Freight Class for Lumber & Wood
Lumber and dimensional wood ship at low freight classes, usually 50 to 70, thanks to high density when bundled.
What is the freight class for lumber?
Banded units of dimensional lumber pack tightly and rate low. Lighter wood products — moulding, trim, or finished millwork with packaging — rate a bit higher. Length and bundle handling, not class, are usually the limiting factors.
Because freight class is density-driven, there isn’t a single fixed number for lumber — class 50–70 is the common range. Run your actual dimensions and weight below to pin it down.
Length and moisture — the two lumber variables
Lumber rates low because bundled wood is dense, but two variables move it around inside that cheap range in ways no other commodity shares. The first is moisture: green (freshly sawn) lumber can weigh 30–50% more than the same boards kiln-dried, because it's still full of water. A green bundle and a kiln-dried bundle of identical dimensions measure the same cube but very different weight, so they can rate a class apart — and a shipper quoting off last month's dried stock can be surprised by a green load's density.
The second is length. Dimensional lumber, timbers and long millwork come in lengths that don't fit a standard pallet, so they ship as banded units or on lumber carts, and their length dictates the handling far more than their weight does. A 16-foot bundle isn't hard freight because it's heavy; it's hard freight because it's long, and length drives the equipment, the trailer positioning and sometimes an oversize consideration.
Lumber & Wood freight class: worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how typical lumber shipments measure out:
Kiln-dried dimensional lumber, banded — class 70
A banded unit of kiln-dried 2×4s, 96" × 40" × 40", 1,800 lb.
96 × 40 × 40 = 153,600 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 88.9 ft³. Density = 1,800 lb ÷ 88.9 ft³.
20.2 lb/ft³ → class 70 — dried dimensional lumber sits mid-range.
The same bundle, green (undried) — class 65
An identical unit of green lumber, still moisture-heavy, same dimensions, 2,600 lb.
Volume is still 88.9 ft³. Density = 2,600 lb ÷ 88.9 ft³.
29.2 lb/ft³ → class 65 — the water weight moves green lumber a class denser than dried.
Palletized plywood sheets — class 65
Sheet goods stacked flat and banded on a pallet, 96" × 48" × 24", 1,900 lb.
96 × 48 × 24 = 110,592 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 64.0 ft³. Density = 1,900 lb ÷ 64.0 ft³.
29.7 lb/ft³ → class 65 — flat sheet goods rate with the dense end of the wood range.
Bundle tight, and mind the finished goods
Banded units are the whole game for rough and dimensional lumber. A tight, squared bundle of boards packs into dense, cheap-rating freight; loose or poorly-banded lumber shifts, measures at its widest sprawl, and handles badly. Band by consistent lengths so bundles are uniform, and keep green and dried stock separate when it matters for the weight figure.
Finished and packaged wood products are the exception to lumber's cheap class. Moulding, trim and finished millwork ship with protective packaging that adds air, and pre-finished or delicate pieces need more of it — so a bundle of primed trim rates higher than the same volume of rough boards. Sheet goods (plywood, OSB) sit with the dense end: flat, heavy, and stackable, they rate right down with dimensional lumber when palletized flat and banded.
What affects lumber freight class
- Bundled vs. loose
- Green vs. kiln-dried weight
- Length and handling
- Finished vs. rough
Common lumber shipments include dimensional lumber, plywood and sheet goods, moulding and trim, timbers.
Class guides covering the 50–70 range:
Calculate the freight class for your lumber
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 lumber?
Lumber & Wood 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 lumber?
The main factors are bundled vs. loose, green vs. kiln-dried weight, length and handling, finished vs. rough. Denser, tightly packed loads rate a lower class and cost less to ship.
How do I find the exact freight class for lumber?
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 lumber?
Banded dimensional lumber and sheet goods measure 20–30 lb/ft³ → class 60–70. Green (undried) lumber rates a class denser than kiln-dried because of water weight, and finished millwork rates higher because of protective packaging.
Does green lumber ship at a different class than dried?
It can. Green lumber holds 30–50% more weight in moisture than kiln-dried lumber of the same size, so the same bundle measures denser and may rate a class lower. Quote from the actual stock's weight, not a standing assumption.
Why is long lumber harder to ship than heavy lumber?
Because length, not weight, drives the handling. Long bundles and timbers exceed standard pallet dimensions, need lumber carts or special banding, and dictate trailer positioning — sometimes triggering oversize handling regardless of how the density rates.