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Steel, aluminum, cement, and most building materials ship at Class 50–70 — the lowest LTL classes. The reason is simple: density. A pallet of steel plate or cement bags weighs 2,000–3,000+ lbs in a footprint that's often 30+ PCF — well above the Class 50 threshold (50 PCF).
But the volume and weight create their own challenges: pallet weight limits, dock loading, and flatbed-vs-LTL decisions.
| Item | Typical Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Steel plate, sheet (banded) | Class 50 | Highest density material — lowest possible LTL class. |
| Steel pipe, structural tubing | Class 50–60 | Hollow tubing slightly lower density. |
| Steel beams, I-beams | Class 50–55 | Length often requires flatbed or step-deck. |
| Steel coils, rolls | Class 50 | Special equipment (coil racks) may be needed. |
| Iron castings (pumps, fittings) | Class 55–70 | Dense parts. |
| Aluminum sheets, plates | Class 55–70 | Lighter than steel, higher class. |
| Aluminum extrusions, profiles | Class 65–85 | Tubular shapes lower density. |
| Copper, brass, bronze (bars, sheets) | Class 55–70 | Dense; high value adds liability factor. |
| Scrap metal (palletized) | Class 50–60 | Bulk scrap = max density. |
| Wire (coiled, on spools) | Class 60–85 | Spool size affects density. |
| Wire mesh, baskets | Class 70–110 | Open structure = low density. |
| Fasteners (bolts, screws, nuts) boxed | Class 50–55 | Dense metal in small boxes. |
| Welding rods / electrodes | Class 60–70 | Boxed dense metal. |
| Item | Typical Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cement (bagged, palletized) | Class 50–55 | Bags of cement = very heavy per cubic foot. |
| Concrete blocks, bricks | Class 50–55 | Heavy + tight packing. |
| Tile, roofing | Class 55–65 | Standardized pallets. |
| Lumber, dimensional (2x4, 2x6, etc.) | Class 50–55 | Length may require flatbed. |
| Plywood, sheet goods | Class 55–65 | 4x8 sheets — pallet or strap. |
| Drywall, sheetrock | Class 65–85 | Fragile sheets, easy to crack. |
| Insulation, fiberglass batts | Class 200–500 | Lowest density possible — opposite of metal. |
| Roofing shingles (asphalt) | Class 50–65 | Dense bundles. |
| Doors, hollow core | Class 100–150 | Light + bulky. |
| Windows (residential, boxed) | Class 92.5–150 | Fragile glass + frame. |
| PVC pipe (palletized) | Class 70–125 | Hollow plastic = low density. |
| Conduit (electrical, metal) | Class 70–85 | Lengths bundled. |
| Paint (cases, drums) | Class 55–70 | Liquid in metal/plastic cans. |
Unlike furniture or glass, metal and building materials almost always class on density alone. The 4 classification factors collapse to one:
If you're shipping dense palletized metal, you're almost certainly Class 50–70.
| Trigger | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Length > 12 ft (over-length surcharge) | Flatbed or step-deck |
| Weight > 15,000 lbs | FTL (volume LTL caps around this) |
| Steel coils, rebar bundles | Flatbed with coil racks |
| OOG (over-dimensional) | Flatbed + permits |
| 3+ pallets at Class 50 | Check FTL — often cheaper |
Most LTL carriers cap individual pallet weight at 2,000–2,500 lbs. Steel/cement can easily exceed this. Split into multiple pallets or use FTL.
Items > 8 ft long trigger over-length surcharges ($50–200/shipment). Some carriers refuse 12ft+ in dry vans.
Don't group fiberglass insulation with metal shipments — insulation is Class 200-500 (extreme low density).
Heavy metal/cement requires forklift or unloading equipment. Carriers will refuse delivery or charge "limited access / no dock" surcharges if not pre-declared.
Prepare:
ShipOnlines auto-suggests FTL/flatbed when LTL becomes uneconomical or impossible.
Get an LTL freight quote for metal & building materials →