How to Ship Large Heavy Items (Heavy Freight Shipping)

Understanding how to ship large heavy items could be quite challenging, and we assure you that it’s not as simple as dropping the package at the post office. Once you step into the heavy freight shipping logistics, whether due to work duties or personal freight, you will find out that dealing with oversized items requires a specific approach.

It’s crucial to be able to draw a line between shipping heavy items and sending, which people often call “heavy packages”. A box that’s difficult to lift is not considered heavy freight shipping, and it’s still a part of the standard courier services.

In turn, heavy freight refers to something entirely different.

That’s why this quick guide will break down the differences, walk you through the factors such as costs, and show you the most clever way of shipping large heavy items without an issue.

Large vs Heavy vs Oversized Items - Know the Difference

Starting with the most important statement, not every bulky freight falls under the category of heavy freight shipping. The first thing to learn is to distinguish between large items, heavy items, and oversized freight, so let’s learn more.

Here’s the first thing to remember:

• Large Items: Most of the large items are generally bigger in dimensions and size, but not necessarily very heavy, and can be dropped off at a post office.

• Heavy Items: The heavy items are shipments that generally cross weight thresholds and, in most cases, require special handling, equipment, or vehicles.

• Oversized Items: Those are freight that completely exceeds the carrier's size limits and often requires industrial transportation (truck, ship, etc).

So, if you’re wondering how do you ship large heavy items, let’s learn more!

Large Items

A large item can be defined by its size and dimensions, and weight is always a secondary thing to consider. When speaking about large items, you should picture furniture, appliances, or other items that are difficult to move, but not extremely heavy.

Nearly every freight shipping carrier handles large items without an issue by classifying them as “heavy” and using shipping services for large items with a little higher cost.

Heavy Items

The heavy items are always easily recognizable due to their dimensions, are obviously difficult to move (over 70 lbs), and are mainly categorized by their weight. 

In contrast to the large package, which is typically accepted by carriers, the heavy items may be declined or redirected to the palletization process through heavy freight delivery services. Some examples include many vehicle parts, heavy-duty machinery, raw materials, or gym equipment.

Oversized Items

The oversized items are pretty much freight that is way beyond the standard limits of weight and dimensions, making them impossible for transportation by ground couriers. Sometimes their sheer size puts them into the heavy item shipping or big item shipping category without even weighing them.

Some examples would be oversized or oddly-shaped machinery and construction components, all of which require heavy shipping companies or heavy freight shipping companies to handle the transportation process.

Challenges with Shipping Large, Heavy, or Oversized Items

Hauling anything beyond the standard dimensions could be challenging. It does not matter if it’s shipping a large but lightweight item, handling an actual heavy freight shipping cargo, or having to deal with oversized freight; there is always this moment of awkwardness when it comes to it.

Here are the primary challenges of large, heavy, and oversized items:

What to Consider When Shipping Heavy Items

When you are involved in heavy shipping transportation, the cheerful planning is actually more important than the shipping process itself. Providing wrong details about your freight means any potential delays, physical damage, or paying more than the actual heavy item shipping cost.

Here are the top factors to consider when shipping heavy items:

• Weight and Size: The most important factor is the true dimensional weight, which is what the carriers use when calculating the price.

• Freight Class: When shipping large freight, carriers often assign a “freight class” which is based on the requirements and density of the freight.

• Item Packaging: Another thing to consider is the fragility of your items, and if you need to arrange crates, pallets, or some kind of reinforced packaging.

• Shipping Mode: Before shipping, we recommend comparing transportation modes such as LTL or FTL to find the cheapest but most reliable method.

• Freight Quotes: Always acquire several quotes to discover the cheapest option and best route for your shipment type.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship Heavy Items

It’s quite difficult to estimate the cost of shipping large heavy items, since the final price is made up of combining several different factors.

Some of those factors include distance, the shipping options, and dimensional weight, meaning that even lightweight cargo can be categorized as a “heavy package”.

Here’s an example of the heavy freight shipping cost:

Cheap Shipping Options for Heavy Items

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to ship heavy items, you definitely need to use a special online freight quotes tool to quickly find and compare carriers.

We strongly encourage you to use FreightRun’s Quote Calculator, which makes shipping large heavy items easy by providing cost-effective options. You only need to input your freight details to instantly reveal quick delivery heavy item options.

That’s how you’ll find the cheapest way to ship big packages!

Useful Tips When Shipping Large Heavy Items

When handling heavy shipping, you need to carefully plan the entire freight journey to avoid any delay, damage, or potentially extra charges.

Here are some tips:

• Measure Twice: It’s strongly recommended to measure the weight and size twice, to be absolutely confident that you got the right dimensional weight.

• Right Packaging: Another thing to verify is that you’re using the correct packaging for the freight, whether it’s a box, a pallet, or a crate.

• Compare Quotes: It’s clever to acquire and compare quotes from different heavy freight shipping companies or specialized heavy shipping companies.

• Plan for Handling: If your freight requires special handling, choosing the right handling method, whether it’s vehicle or equipment, is critical for loading and unloading.

Ship Heavy Items with the Right Carrier

Selecting the correct carrier for your package's weight could be confusing, but it’s critical when you need to ship large items effectively.

Unfortunately, when you’re looking for shipping for large items, you’ll find that not every freight provider can process the challenges that come with heavy freight delivery.

To guarantee that the process goes smoothly, when comparing quotes, narrow down only the carriers that tailor the best way to ship large heavy items according to your needs. And do not always go for the absolute cheapest way to ship big items, as it may turn out much more costly.

Best of luck with the delivery of heavy items!