How To Ship Heavy Items

Shipping heavy items like a massive couch, machinery, or even a hefty stack of books isn’t the most straightforward affair. Heavy items come with their own set of challenges. The weight makes them harder to handle, and the size means not every courier will accept them. 

For most shipping companies, anything over 70 pounds (around 31 kilograms) is considered heavy. Once your item tips the scales at 150 pounds (about 68 kilograms) or more, it moves into freight shipping territory. 

Shipping these items typically requires more thought, better packaging, careful handling, and of course, an urgent pallet courier service that knows what they’re doing. 

How You Can Ship Your Heavy Items from Sydney to Brisbane Without Breaking a Sweat

If you do these, transporting those heavy items would be hasslefree:

Measure and Weigh Your Item Accurately

Precision matters when it comes to shipping heavy items. Most oversize load trucking companies base their prices on two things: weight and dimensions. If you guess any of these wrong, you’ll either pay more than necessary or get hit with unexpected fees, and neither of those is fun. 

To measure your item properly, you can simply grab a measuring tape and note the length, width, and height of the package. Be sure to measure the longest side first (length), followed by the shorter sides. If the shape is odd, then you should also think about its widest points, not just the edges.

For the weight, you can use a heavy-duty scale. If you don’t have one, a simple hack is to weigh yourself holding the item, and then subtract your own weight from the total. Just remember to add a bit more weight to account for packaging.

Package Your Item the Right Way

When it comes to large and bulky items, the way you pack your items can make or break the journey, literally. This isn’t the time to grab an old cereal box or some flimsy tape. You need strong, durable materials that can withstand the bumps of transit between Sydney and Brisbane.

For smaller heavy items, double-walled cardboard boxes work best. These boxes are thicker and less likely to crumple under weight. For larger items, like furniture or industrial machines, you might need to go for wooden crates or pallets. These ones actually provide better stability and make it easier to load and unload during transport.

Furthermore, no matter how sturdy your box is, the inside matters just as much. Heavy items need cushioning to absorb any impact. You can use dense bubble wrap, foam padding, or thick blankets. If the item has fragile parts, like a glass tabletop or delicate machinery, make sure that you wrap those sections individually.

Once the item is inside, shake the box gently. If you hear movement, add more padding. The goal is to make sure the item stays snug and secure throughout the trip.

Take the extra step of labelling the box clearly with “HEAVY” so everyone handling it knows what they’re dealing with. 

Selecting the Best Shipping Option

The best choice for shipping bulky items depends on the size, weight, and urgency of your shipment. For example, if your item weighs under 150 pounds (68 kilograms) and isn’t oversized, parcel shipping is often the easiest option.  

For anything over 150 pounds or something awkwardly shaped (e.g. couches, fridges or industrial tools), freight shipping is usually the cheapest way to ship bulky items such as these. Freight services involve loading your item onto a pallet and shipping it via trucks or cargo planes. Many companies even offer useful extras like lift-gate services to help load and unload heavy packages.

And then, if you need it delivered fast, express shipping can offer you fast pallet transport from Sydney to Perth in just a day or two. However, it’s not cheap, and for extremely heavy items, you could be looking at high prices. You should only consider using this option only if time is critical.

Tracking and Inspecting Your Shipment

Once your item is on its way, don’t just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Most shipping companies usually provide a tracking number so you can monitor its progress while it’s on pallet transport from Sydney to Melbourne or anywhere else. 

Tracking your item gives you peace of mind, and also lets you plan for delivery and spot any delays early.

When the package arrives, make sure that you inspect it right away. Look for any damage to the box or item. If you notice something’s wrong, take photos immediately and contact the shipping company to file a claim as soon as possible. 

Let On Time Freight Management Ship Your Items Between Sydney and Brisbane

One of the biggest frustrations with freight shipping is not knowing what to expect, especially with heavy or complicated shipments. At On Time Freight Management, we promise clarity and transparency. 

From start to finish, you’ll know exactly what’s going on with your shipment. You’ll never be stuck tracking your shipment and unable to get a straight answer on when or if it’s even going to arrive. 

We’ve been in the freight business for years, and we’ve learned that what really matters isn’t just getting your shipment from one place to another, but getting it there on time and intact. 

We also know how frustrating it is when you think you’ve budgeted for a shipment, only to find out at the last minute that the actual cost is much higher. There are no hidden charges with us. We’ll work with you to find the best pricing that fits your needs, while still providing a premium service.

You should reach out to us as soon as possible to get started. Before you know it, that couch, machine, or whatever you’re sending will be safely delivered between Sydney and Brisbane or anywhere else it needs to go.