How To Ship Heavy Furniture Safely

The Dos and Don'ts of Shipping Heavy Furniture

Shipping furniture can be done the easy way or the hard way.  Doing your homework prior to shipping your furniture or heavy  household items can help stop problems before they happen.  Your first question, much like buying a car, is often where do I start?  Start by making sure that freight is the best option for your heavy furniture.  Read up on tips for first-time freight shippers to make sure that you understand the logistics of freight shipping.  Furniture should weigh over 100lbs and should be durable enough to be moved.  Your great grandfather’s antique hutch would probably do better with a white glove mover than with freight.  Freight is a curb to curb shipment, meaning heavy furniture needs to be packaged and ready to be shipped by you, the customer.

The number one reason for freight damage is due to improper packaging.  Furniture that is shipped by standard freight will be loaded and unloaded several times before reaching its final destination.  Learning how to package and transport heavy furniture correctly will serve as the most important factor in ensuring your furniture arrives on time and unharmed. 

Tips For Packaging Heavy Household Items and Furniture

1. Packaging Tables: Disassemble your table.  Put hardware in a labeled plastic bag and secure underneath the table.  Wrap the furniture pieces in bubble wrap or furniture pads.

2.  Packaging Couches: Remove legs if necessary.  Remove cushions, throw pillows, and slip covers, and label/package in a separate bag or box.

3. Packaging dressers and armoires: Remove drawers, shelves, and feet.  Anything that could fall out, might. Cover the corners of your heavy furniture with cardboard, or bubble wrap.

4. CRATE, CRATE, CRATE!  Crating should be performed by someone with experience or by a professional.  More information on packaging correctly and securing your heavy furniture on a palate can be found here.

Tips For Lifting Heavy Household Items and Furniture

1. Use moving straps:  Moving straps can be used to slide heavy furniture or appliances.  By using leverage instead of raw strength, moving straps can make moving heavy furniture safe and easy.  You can purchase these at your local hardware store or a moving supply store. 

2. Use a dolly: Rent or buy one locally, trust us it’s worth the eight bucks.

3. Use moving gloves: Not just any cotton gloves. Moving gloves are specially made to help you grip heavy and large furniture.

4. Grab a buddy: Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Ask friends well in advance to help you move your heavy furniture and appliances.  Better safe than sorry!

View more FAQ's for furniture shipping or visit FreightCenter.com to talk to an agent about the best way to package your furniture and household items.