Freight Class for Mattresses
Mattresses and box springs are bulky and light, so they ship at a high freight class — typically 150 to 300.
What is the freight class for mattresses?
A standard mattress weighs little for the large space it occupies, putting it among the higher classes. Roll-packed or compressed mattresses ship far denser and rate much lower, which is why bed-in-a-box products are cheaper to move.
Because freight class is density-driven, there isn’t a single fixed number for mattresses — class 150–300 is the common range. Run your actual dimensions and weight below to pin it down.
The commodity that re-engineered its own freight
A flat mattress is one of the worst freight profiles in retail: a queen weighs little for the enormous, floppy space it fills, it can't be double-stacked safely, and it claims a floor position all out of proportion to its weight — rating class 150 to 300. For decades that was simply the cost of shipping a bed. Then compression changed everything. Roll-packing — vacuum-compressing a foam mattress and rolling it into a compact carton — turns the same product into freight that ships like dense general cargo, and the entire bed-in-a-box industry is built on that logistics fact.
The difference is dramatic and worth understanding precisely: a queen mattress that measures class 250 flat-boxed can measure class 70 roll-packed — roughly ten classes down the scale for the identical product. That's why a mattress you buy online arrives in a box you can carry, while the same comfort in a traditional flat mattress costs far more to ship. Innersprings and hybrids with rigid coils resist roll-packing and stay in the high classes; all-foam and many hybrids compress and drop dramatically.
Mattresses freight class: worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how typical mattresses shipments measure out:
Flat-boxed queen mattress set — class 250
A queen mattress and box spring in one flat carton, 80" × 60" × 14", 130 lb.
80 × 60 × 14 = 67,200 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 38.9 ft³. Density = 130 lb ÷ 38.9 ft³.
3.3 lb/ft³ → inside 3–4 → class 250 — flat bedding is very light for its space.
The same queen, roll-packed — class 70
The identical 130 lb foam mattress vacuum-compressed and rolled, 44" × 16" × 16".
44 × 16 × 16 = 11,264 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 6.5 ft³. Density = 130 lb ÷ 6.5 ft³ = 19.9 lb/ft³.
19.9 lb/ft³ → class 70 — roll-packing drops the identical mattress ten classes.
Flat-boxed twin mattress — class 250
A twin mattress in a flat carton, 75" × 39" × 10", 60 lb.
75 × 39 × 10 = 29,250 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 16.9 ft³. Density = 60 lb ÷ 16.9 ft³.
3.5 lb/ft³ → class 250 — smaller, but still light-and-bulky flat.
Roll-pack if you can; measure precisely if you can't
If the product tolerates compression, roll-pack it — nothing else in the mattress category comes close as a cost lever, and it also solves the handling and stacking problems at once. Foam and many hybrid constructions roll-pack well; traditional innersprings and box springs generally can't, and they stay flat-boxed in the class-200–300 range.
For flat mattresses and box springs that must ship uncompressed, accuracy is the money lever, because these tall thin cartons swing density across a whole band on small measurement differences. Measure the exact carton, ship upright and strapped so cartons can't lean (a leaning stack measures at its lean), and cube two flat cartons together to share a footprint where handling allows. Watch the 3 lb/ft³ floor between class 250 and 300 — even the pallet's own weight is meaningful ballast on freight this light. Run the real carton through the calculator; a flat mattress quoted off product dimensions always measures bigger.
What affects mattresses freight class
- Compressed/roll-packed vs. flat
- Mattress size
- With or without box spring
- Packaging
Common mattresses shipments include innerspring mattresses, foam mattresses, box springs, roll-packed bed-in-a-box.
Class guides covering the 150–300 range:
Calculate the freight class for your mattresses
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
6.51
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
347
lb
6–7 lb/ft³ → Class 150
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 mattresses?
Mattresses typically ships at freight class 150–300. 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 mattresses?
The main factors are compressed/roll-packed vs. flat, mattress size, with or without box spring, packaging. Denser, tightly packed loads rate a lower class and cost less to ship.
How do I find the exact freight class for mattresses?
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 a mattress?
Flat-boxed mattresses and box springs measure 3–5 lb/ft³ → class 200–300. Roll-packed (compressed) foam mattresses measure ~20 lb/ft³ → class 70 — about ten classes cheaper for the same product. Compression is the entire cost story.
Why is bed-in-a-box cheaper to ship?
Because roll-packing vacuum-compresses a foam mattress into a compact, dense carton that ships like general cargo instead of a big floppy flat one. The same queen goes from class 250 flat-boxed to class 70 roll-packed — the freight saving is why the category exists.
Can every mattress be roll-packed?
No — all-foam and many hybrid mattresses compress and roll-pack well, but traditional innersprings with rigid coils and box springs generally can't, so they ship flat-boxed in the class-200–300 range. Measure the exact carton and ship upright and strapped.