NMFC Class 60 — Building Materials
Drywall and wallboard products are moderately dense, typically shipping at freight class 60–65.
Typical class: 60 · Density: 25–40 lbs/cu ft
Shipment Dimensions (inches)
| Class | Density (lbs/cu ft) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50+ | Heaviest, most dense freight |
| 55 | 35–50 | Very dense freight |
| 60 | 30–35 | Dense freight |
| 65 | 22.5–30 | Moderately dense |
| 70 | 15–22.5 | Average density |
| 77.5 | 13.5–15 | Slightly below average |
| 85 | 12–13.5 | Below average density |
| 92.5 | 10.5–12 | Light freight |
| 100 | 9–10.5 | Light freight |
| 110 | 8–9 | Light, bulky freight |
| 125 | 7–8 | Bulky freight |
| 150 | 6–7 | Very bulky freight |
| 175 | 5–6 | Very light, bulky |
| 200 | 4–5 | Extremely light |
| 250 | 3–4 | Extremely light, high value |
| 300 | 2–3 | Low density, high handling |
| 400 | 1–2 | Very low density |
| 500 | 0–1 | Lowest density, highest cost |
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NMFC Class 60 — packaging, handling, and freight class details
Drywall — also called gypsum board, sheetrock, or wallboard — is one of the most volume-intensive building materials in freight, consumed in enormous quantities by new construction and renovation projects. US Gypsum (USG), National Gypsum, and Georgia-Pacific operate manufacturing plants near major population centers and ship finished product to building material dealers, lumberyards, and directly to large contractors. A single new apartment building of 200 units might consume 50,000–80,000 sheets of drywall across multiple deliveries.
Drywall density runs 25–40 lbs/cuft, placing it at Class 60–65. A standard sheet of 1/2-inch 4x8 drywall weighs approximately 54 lbs. A unit of 80 sheets on a 48x48 pallet weighs roughly 4,300 lbs and occupies 100–120 cubic feet — about 37–43 lbs/cuft, solidly Class 60. Thicker 5/8-inch fire-rated board is heavier and may reach Class 55 territory on heavy pallets.
Drywall is brittle along its edges and corners and must be kept horizontal — sheets should never be stored or transported standing vertically without support along the full length. Edge and corner damage creates unusable material because the fractured gypsum core crumbles during installation. Moisture is equally destructive: wet drywall swells, distorts, and loses structural integrity, making it completely unusable. Dry van is standard for drywall; flatbed is only used for site deliveries where a crane or boom truck will offload directly.
The practical challenge with drywall deliveries is the weight at the delivery point. A pallet of drywall at 4,000+ lbs requires either a lift gate or a forklift at the receiving location. Many job site deliveries use a boom truck that can spot pallets inside the building. Carriers doing direct job site delivery need to confirm access conditions in advance — drywall loaded for a fifth-floor delivery without elevator access is a serious problem. Rate context: drywall freight is competitive but consistent. Volume accounts with gypsum distributors provide reliable lanes.
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