is in the air in comparison to how much the air can hold. It can destroy your priceless work of art! High humidity levels can cause mold to grow on paintings. Make sure that you are choosing a facility that provides climate-controlled storage units or you may run the risk of having your artwork being taken over by mold.

Humidity levels should be kept at 50% and temperature should range from 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. These numbers were provided by The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Check with your storage provider that they meet these humidity levels and temperatures.

Wait until your painting is fully cured. Depending on what paint you used to complete your artwork this time frame may vary. Oils can take anywhere from 6-12 months to cure while latex-based paints can cure in a matter of days. By waiting for your painting to fully cure you are protecting your piece from any scratches and stains that may occur.

Turn off the lights. When you have your paintings and other artwork in storage, it is important to keep them out of direct light. Exposure to light can cause paint colors to fade. In order to give longevity to your art, choose art storage that has minimal exposure to sunlight.

Order counts. When storing your art work, make sure that you are placing pieces vertically and from smallest to largest. This technique helps collectors stay organized and makes finding a piece easier. Consider this when thinking about art storage.

Rolling your creations is an option. If you are looking to maximize space in your storage unit rolling a painting might be a good option. When using this strategy make sure you roll the painting so that the paint is facing the outside. You may think that this can cause damage to your art, but it actually protects it! Rolling the paint facing inward leaves art more susceptible to cracking and warping.

Plastic wrap and bubble wrap may cause more harm than good. Using these materials when storing your art can block air circulation and trap condensation. This can cause water damage to your artwork. This may also cause mold accumulation. It is a popular technique to saran-wrap your art before storage. DO NOT DO THIS! This tightly traps moisture to your pieces and can cause the same damage as listed above.

Artwork can expand and contract due to temperature. During summer months canvases are prone to expand. The opposite happens during the winter months. Take advantage of the natural expansion and “key out” your canvas paintings. “Keying out” means to stretch out your canvases to be taught. This over expansion compensates for the shrinkage that may occur during the winter.

Keep your artwork off the ground. If you have the space, try to hang your artwork rather than stacking it on top of each other. Hanging your artwork protects it from any damage that may occur from leaning up against a rough wall or other surface. Art was meant to be hung! Even if it is not being viewed all of the time in your storage unit.

Why Choose Smith Valley Storage?

Smith Valley provides all the accommodations listed for proper art storage!

Climate Controlled Units

Climate controlled units are the best way to ensure that your pieces of art stay safe! The weather and elements can take a toll on artwork. Humidity and heat and discolor paints and cause peeling to occur. Our climate-controlled units will eliminate these risks from getting to your collection. Artwork is protected from extreme heat and extreme cold. We monitor the temperature and keep it consistent so that no damage will take place. For more information on climate-controlled units visit our blog post: Climate Controlled Storage in Greenwood, Indiana

Top-notch Safety

Our facility is monitored with state-of-the-art security cameras and is watched 24/7. The premise is surrounded by a gate and can only be accessed with a key pad. The key pad is activated by a code set by you and not shared with anyone else. Storage units are also protected under a lock that you provide yourself. Your art work will be locked safe under lock and key (and a gate…)!

Close to Home

Choosing to rent a unit from Smith Valley Storage means that your valuables will be close to home! You will have easy access to your belongings and not have to make a long drive to get to them. Smith Valley gives you access to your things 24/7. If you need your priceless painting at 4 in the morning, you can come and get it! No questions asked! It can be scary to place your possessions in the hands of someone else. Especially when they hold the value of a work of art! We are locally owned and trusted by the community.

Clean, Secure, & Affordable

Smith Valley Storage provides top quality self-storage units in Greenwood, Indiana. Our storage units provide a clean, secure, and affordable way to store your belongings. We have a variety of storage units available ranging in size and climate-controlled units. Customer service is our main priority! Rent and pay for storage units online with ease! Storage units are accessible with drive-up access 24/7. We want to provide you with an excellent self-storage experience. For more information visit www.smithvalleystorage.com or call us at 317-882-7361 today!