MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
SALVAGE OF WATER DAMAGED COLLECTIONS
PAINTINGS ON CANVAS
| Priority: | Begin drying within 48 hours to prevent mold growth. |
| Handling Precautions: | Move items only after a place has been prepared to receive them. If the frame is unstable, remove from painting, pad corners with corrugated cardboard, bubble wrap, or unused newsprint and transport to area dealing with wood objects. |
| Packing Method: | Pad corners of frame or painting with corrugated cardboard, bubble wrap, or newsprint. Transport paintings vertically; stand upright with corrugated cardboard between paintings so that painted surfaces do not touch another painted or any rough surface. |
| Preparation for drying: | Remove painting from frame. |
| Drying Procedure: | Prepare a horizontal bed of blotter paper and unused newsprint, equal in thickness to the paint layer, with top most layer of strong clean tissue. Lay painting, still on stretcher/strainer, face down on this surface. Remove any remaining backing or labels from the painting, to expose wet canvas. Retain and tag all associated labels, parts and/or components that are removed or detached from the painting or frame.
Place cut-to-fit blotters or unused newsprint against this back, and apply a slight amount of pressure so that the blotter makes good contact with the entire exposed canvas surface. Repeatedly change backing blotter, being careful not to create impressions in the canvas. DO NOT CHANGE FACING MATERIALS When dry to the touch, remove backing blotter and pick up painting. If front facing tissue is still attached to painting front, do not attempt to remove it, since it will hold the painting surface together until a conservator can consolidate it. Use fans to keep air moving in the room without blowing directly on the paintings. Use portable dehumidifiers to slowly remove moisture from the area/objects. Bring relative humidity down to 50%. |
Minnesota Historical Society Disaster Preparedness Plan 6/93