Sending valuable and delicate handicrafts such as a stone Chinese chess board or a wooden chess set to Canada always makes senders nervous. Stone can crack under a hard knock, and wood can scratch or split from changes in temperature and humidity during air transport. A single small crack greatly reduces the gift’s beauty and sentimental value. This article explains a professional 5-step packing process to protect your item as much as possible, and how to clear customs smoothly.
Step 1: Clean and secure the small parts
On a chess or Chinese chess board, the pieces are easily lost and can scratch the board if they knock against it. Never leave the pieces on the board and box it up as it is.
- Collect all the pieces: Put them in a soft cloth bag or a separate zip bag.
- Wrap each piece (for stone or finely carved wooden pieces): Wrap each piece in bubble wrap before putting it in the bag so the pieces don’t knock against each other in transit.
- Secure the piece box: If the set has its own wooden box for the pieces, pad the inside with cotton wool or soft foam so the pieces can’t move.
Step 2: Protect the board against scratches and cracks
The board has the largest surface area and takes the most force.
- Wooden boards: Wrap the board in 2 to 3 layers of PE cling film to prevent mould and protect the lacquer or gloss finish from scratches.
- Stone boards: Stone is heavy and very brittle under bending forces. Cut two pieces of rigid cardboard or flat foam the same size as the board, press them firmly against the front and back, then wrap them tightly in PE film to hold everything in place.
- Bubble wrap: After the PE film, wrap at least 3 to 4 layers of bubble wrap around the whole board. Take extra care with the corners and edges, which chip most easily in a collision.
Step 3: Choose the box and fill the gaps
Choosing the right carton accounts for about half of a handicraft’s safety.
- Choose a sturdy 5-ply or 7-ply carton that is 5 to 7 cm larger than the wrapped board on each side.
- Lay about 3 to 5 cm of foam on the bottom of the box.
- Place the board and the bag of pieces in the middle of the box.
- Fill all the gaps tightly with packing peanuts, foam or compressed paper. Shake the box gently afterwards. If you can still hear or feel anything moving, add more foam. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a carton.
- Special note: For very heavy or large stone boards, an ordinary carton isn’t safe enough. These heavy items need an extra wooden frame or pallet for safe lifting and unloading, which carries a specialist packing surcharge.
Step 4: Declare to customs and prepare documents
When shipping handicrafts to Canada, an accurate customs declaration helps your order clear quickly at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
- Describe the goods in detail: Instead of a vague “gift” or “handicraft”, write “Wooden chess set” or “Stone Chinese chess set”.
- Declare an honest value: Declare the set’s real value. Our flights on the Vietnam–Canada route include all import duties, so you don’t have to worry about tax charges at the destination.
- Note on wood: Canada controls natural wood products very strictly to keep out termites and plant diseases. Wooden chess boards must be made of treated wood and be finished with lacquer or kiln-dried. Avoid sending rare woods on the CITES list without a permit.
Step 5: Choose a shipping service and track your order
Once fully packed, choosing a reliable carrier with insurance options and a transparent route is the last step to shipping with peace of mind.
Soleil Transportation offers professional air shipping from Vietnam to Canada with an average transit time of 7 to 12 business days (7–14 days depending on the delivery province). All-inclusive door-to-door air freight starts at just $16/kg.
After shipping, you’ll receive a tracking number to check online easily. Status updates are also sent by email, SMS or Zalo so you and the recipient in Canada can follow along.
If you aren’t confident packing stone or wooden items yourself, bring the chess set in person or send it by domestic courier to our office, and our staff will reinforce it to flight safety standards. For more advice on size and weight rules and an accurate quote for your chess set, call +1 888-998-5199 or email the details to info@soleiltransportation.com.
