Floor Covering Products
Freight class determines how your shipment is priced. Under the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC), most floor covering commodities are classified by density — the weight of the shipment divided by the cubic space it occupies. Dense, compact freight like palletized tile or stone earns a low class and a lower rate; bulky, lightweight freight like foam pad or showroom displays earns a high class and a higher rate.
To find your density, multiply the length, width, and height of each handling unit (in inches) including the pallet and any overhang, divide by 1,728 to convert to cubic feet, then divide the total weight in pounds by the total cubic feet. Match the result to the density ranges below to identify the correct class.
The table lists all eighteen NMFC classes with their density ranges and the floor covering products most commonly found in each. Class 55 is WSL's default and applies to the majority of hard-surface flooring, tile, and setting materials. Bills of lading that omit a class or state a class inconsistent with the actual density of the shipment are subject to reclassification and rebilling. When in doubt, weigh and measure the freight before tendering it, and contact your WSL service center with any classification questions.
Exceptions: Broadloom carpet and carpet tile are rated by the square yard. Freight class is not applied to square-yard rates, so the density ranges below do not affect pricing on those commodities. They appear in the table for reference only — the class shown reflects their typical density and is used solely for shipments moving under class-based tariffs. All other products in this guide, including carpet pad and cushion, are rated by class.
| Code | Default | Density Min (lbs/ft³) | Density Max (lbs/ft³) | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | No | 50.0 | Palletized stone slabs (marble, granite, slate, travertine), bagged thinset and mortar tightly palletized, dense porcelain tile palletized, bagged cement and concrete mix | |
| 55 | Yes | 35.0 | 50.0 | Luxury vinyl plank and tile (LVP/LVT), porcelain and ceramic tile, quarry tile, grout, self-leveling underlayment, cement backer board (HardieBacker, Durock), palletized adhesive and mastic pails, mosaic tile sheets |
| 60 | No | 30.0 | 35.0 | Solid hardwood flooring, dense engineered hardwood, bamboo flooring, natural stone tile in cartons, palletized sealers and primers in pails |
| 65 | No | 22.5 | 30.0 | Engineered hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, SPC and WPC rigid core plank, parquet flooring, primers and sealers in smaller pails, vinyl composition tile (VCT) |
| 70 | No | 15.0 | 22.5 | Carpet tile (modular)†, sheet vinyl rolls, linoleum rolls, rubber flooring sheet and tile, rolled area rugs, cork flooring |
| 77.5 | No | 13.5 | 15.0 | Bound area rugs, transition strips and reducers, stair nosing, threshold strips, T-molding and quarter round in cartons |
| 85 | No | 12.0 | 13.5 | Wood baseboards and crown molding, stair treads and risers, decorative wood trim, boxed tool kits, wood floor finish and polyurethane in cartons, boxed adhesive cartridges |
| 92.5 | No | 10.5 | 12.0 | Rebond carpet pad (high-density), hand tools (trowels, knee kickers, seam rollers, knives), tack strip bundles, knee pads, boxed installation supplies |
| 100 | No | 9.0 | 10.5 | Broadloom carpet rolls (residential and commercial)†, standard rebond carpet pad, cork underlayment, carpet seam tape, staples and fasteners |
| 110 | No | 8.0 | 9.0 | Lower-density rebond pad, acoustic and sound-rated underlayment, vapor barrier rolls, spacers and shims |
| 125 | No | 7.0 | 8.0 | Synthetic fiber carpet pad, lightweight foam padding, sandpaper and abrasives, color-fill and putty, patch and repair kits |
| 150 | No | 6.0 | 7.0 | Felt and fiber carpet cushion, low-density foam underlayment rolls, floor cleaning chemicals, sample boards and chip sets |
| 175 | No | 5.0 | 6.0 | Prime urethane foam pad (medium-density), sample books and binders, showroom literature |
| 200 | No | 4.0 | 5.0 | Prime urethane foam pad (low-density), point-of-purchase display materials, lightweight POP displays |
| 250 | No | 3.0 | 4.0 | Bonded foam carpet cushion, floor-covering display racks, hollow showroom fixtures, assembled sample kiosks |
| 300 | No | 2.0 | 3.0 | Assembled showroom display towers, bulky sample kiosks, large hollow demonstration fixtures |
| 400 | No | 1.0 | 2.0 | Oversized POP displays, large hollow store fixtures |
| 500 | No | 1.0 | Bagged loose-fill packing materials, oversized lightweight banners and signage, foam display props |
† Rated by the square yard; freight class not applied. See Exceptions above.
Density ranges are inclusive of the minimum and exclusive of the maximum. Examples are representative of typical packaging and are provided as a guide only; the actual density of the tendered shipment governs classification.