Here is a big list of shipping tips that we have put together for our customers. You do not have to follow all of these recommendations in every situation, but most of them will apply to most customers. Please keep in mind that although we are a speaker repair facility, you still want to get your subwoofer to us as safely as possible. Any new damage incurred during shipping will need to be paid for in one way or the other. Shipping companies also will not honor your damage claims unless you package the item properly.
DO NOT ship us a subwoofer in an empty cardboard box.
DO NOT ship two subwoofers in the same box.
Wrap the speaker in a plastic bag. Protect the inner parts of the sub from being filled with peanuts, foam, dirt and anything else . A garbage bag works great.
You can buy cardboard boxes at packaging supply stores. You might have one locally. If not, uline.com is awesome.
We use a box that is 2″-3″ larger than the sub’s diameter. We send a 10″ subwoofer in a box that is 13″ x 13″.
Use double boxes if possible. Two boxes inside each other are stronger than one box.
Use hot glue or some other strong glue. We glue most of our packaging together with hot glue. All of our box flaps are glued also. The glue will hold the box parts together much stronger than just a strip of tape.
Make sure that the bottom and top of the box are strong. If the sub’s weight causes the bottom of the box to droop and sink down, the sub will not be properly supported anymore, ending in damage. We use a thin layer of wood on the top and bottom.
Use a smaller box that is glued down to hold the magnet still. We create a motor cradle box that is glued very solidly to the bottom layer of wood in the box. This keeps the sub centered and upright.
Place some cushioning directly under the magnet. All of the weight and force will land here, so protect the bottom of the magnet and soften any direct drops.
Package the sub so that the motor/magnet is in the bottom of the box. NEVER ship the sub upside down on purpose.
Wrap the frame upper edge with a LOT of bubble wrap or a foam pool noodle. The upper frame is most fragile part and will break easily. You need to make sure that it is very well protected and is kept still during shipping.
The speaker should not move inside of the box at all.
Using too much wood is bad. It adds a lot of weight and a false sense of security. A thick tight, strong foam is much better.
Imagine dropping your box and subwoofer from about 6ft up. The shipper will probably do this, so make sure that it would really survive such a drop!
DO NOT use or trust packaging peanuts. They DO NOT work with subwoofers.
Wrinkled brown paper is not packaging material. A subwoofer will smash flat any wrinkled brown paper that you use the package them..
Expanding foam insulation works great to make a thick and exact size packaging for the sub. If you use spray foam, wrap the sub in AT LEAST 3 garbage/plastic bags. If the expanding foam gets into the subwoofer, it can be ruined. Instapak bags are also available, but expensive. Expanding foam is very ineffective if not used correctly. Use this option at your own risk.
FedEx is the safest company in our experiences.
Once you have finished packaging your speaker, ask yourself – “Can I pick this up, drop it from 5 feet in the air and have it lands safely without damage?” If the answer is no, then you should not ship it without using better packaging. There is a very high chance that your subwoofer WILL be dropped during shipment. Do not assume that it will be handled safely or treated as a fragile object.