Freight Class for PVC Pipe
Skids of PVC pipe usually rate freight class 70 to 85, because each length is hollow: a Charlotte Pipe skid of 1-inch Schedule 40 measures about 18 lb/ft³ (class 70), and a skid of 4-inch about 13 lb/ft³ (class 85). For 20-foot pipe the length charge costs more than the class: $5,240 at XPO and $1,514 at FedEx Freight, and XPO requires pipe to ship in a fully enclosed wooden crate.
Skid sizes and weights
Charlotte Pipe publishes its skid loads for 20-foot Schedule 40 pipe. A skid of 1-inch pipe holds 6,000 feet in a 46 × 16 inch bundle and weighs 1,884 lb gross; a skid of 4-inch holds 1,340 feet in a 49 × 30 inch bundle at 2,711 lb. JM Eagle lists 2-inch Schedule 40 at 0.705 lb per foot and 4-inch at 2.083 lb per foot.
Hollow pipe holds air inside each length, so bigger pipe rates higher. The 1-inch skid measures about 18 lb/ft³, class 70; the 4-inch skid about 13 lb/ft³, class 85.
Worked examples
Skid sizes and gross weights come from Charlotte Pipe's published loading data; weights per foot from Charlotte Pipe and JM Eagle.
Skid of 1-inch Schedule 40 — class 70
Charlotte Pipe: 6,000 ft of 20-foot lengths, 46 × 16 in bundle, 1,884 lb.
46 × 16 × 240 = 176,640 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 102.2 ft³. Density = 1,884 lb ÷ 102.2 ft³.
18.4 lb/ft³ → class 70, plus a 20-foot length charge.
Skid of 4-inch Schedule 40 — class 85
Charlotte Pipe: 1,340 ft of 20-foot lengths, 49 × 30 in bundle, 2,711 lb.
49 × 30 × 240 = 352,800 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 204.2 ft³. Density = 2,711 lb ÷ 204.2 ft³.
13.3 lb/ft³ → class 85.
Length and crating costs more than the class
Twenty-foot pipe sits in the top length band at LTL carriers: XPO charges $5,240 per shipment for handling units 20 feet or longer, and FedEx Freight $1,514, and FedEx may refuse pieces 12 feet or longer. Ten-foot lengths fall in lower bands, $460 at XPO and $375 at FedEx Freight.
XPO also requires pipe, bars, rods and tubing of any length to be tendered in a fully enclosed, six-sided wooden crate, and can refuse uncrated pipe. That is why most full skids move by flatbed; JM Eagle's loading chart plans full truckloads of up to 45,000 lb.
Handling PVC
Charlotte Pipe says pallets of pipe should be moved with a forklift, and that pipe must never be lifted by pushing forks into the pipe ends. It also tells receivers to check for damage from over-tightened tie-down straps or a shifted load before unloading.
PVC gets more brittle as it gets colder, so take extra care with skids in cold weather, and larger pipe cracks more easily from small knocks. For long outdoor storage, JM Eagle suggests light-colored tarps that let air move, to keep the sun off without trapping heat.
Check your pipe shipment
Enter the skid's width, height and length and its gross weight. Then add the carrier's length charge for 10- or 20-foot pipe.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
18.75
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
1,000
lb
15–22.5 lb/ft³ → Class 70
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 is PVC pipe?
Usually class 70 to 85. A 20-foot skid of 1-inch Schedule 40 measures about 18 lb/ft³ (class 70); a skid of 4-inch about 13 lb/ft³ (class 85).
How much does PVC pipe weigh per foot?
JM Eagle lists Schedule 40 at 0.324 lb/ft for 1-inch, 0.705 for 2-inch, 2.083 for 4-inch and 3.663 for 6-inch; Charlotte Pipe's figures are within a few percent.
Can PVC pipe ship LTL?
It can, but 20-foot lengths pay large length charges ($5,240 at XPO, $1,514 at FedEx Freight), and XPO requires pipe in a fully enclosed wooden crate. Full skids usually go by flatbed.
How should a skid of PVC pipe be lifted?
With a forklift under the skid. Charlotte Pipe says pipe must never be lifted by pushing forks into the pipe ends.