Freight Class for Countertops
Stone and quartz slabs rate freight class 50, because they are about three times denser than class 50's starting point: Cambria lists its quartz at 150 lb per cubic foot, and a 3 cm jumbo slab of 132 × 65.5 inches weighs about 900 lb. The real issues are length and handling: slabs over 8 feet add carrier length charges, and they must ship on edge on A-frames or racks.
How heavy slabs are
Cambria's specifications give its quartz a density of 150 lb per cubic foot and an area weight of 5, 10 and 15 lb per square foot for 1, 2 and 3 cm slabs. Its jumbo slab is 132 × 65.5 inches, nominally 60 square feet, so a 3 cm jumbo slab weighs about 900 lb; its standard slab is 122 × 55.5 inches.
At 150 lb/ft³, slabs are three times past the 50 lb/ft³ that starts class 50. Even with A-frames and blocking, a slab shipment rates class 50; the class is never the question.
Worked examples
Slab sizes and weights come from Cambria's published specifications.
3 cm quartz jumbo slab — class 50
Cambria jumbo, 132 × 65.5 in, nominal 60 sq ft at 15 lb per sq ft.
Weight = 60 × 15 = 900 lb. Quartz density = 150 lb/ft³.
Class 50 at any packing. The 11-foot length adds $925 at XPO or $375 at FedEx Freight.
Length and handling
Slabs are long. A 132-inch jumbo slab is 11 feet, which falls in XPO's 11 to under 16 foot length band ($925) and FedEx Freight's 8 to under 12 foot band ($375); a 122-inch standard slab is just over 10 feet. Most slab freight moves on flatbeds with A-frames, and OSHA notes that flatbeds may use A-frame supports or pole racks to secure slabs.
For containers, OSHA notes that some suppliers add wood supports to stop slab bundles shifting, and that without them slabs can slide or collapse. It also reports deaths of workers crushed between slabs weighing 4,000 to 6,000 lb in racks, so unloading needs the right equipment and a clear plan.
Fabricated tops
Cut and polished countertops are more fragile than raw slabs, because cut-outs for sinks and cooktops leave thin sections. Ship them on edge in a crate or on an A-frame, padded at every contact point, never flat with weight on top.
Caesarstone warns against storing slabs on the open ends of racks or A-frames, where they can fall if tilted too far. Keep slabs between the uprights and strap them.
Check your slab shipment
Enter the crate or A-frame size and the total weight. Slabs will show class 50; check the length band as well.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
54.99
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
2,933
lb
50+ lb/ft³ → Class 50
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
Uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1). See the full freight class chart.
Frequently asked questions
What freight class are countertops?
Class 50. Engineered quartz weighs about 150 lb per cubic foot, far past the 50 lb/ft³ where class 50 starts.
How much does a quartz slab weigh?
Cambria lists 5, 10 and 15 lb per square foot for 1, 2 and 3 cm slabs, so a 60 sq ft jumbo slab weighs about 300, 600 or 900 lb.
How big is a quartz slab?
Cambria's jumbo slab is 132 × 65.5 inches (nominal 60 sq ft) and its standard slab 122 × 55.5 inches (nominal 47 sq ft).
How are stone slabs shipped?
On edge on A-frames or pole racks, usually by flatbed, with wood supports in containers to stop bundles shifting, as OSHA describes.