Have you ever called up a shipping company an asked for a freight shipping quote? Were you excited to get your shipment going until you were asked how the freight is packaged? Did you know that all freight on an LTL truck needs to be packaged in one of three ways.

When getting ready to make a puchase of something that needs to be shipped on a standard freight truck, make sure you have a plan for getting it ready to be shipped before you spend your hard earned money. This guide will explain how items need to be prepared for shipping, along with the pros and cons of each method of packaging.

One of the most common forms of packaging is palletizing. A pallet is nothing more than a platform that something can be strapped to and moved with a fork-lift or pallet jack. The most common size pallet is 48(L)x40(W), but there are plenty of different size pallets to use. The idea is to make sure the item is not hanging over the sides of the pallet, and not higher than 8 feet. Also, the freight needs to be fastened to the pallet without blocking area where forklift enters pallet. With more delicate items, it is a good idea to wrap pallet with cardboard for added protection.

The next method of preparing a freight shipment would be crating. A crate could be made of wood, metal, or plastic, and has sides and a top. Many crates are built by using a pallet as the base for the crate, this is probably the easiest way to make a crate. The most important thing to remember when making your own crate is to make sure the crate can be moved by fork-lift or pallet jack. Crates can also be purchased or made by a crating service. Shipping a crated item is the safest method by far.

The least protective method for shipping would be putting something in a cardboard box. Although this way of packaging is acceptable for shipping, it is not very safe. This would be considered the minimal amount of protection given. The entire item needs to be enclosed in heavy duty cardboard or the freight carriers will not even pick it up.

Remember, packaging your freight is to help eliminate the potential for damage, not to make it harder for you to ship. Shipping freight on an LTL (less than a load) truck is not like putting something on a moving truck, it does not remain on one truck the whole way. From the time your freight is picked up it will be moved onto a minimum of two trailers, with a potential of being on as many as six or seven throughout transit. With all this loading and unloading, there are many opportunities for incurring damage. Good luck and happy shipping!

Search for discounted palletizing service in the packing and shipping area.