Freight class by commodity
A quick-reference guide to the typical freight class for common LTL shipments, current for the NMFC density scale effective July 19, 2025. This is not a searchable NMFC item number database — it shows illustrative class numbers so you can sanity check a quote before you tender. For the binding classification of a specific shipment, confirm the NMFC item number with your carrier or NMFTA's ClassIT® system.
Furniture & bedding
| Commodity | Typical density | Typical class | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture, assembled (sofas, upholstered chairs) Assembled, bulky furniture is the classic low-density shipment. Density varies a lot with padding and frame — measure the actual crate. | 3–6 lb/ft³ | 175–250 | Well-sourced |
| Furniture, knocked-down / flat-pack Flat-packing is the single biggest lever on furniture cost — the same piece assembled vs. KD can span four classes. | 8–22 lb/ft³ | 70–100 | Well-sourced |
| Mattresses, packaged Compressed bed-in-a-box cartons run far denser (~12–15 lb/ft³, near Class 85) than a loose packaged mattress — packaging method matters as much as size. | 3–5 lb/ft³ | 175–250 | Well-sourced |
| Wood cabinets (kitchen/bath, boxed) Fully assembled, set-up display cabinets are much bulkier and can run to Class 250–300. | 6–10 lb/ft³ | 100–125 | Well-sourced |
Building & construction materials
| Commodity | Typical density | Typical class | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior doors (wood, boxed or crated) Solid-core doors trend toward the denser end (Class 70); hollow-core toward 85. | 12–22 lb/ft³ | 70–85 | Well-sourced |
| Lumber, bundled or banded Dimensional lumber typically lands around Class 60; tightly banded dense hardwood can reach the new Class 55 tier added in 2025. | 30–40 lb/ft³ | 55–70 | Well-sourced |
| Plywood / sheet goods, palletized Tightly banded full stacks approach solid-wood density; part-stacks with air gaps rate several classes higher. Band tightly to lower cost. | varies | 60–85 | Moderately sourced |
| Hardwood flooring, boxed The most consistent commodity in this table — six independent guides agree, and the pre- and post-2025 answers happen to coincide. | 35–50 lb/ft³ | 55 | Well-sourced |
| Bricks One of the densest common LTL commodities — routinely qualifies for the two lowest, cheapest classes added by the 2025 density scale. | 35–50+ lb/ft³ | 50–55 | Well-sourced |
| Cement / concrete products Bagged Portland cement and solid concrete block both commonly clear 50 lb/ft³. | 35–50+ lb/ft³ | 50–55 | Well-sourced |
| Ceramic / porcelain tile, boxed Porcelain runs up to ~30% heavier than ceramic for the same box — porcelain tile often clears into the 50–55 tiers. | 30–50 lb/ft³ | 50–60 | Well-sourced |
Metal & machinery
| Commodity | Typical density | Typical class | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel bars / rods, bundled Bundled bar and rod stock is dense enough to sit at the lowest class on the scale almost by default. | 50+ lb/ft³ | 50 | Well-sourced |
| Sheet metal — flat stacked sheets Flat steel sheet is dense and cheap to ship. Formed, bulky parts (auto-body panels) are a different commodity entirely — much lighter, often Class 150–200. | varies | 50–85 | Moderately sourced |
| Machinery, crated Tightly crated dense machines (CNC equipment, compressors, generators) run denser and cheaper than loosely boxed ones. | 12–13.5 lb/ft³ | 70–100 (commonly 85) | Well-sourced |
Automotive parts
| Commodity | Typical density | Typical class | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automobile engines Crated engines trend toward Class 70; palletized/skidded toward 85. | 12–22.5 lb/ft³ | 70–85 | Well-sourced |
| Transmissions, boxed or crated Consistent across sources regardless of crate vs. pallet — a dense, compact part. | 12–13.5 lb/ft³ | 85 | Well-sourced |
| Car tires, new (boxed/palletized) Loose, unpackaged tires stow poorly and can rate as high as Class 110; packaged/palletized tires are the common 77.5 case. | 13.5–15 lb/ft³ | 70–110 (commonly 77.5 packaged) | Well-sourced |
| Automotive batteries, wet lead-acid Wet lead-acid batteries are UN2794, DOT Hazard Class 8 — hazmat packaging and paperwork rules apply regardless of freight class. Confirm directly with your carrier. | varies | 70 (verify — hazmat) | Sources disagree |
Electronics & appliances
| Commodity | Typical density | Typical class | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computers / desktop electronics, boxed Large boxed monitors and flat-panel TVs are far bulkier for their weight and commonly run Class 150–200 instead. | 10–15 lb/ft³ | 85–92.5 | Well-sourced |
| Washing machines, household Sources disagree — packaging (fully enclosed carton vs. loose on a skid) is the deciding factor. Verify with your carrier. | varies | 92.5–125 | Sources disagree |
| Refrigerators, household Consistently cited across carrier and broker guides for standard household units. | 10.5–12 lb/ft³ | 92.5 | Well-sourced |
Other common freight
| Commodity | Typical density | Typical class | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet, rolled Sources genuinely disagree — roll tightness swings density enormously, and some carriers price carpet per square yard instead of by class. Measure your actual roll. | varies | 85–250 (rate by actual density) | Sources disagree |
| Books, boxed on pallet Very tightly packed cartons of paper can run denser still, down toward Class 55. | 22.5–30 lb/ft³ | 65 | Well-sourced |
Why the same commodity has a class range, not one number
Almost every row above spans two or three classes rather than landing on one, and that is not sloppiness — it is how density classification actually works. Since July 19, 2025, most general commodities are classed by measured density, so the same item packed two different ways can genuinely earn two different classes. A knocked-down dresser bundled flat and shrink-wrapped tight might run 15 lb/ft³ (Class 70); the identical dresser shipped fully assembled with the drawers installed can drop to 4 lb/ft³ (Class 175) simply because it now occupies four times the space for the same weight.
Packaging, void space, and how tightly a load is banded or palletized move density more than most shippers expect. That is also why the confidence column matters: a "well-sourced" row means multiple independent carrier and broker guides converge on the same number, while "sources disagree" flags a commodity where packaging variance, hazmat handling, or per-square-yard tariffs (rolled carpet, for instance) make a single published class unreliable. When in doubt, measure and run it through the calculator rather than trusting a table lookup.
What this guide is — and is not
The National Motor Freight Classification is a licensed reference work maintained by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), and its full commodity-to-item-number listings are only available through NMFTA's paid ClassIT® and ClassIT+® products. This page does not reproduce, and will never reproduce, NMFC item numbers or the NMFTA's own commodity descriptions — it gives independently sourced, plain-language typical classes so you can sanity-check a quote or plan a shipment.
Item numbers also churn: NMFTA periodically consolidates and cancels listings (most recently in the July 2025 density overhaul and its follow-on dockets), so any static item-number table goes stale within months and can cost you a re-class fee if you rely on it. Class numbers change far less often and are the safer thing to publish. Every row here was checked against multiple current carrier and broker rate guides in July 2026; where they disagreed, we said so rather than picking a number that looked authoritative.
Bottom line: use this page to estimate, use the calculator for your actual shipment's measured density, and confirm the binding NMFC item number and class with your carrier or NMFTA's ClassIT® system before you tender freight. NMFC®, National Motor Freight Classification®, and ClassIT® are trademarks of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association; this site is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by NMFTA.