Freight Class for Windows and Doors
A vinyl window is about 10 lb/ft³ unpacked, class 92.5: a Pella 150 Series double-hung window of 31½ × 47½ inches weighs 37 lb. Packaging adds size, so packed windows rate class 92.5 or 100. Doors and large windows bring other costs: a 6'8" door standing on edge is counted as 96 inches tall at XPO, and 8-foot patio doors add a length charge.
What a window measures
A retailer listing for a Pella 150 Series vinyl double-hung window gives the unit as 31½ × 47½ inches with a 4 3/16-inch jamb and 37 lb. Measured as a box, the bare unit is about 10.2 lb/ft³, class 92.5; packaging adds size, so a packed window rates class 92.5 or a step higher.
Size ranges matter more than one unit. Atrium's 8300 double-hung window runs up to 54 × 91 inches, and its 332 sliding patio door comes in 5, 6, 6'4", 8, 9 and 12-foot configurations, in heights of 6'8" and 8'.
Worked examples
The window's size and weight come from a retailer listing of the unit; packed sizes vary by maker.
Vinyl double-hung window — class 92.5
Pella 150 Series, 31½ × 47½ in with a 4 3/16-inch jamb, 37 lb (unit, unpacked).
31.5 × 47.5 × 4.19 = 6,266 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 3.6 ft³. Density = 37 lb ÷ 3.6 ft³.
10.2 lb/ft³ → class 92.5 bare; packaging lowers it toward class 100.
Height and length rules
Windows and doors travel upright, and that can trigger carrier height rules. XPO counts any article 75 inches or taller as 96 inches tall, so a 6'8" door unit standing on edge (80 inches) is billed as 96 inches high. Wide patio doors also pass length bands: an 8-foot unit adds $460 at XPO or $375 at FedEx Freight.
Window maker Graham notes that most trucking companies allow about 3 hours to unload and charge detention after that, and that windows over 40 square feet can be very heavy and may need a dock or a glass handling device.
Keep them upright and dry
Graham limits stacking to five units before extra support, leaning 15 to 20 degrees from vertical for short storage and near-vertical with strapping for long storage. It also warns that water held in the glazing pocket will make the insulating glass seal fail.
Atrium says to store windows in a controlled, clean, dry area, and Simonton's specification says to keep them in the original unopened packaging and off the floor. Ask the carrier not to lay windows flat or stack freight against them.
Check your window shipment
Enter the crate or pallet size, measured upright as it will travel, and the total weight. Then check the carrier's height and length rules.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
11.01
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
587
lb
10–12 lb/ft³ → Class 92.5
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 windows?
About class 92.5 to 100. A vinyl window unit measures about 10 lb/ft³ unpacked; packaging lowers the density a little.
How should windows be shipped?
Upright, never flat. Graham limits stacking to five units before extra support, and Atrium and Simonton say to keep windows dry and in their original packaging.
Why are patio doors expensive to ship LTL?
Because of their size. A 6'8" door on edge passes XPO's 75-inch height rule and is counted as 96 inches tall, and 8- to 12-foot units add length charges.
How long does a truck wait to unload windows?
Window maker Graham says most trucking companies allow about 3 hours to unload and charge detention after that.