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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 →
After finding the NMFC code / freight class, prepare your origin ZIP, destination ZIP, commodity, weight, dimensions, pallet count, address type (commercial/residential), photos, and accessorial needs such as liftgate, appointment, inside delivery, or limited access. ShipOnlines can help compare LTL, PTL, FTL, drayage, and transloading options.
Not sure which NMFC or freight class to use?
Prepare your origin & destination ZIP codes, commodity, dimensions, weight and pallet count — ShipOnlines can help compare LTL, PTL and FTL options and get you US truck rates.
Get LTL Quote → NMFC Lookup · LTL Quote ChecklistNMFC codes and freight classes shown here are a reference estimate — the carrier makes the final classification based on the actual commodity, density, packaging, and NMFC rules. For an accurate LTL quote, prepare your origin/destination ZIP, commodity, weight & dimensions, and pallet count.
Get LTL Quote → NMFC & Class Lookup Address Checker