How to Safely Pack Valuable Posters

Materials

• A thick mailing tube that will fit your poster's measurements
• Packing tape
• Soft cushioning material like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or packaging paper
• A long triangular poster box that should be available at the post office

Procedure

• Start by lightly rolling up the poster. Do not secure the rolled-up poster with rubber bands or strings. You can easily crease and tear the poster, and rubber bands can even melt into the poster if it gets too hot.
• Put the poster in the mailing tube. Be sure to measure its width so it will fit inside properly. If the tube is too long you can cut it. Let the poster unravel naturally until it stops at the walls of the tube. This will allow it to be snug.
• Use your cushioning material to fill in either end of the poster in the tube so the poster doesn't slide around. The edges of a poster are quite fragile and sliding back and forth will be enough force to cause damage to the poster. The poster should be completely still, but not crushed, in the closed mailing tube.
• Seal the tube with packing tape. Use a liberal amount of tape since the tube will pop open easily without it.
• Place the tube in the mailing box.
• Fill in negative space between the tube and the box with more cushioning material. The tube should be suspended within the material.
• Seal the box with more packing tape and label it as "fragile".
• If you are mailing your poster, deliver it in person to a post office to avoid possible weather damage. 
• If the box is going in a moving truck, make sure you stack nothing on top of it.

Avoid common mistakes when packing posters

• You need the firm protection of a hard tube. Don't just roll up posters in envelopes. That is not enough protection.
• Rubber bands and even string that is tied too tightly can damage a poster. They can crease and tear the paper and the rubber can melt into the poster in extreme cases.
• If you put the poster in the mailing tube without packing material, it will damage the edges of the poster as it freely slides around.
• If the mailing tube is too small, you can also damage the poster by shoving it in and having no room for packing materials. 
• Remember you need to be able to open the tube without damaging the poster. Don't do something crazy like taping the poster to the side of the tube.
• Shipping the poster flat is not a good idea, especially if it is large. The corners can roll up and maks the poster more vulnerable to puncture damage across its large surface area.
• Weak or thin mailing tubes can bend and are not sufficient to protect posters.