Pallet racking and store fixture shipping
Pallet racking and store fixture shipping moves long steel uprights, beams and gondola shelving to warehouses and stores, often timed to an installation or store opening. Send the lengths, bundle weights and delivery site details and we quote LTL, volume LTL, partial or full truckload.
At a glance
- Racking uprights and beams should be banded into bundles on runners so a forklift can lift them without bending the steel.
- Carriers handle and price freight past a set length differently, so the longest piece in the shipment belongs on the quote request.
- A store opening date is a reason to book early and confirm the carrier's transit estimate, since no carrier promises a delivery date on standard service.
How should racking uprights and beams be bundled?
Racking uprights and beams should be banded into tight bundles on wooden runners, with the ends capped or padded. Loose steel shifts in a trailer, and a bent upright or damaged beam connector can fail inspection at installation.
Keep bundles to a size and weight a forklift can lift at the center point. Send the length, bundle count and weight of each bundle so the carrier can plan loading.
How is pallet racking and store fixture shipping classed?
Pallet racking and store fixture shipping is classed by the NMFC item for each component, from steel uprights to gondola shelving and display fixtures. Many items use the 13-tier density scale from NMFTA Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025, and some keep a commodity class.
Bundled steel is dense, while assembled display fixtures hold a lot of air. The density scale and worked example on this page run the numbers for a pallet of gondola shelving parts.
Freight class by density (lb per cubic foot)
- 0 to 1 lb/ft³Class 400
- 1 to 2 lb/ft³Class 300
- 2 to 4 lb/ft³Class 250
- 4 to 6 lb/ft³Class 175
- 6 to 8 lb/ft³Class 125
- 8 to 10 lb/ft³Class 100
- 10 to 12 lb/ft³Class 92.5
- 12 to 15 lb/ft³Class 85
- 15 to 22.5 lb/ft³Class 70 example below
- 22.5 to 30 lb/ft³Class 65
- 30 to 35 lb/ft³Class 60
- 35 to 50 lb/ft³Class 55
- 50 or more lb/ft³Class 50
Worked example: a pallet of gondola shelving parts
- Measure the loaded pallet, pallet included: 48 × 40 × 36 inches = 69,120 cubic inches.
- Convert to cubic feet: 69,120 ÷ 1,728 = 40 cubic feet.
- Divide the weight by the cubic feet: 800 lb ÷ 40 = 20 lb per cubic foot.
- Read the class off the density scale: 20 lb per cubic foot falls in class 70.
Run your own pallet through the freight class calculator, or read how freight class works.
What does long-length freight mean for a racking quote?
Long-length freight adds handling rules to a racking quote because uprights often run longer than a standard pallet. Carriers set their own length thresholds and charges, so we check the rule on your dimensions before booking.
Liftgates have platform-size and weight limits that vary by carrier, and long bundles often exceed them. Send the heaviest and longest piece so the carrier confirms whether the site needs a forklift or dock instead.
Which service fits: LTL, volume LTL, partial or full truckload?
Standard LTL fits most palletized shipments that can share a trailer; volume LTL, partial truckload and full truckload fit larger loads or loads that need their own truck. Price the same shipment details across the four services, and confirm the points in the table before you book.
| Service | Fits | Confirm before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Standard LTL | Palletized freight that shares a trailer and moves through carrier terminals | NMFC item and class, pickup and delivery accessorials, delivery appointment |
| Volume LTL | Larger LTL shipments quoted as a one-off price for that shipment | Quote terms, space the freight takes, whether it still moves through terminals |
| Partial truckload | Shipments that share a truck with a few others | Whether the freight stays on one trailer, any planned transfers, transit estimate |
| Full truckload | Freight that fills a trailer, reaches its weight limit, or needs its own truck | Trailer type, loading and unloading time, appointments at both ends |
How do you plan fixture deliveries around a store opening?
Fixture deliveries for a store opening should be booked with room before the install date, with the site's receiving details confirmed. We share the carrier's transit estimate before booking, and we cannot promise a delivery date.
Tell us whether the store has a dock, a forklift or a crew on site, and the receiving hours. Inside delivery and installation are services GET Express does not offer, so the install team needs to plan for unloading at the door or dock.
What do you send for a store fixtures and pallet racking freight quote?
A store fixtures and pallet racking freight quote needs the 8 details below. Complete details let the carrier rate the shipment once, without a reweigh or reclass after pickup.
- Components: uprights, beams, decking, gondola shelving or display fixtures
- Length of the longest piece and the bundle dimensions
- Weight of each bundle or pallet
- Number of bundles and pallets
- Delivery site: warehouse, store, mall or construction site
- Dock, forklift or crew on site at delivery
- Install date or store opening date
- NMFC item numbers, if you know them
What do the freight terms on this page mean?
- Upright
- The vertical frame of a pallet rack that the beams attach to.
- Gondola shelving
- Freestanding retail shelving units used in store aisles.
- Long-length freight
- Freight longer than a standard pallet, which carriers handle and price under their own rules.
- Runners
- Wooden boards under a bundle that raise it so forklift tines can get underneath.
Quick answers
Can you meet my store opening date?
We share the carrier's transit estimate before booking and cannot promise a delivery date. Book early and send the install date with the quote request.
Do you offer inside delivery or installation?
No. GET Express does not offer inside delivery, assembly or installation.
Can a liftgate unload racking uprights?
Long bundles often exceed a liftgate's platform size and weight limit. Send the heaviest and longest piece and the carrier confirms.
When should racking go as a truckload?
Compare options on the bundle count, lengths, weights and lane. We quote LTL, volume LTL, partial and full truckload on the same details.
Quote your racking or fixture shipment
Send the lengths, weights and delivery site and we will price pallet racking and store fixture shipping on your lane.