Freight Class for Hardware & Fasteners
Nuts, bolts and hardware are dense and ship at the lowest freight classes — typically 50 to 70.
What is the freight class for hardware?
Metal fasteners and fittings pack tightly and heavily, keeping the class low. Boxed and palletized, they're among the cheapest freight to move by density. Lighter packaged or display hardware rates a little higher.
Because freight class is density-driven, there isn’t a single fixed number for hardware — class 50–70 is the common range. Run your actual dimensions and weight below to pin it down.
Small parts, floor-level class
Nuts, bolts, screws and fittings are solid metal with almost no wasted space between pieces, so bulk hardware is some of the densest freight there is — a keg or box of fasteners can measure 40–55+ lb/ft³ and rate class 50–55, the very bottom of the scale. Like steel and roofing, it's a weight-out commodity: a modest carton or keg hits the pallet's rating with room to spare, and the class is at the floor. The freight problem, when there is one, is managing weight, not cube.
The spread inside the range is about packaging, not product. Bulk hardware — loose fasteners by the keg, box or bag — packs densest and rates class 50. Retail and display packs (blister cards, hanging bags, branded boxes) add air and cardboard around the same metal, so they rate up toward class 70. The metal is identical; the retail presentation is what lifts the class.
Hardware & Fasteners freight class: worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how typical hardware shipments measure out:
Kegs of fasteners — class 50
Kegs of bolts on a compact footprint, 24" × 20" × 24", 350 lb.
24 × 20 × 24 = 11,520 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 6.67 ft³. Density = 350 lb ÷ 6.67 ft³.
52.5 lb/ft³ → over 50 → class 50 — bulk fasteners are among the densest freight.
Boxed bolts, palletized — class 55
Cases of bolts on a 40" × 32" pallet, 30" high, 900 lb.
40 × 32 × 30 = 38,400 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 22.2 ft³. Density = 900 lb ÷ 22.2 ft³.
40.5 lb/ft³ → class 55.
Retail-packed hardware — class 70
Blister-packed and boxed retail hardware on a 48" × 40" pallet, 40" high, 800 lb.
48 × 40 × 40 = 76,800 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 44.4 ft³. Density = 800 lb ÷ 44.4 ft³.
18.0 lb/ft³ → class 70 — retail packaging air lifts the same metal up the range.
Weight-rated pallets, not tall stacks
Build hardware pallets to the weight limit. A keg of bolts is deceptively heavy, so a full pallet reaches its rating and the trailer's axle limits at knee height — stacking taller only risks crushing the bottom cartons and toppling a heavy unit, with no class to gain since you're already at the floor. Band tight so nothing shifts, and use pallets and equipment rated for the concentrated weight.
Keep bulk and retail hardware separate when it matters: a few light blister-pack cartons on a keg pallet barely move the blend, but a mostly-retail pallet rates higher than the bulk it's mixed with. For high-value specialty fasteners (aerospace, stainless, custom), the value can warrant coverage on top of the cheap class. Run the real pallet weight through the calculator — hardware almost always weighs out before it fills any space.
What affects hardware freight class
- Metal density
- Boxed and palletized
- Bulk vs. retail packs
- Carton weight
Common hardware shipments include nuts, bolts and screws, fittings and connectors, chain and cable hardware, anchors.
Class guides covering the 50–70 range:
Calculate the freight class for your hardware
Enter dimensions and weight to get the density-based class for your exact shipment.
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
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
How freight class is calculated (density scale)
Freight class is set by density = weight (lb) ÷ volume (ft³). Higher density → lower class → typically lower cost. Volume here is L × W × H × quantity.
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|
| 50+ | 50 |
| 35 – 50 | 55 |
| 30 – 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 – 30 | 65 |
| 15 – 22.5 | 70 |
| 13.5 – 15 | 77.5 |
| 12 – 13.5 | 85 |
| 10.5 – 12 | 92.5 |
| 9 – 10.5 | 100 |
| 8 – 9 | 110 |
| 7 – 8 | 125 |
| 6 – 7 | 150 |
| 5 – 6 | 175 |
| 4 – 5 | 200 |
| 3 – 4 | 250 |
| 2 – 3 | 300 |
| 1 – 2 | 400 |
| 0 – 1 | 500 |
Frequently asked questions
What freight class is hardware?
Hardware & Fasteners typically ships at freight class 50–70. The exact class is set by density — weight divided by volume — so packaging and dimensions can move it within that range.
What affects the freight class of hardware?
The main factors are metal density, boxed and palletized, bulk vs. retail packs, carton weight. Denser, tightly packed loads rate a lower class and cost less to ship.
How do I find the exact freight class for hardware?
Measure your shipment and divide weight by volume to get density, then match it to the NMFC scale — the calculator above does this. Confirm the final class and NMFC item number with your carrier before booking.
What freight class is hardware?
Bulk fasteners in kegs and boxes measure 40–55+ lb/ft³ → class 50–55, the cheapest classes. Retail and display-packed hardware rates up to class 70 because of the added packaging. It's dense, weight-out freight.
Why is bulk hardware such a cheap freight class?
Solid metal fasteners pack with almost no space between pieces, so a keg or box is extremely dense — it hits the pallet and trailer weight limits with space to spare. That density earns class 50, the floor of the scale.
How should I palletize heavy hardware?
Build to the weight limit, not a height target — a full hardware pallet maxes out low, and stacking taller risks crushing bottom cartons for no class benefit. Band tight, use weight-rated pallets and equipment, and keep bulk separate from lighter retail packs.