Updated for 2026 by Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — Ottawa’s licensed, insured movers since 2010, $2M cargo and liability coverage.
Moving antiques is the part of the moving industry where most companies fall short — and where the difference between a good crew and an average one shows up immediately. Veneers crack. Inlays lift. Glass doors shatter. Marble tops crack from improper lifting. Insurance pays a fraction of replacement value because most policies don’t cover antique premium. This page covers how we move antiques in Ottawa, what’s covered under our $2M policy, what’s not, and the right way to prepare antique furniture, art, and instruments for transport.
Why Antiques Need a Different Crew
A standard moving crew is trained to move volume — boxes, beds, sofas, dressers — quickly and safely. An antique crew works slowly, with different tools and a different mindset. We deploy our specialty crew when the load includes:
- Pre-1940 wood furniture (case goods, secretaries, armoires, china cabinets)
- Marble or granite tabletops
- Glass-front cabinets, etched glass, leaded glass
- Inlaid pieces with delicate veneer or marquetry
- Grandfather and grandmother clocks (mechanism + case)
- Pianos — uprights, baby grands, full grands
- Original art (oil, framed prints, sculpture, bronze)
- Persian and Oriental rugs
- Crystal chandeliers
- Heirloom or family silver
For piano-specific moving with our specialty rigging team, see our Piano Movers Ottawa page. For high-value single-piece transport, see our furniture delivery service.
The Antiques Pre-Move Inspection
For any move with significant antique content, we send a senior crew member out for a free in-home inspection before quoting. We document every piece with photos, measurements, and condition notes. Why this matters:
- Pricing accuracy — antiques affect crew size, packing material, and time
- Insurance baseline — pre-move photos are the only way to settle claims fairly
- Specialty equipment — we know whether to bring crating gear, a piano dolly, art crates, or four-strap furniture pads
- Route planning — some pieces need crane access, some need careful disassembly to clear stair turns
Crating, Padding, and Wrapping
Wood furniture
Wrapped in moving blankets first (always — never plastic directly against wood, plastic traps moisture and pulls finish). Tape applied to the blanket, never the furniture. For long-distance or storage, we add an outer plastic stretch layer. Drawers stay in furniture for short moves, removed and wrapped separately for long-distance.
Marble and stone tops
Always lifted off the base. Always transported on edge in a custom A-frame, never flat. Always stored upright. Marble flat is the #1 way marble cracks — even the weight of itself is enough on a poorly-supported truck floor.
Glass cabinets and china
Glass shelves removed and packed in dish-pack boxes with foam dividers. Glass doors wrapped separately in heavy moving blankets. Cabinets blanket-wrapped, walked carefully — never tilted on edge.
Art and frames
Picture boxes for any framed art over 18 inches. Corner protectors. Bubble wrap face for glass-fronted pieces. Original boxes if you have them. For oils on canvas, we use breathable cotton sheeting (never plastic — paint can lift).
Clocks
Pendulum disconnected and wrapped. Weights removed and packed separately. Glass door padded inside and out. Mechanism transported in upright position only.
Storage for Antiques
If you’re between homes or downsizing, our climate-controlled storage at our Gatineau and Ottawa east-end warehouses is appropriate for antiques — temperature and humidity are managed year-round, which protects wood, leather, and finishes from the swings that destroy pieces in unconditioned self-storage. We crate antiques individually for vault storage; ask at quote time. Our combined moving and storage service bundles handling for one written price.
Long-Distance Antique Moves
Antiques travel surprisingly well on long-distance moves when done right — a sealed vault on a truck is a more controlled environment than most homes. Our long-distance team runs antique-friendly trucks with air-ride suspension on routes like:
- Ottawa to Toronto — common estate downsize destination
- Ottawa to Montreal — bilingual antique market
- Ottawa to Vancouver — coast-to-coast estate moves
Estate and Senior Antique Moves
A large share of our antique moving work happens during senior downsizing or estate transitions. We coordinate with executors, estate liquidators, and family members to:
- Inventory pieces being kept vs. liquidated
- Crate keepers for storage or long-distance shipping to family
- Hold pieces in storage until each recipient is ready to receive
For full senior support, see our Senior Movers Ottawa page and hospital discharge moving service.
Insurance: What’s Actually Covered
Standard Canadian moving insurance is 60 cents per pound — meaningless for antiques. Our base $2M cargo coverage is structured as replacement value, not weight-based, but with a sub-limit on individual high-value items (typically $5,000 per piece) unless declared in advance. For pieces above the sub-limit, we file a declared-value rider at quote time. The cost is small — typically 1–2% of declared value — and well worth it for peace of mind.
What’s not covered, anywhere in the moving industry: pre-existing damage, mechanical failure of clocks, climate damage to pieces stored long-term in non-climate facilities, and items packed by the customer without inspection. We document pre-existing condition on the in-home inspection, which protects both sides.
What to Tell Us at Quote Time
The more we know upfront, the better the quote. At the in-home inspection, identify:
- Pieces with declared value over $5,000
- Pieces with pre-existing damage (we’ll photograph)
- Pieces requiring specialty crating (oversized art, marble, mirrors)
- Pieces requiring disassembly (large armoires, four-poster beds, secretaries)
- Anything fragile that’s not visible — inside drawers, behind glass, hung high
Frequently Asked Questions: Antique Moving in Ottawa
Do you charge extra for moving antiques?
Antique moves take longer per piece than standard furniture, so the hourly billing reflects that. There’s no surprise surcharge — the in-home inspection lets us quote accurately upfront.
Can you crate a single antique for shipment?
Yes. Custom crating for single-piece shipment is part of our furniture delivery service. We’ve crated and shipped single pieces from Ottawa to recipients across Canada and into the US.
Do you move pianos with the same crew as antiques?
Pianos are their own specialty. We deploy our piano-trained crew with proper rigging — see Piano Movers Ottawa. For estate moves with both antiques and a piano, we coordinate both crews on the same day.
Will you give a written guarantee on antique condition?
We document pre-move condition photographically and our $2M policy covers transit damage. We don’t issue separate “guarantees” because the policy is the binding document — but we email you the full claim process at quote time so there are no surprises.
Can you store antiques for an estate while it’s settled?
Yes. Our climate-controlled storage handles long stays — we have estate clients on multi-year terms while probate completes. Monthly billing, no exit fees.
Do you handle Persian rugs?
Yes. Rolled with the pile facing inward, wrapped in breathable cloth (not plastic). For storage, rolled and stood upright in our climate-controlled vault.
Book Your Antique Move
Free in-home inspection for any antique-heavy move in Ottawa.
Request an Antique Move Quote
Or call 613-800-0917.
Men In Trucks Moving Inc. — licensed, insured, $2M coverage. Trusted with Ottawa’s antiques since 2010.
