Shipping pieces that are larger than 9 square feet or heavier than 60 lbs can be challenging.
One option is to ship your piece with a semi truck. The piece will be boxed, meaning placed in a wooden crate and secured with foam for protection. It will then be placed on a pallet and loaded into the truck. The truck will deliver the item to you.
If the box is longer than 60 inches, you will need a loading dock or forklift to unload it when it reaches its destination.
If you don't have either of these available at a private residence, you will need to work with a third party, such as a receiving facility. They can receive the box and unload it with a forklift or loading dock and then deliver it to you without the crate. Many regular moving companies offer this service if they have access to a forklift or loading dock.
Blanket wrap shippers or private independent shipping companies are an alternative way to ship packages of this size. These companies transport fragile items and other goods via pack vans.
The items are first wrapped in packing blankets and protected with foam, and then loaded into a van or trailer attached to a smaller vehicle. Upon arriving at the destination, the goods are removed from the van and given to the homeowner or business.
These companies are typically quite small, having only a driver and a dispatcher, or sometimes just a driver. As such, they do not use advanced tracking technology like larger carriers such as tracking numbers or GPS related tracking.
The process also tends to take longer than traditional semi truck or large carrier shipping, and is more expensive, although only slightly. Deliveries often occur outside of business hours as well.
| Criteria | Semi Truck | Blanket Wrap Shipping |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Heavy items, over 60 lbs, or larger than 9 square feet | Fragile items that require special handling |
| Packaging | Wooden crate, secured with foam | Packing blankets, extra foam protection |
| Loading Requirements | Loading dock or forklift needed for large items | No special loading equipment needed |
| Delivery Contact | Delivered by a large shipping company, limited direct driver contact | Direct contact with driver for scheduling and updates |
| Tracking | Advanced tracking technology available | No advanced tracking, direct contact with driver only |
| Cost | Generally less expensive | Slightly more expensive |
| Time | Faster traditional shipping times | Can take longer |
Choose Semi Truck if you have large, heavy items and access to a loading dock or forklift, and you need faster shipping with advanced tracking. Choose Blanket Wrap Shipping if your items are fragile, require special handling, and you prefer direct contact with the driver, despite the slightly longer delivery time and higher cost.