Overweight containers
Stone containers are often loaded close to the ocean limit, which can exceed what a standard chassis is allowed to carry on the road. They need tri-axle chassis or permits.
Glass, Stone & Tile
Glass, stone and tile, delivered unbroken
Flat glass, stone slabs, quartz and tile moved on A-frames and flatbeds, and heavy import containers delivered from the port to your yard or fabrication shop.
24/7
Dispatch
<1 hr
Quote response
Overview
Heavy, brittle and expensive when it breaks
Glass, stone and tile are some of the densest and most fragile freight there is. A container of granite or quartz slabs is often at or over the road weight limit, and a single cracked slab can be worth more than the freight. Slabs and glass sheets travel standing on A-frames, tile on heavy pallets that reach weight long before the trailer is full. Most stone and much tile is imported, so the move usually starts at a port. We arrange heavy-container drayage on tri-axle chassis, flatbed and A-frame equipment for domestic moves, and deliveries to fabricators and job sites with the unloading method confirmed.
- Tri-axle chassis for heavy containers
- A-frame slab transport
- Flat glass trailers
- Dense tile loads planned to weight
Challenges we solve
What makes glass and stone freight hard
Breakage
Slabs and glass must stay vertical on A-frames, strapped and padded. A hard brake or a loose strap can crack a whole bundle.
Unloading
Fabrication shops unload with overhead cranes, slab clamps or forklifts with special attachments. Without them, a delivery cannot be unloaded safely.
Dense pallets
Tile and stone pallets weigh far more than general freight. Trucks reach weight with half the deck empty, and pallet placement has to respect axle limits.
Trade remedies
The US applies anti-dumping and countervailing duties to quartz surface products and ceramic tile from some countries. The entry has to apply the correct rates.
How we work
How we run glass, stone and tile loads
Weight and packing
Gross weight, slab or crate count and how the goods are packed: A-frames, bundles, crates or pallets.
Heavy container drayage
Tri-axle chassis or permitted moves for overweight import containers, from port or rail ramp to your yard.
Domestic moves
Flatbeds with A-frames for slabs, specialized glass trailers for large flat glass, and vans or flatbeds for tile.
Confirm unloading
We confirm the receiver's crane, clamp or forklift before dispatch, so the truck is not sent to a site that cannot unload it.
Condition records
Photos at loading and delivery, so any breakage is documented at the moment of receipt.
Rules and regulations
Weight, securement and import rules
Container and chassis weight limits
Road weight limits apply to the container, chassis and tractor together. Heavy containers need tri-axle chassis or overweight permits where allowed.
Cargo securement
A-frames and crates must be secured to the trailer, and slabs to the A-frame, under NSC Standard 10 and FMCSA rules, with blocking to stop forward movement.
US trade remedies on quartz and tile
Quartz surface products and ceramic tile from certain countries carry US anti-dumping and countervailing duties. Your customs broker confirms the rates for each producer.
ISPM 15 crates
Wooden A-frames and crates used for imports must be heat-treated and stamped under ISPM 15, or the shipment can be held at the border.
Imports
Heavy containers from the port
Most granite, marble and quartz slabs sold in North America are imported, along with a large share of tile. They arrive in containers packed close to the maximum the ship allows.
That weight is the problem on land. A standard two-axle chassis cannot legally carry a fully loaded stone container on most roads. Tri-axle chassis spread the load over another axle and keep it legal, but there are fewer of them, so they have to be booked with the drayage.
Where no tri-axle is available, some jurisdictions allow overweight permits for the short move from the port, and others require the container to be partly unloaded. We check which applies before the container lands.
At the yard, slabs come out of the container on their A-frames with a forklift or crane. A fabricator without that equipment needs the slabs transloaded at a warehouse first.
Domestic delivery
From warehouse to shop and site
Once in North America, slabs move from distributors to fabrication shops on flatbeds with A-frames. Each slab is strapped to the frame with padding, and the frame is secured to the deck.
Finished countertops go from the shop to the job site, usually in smaller trucks with racks and an installation crew. Larger commercial jobs may need a flatbed and a crane.
Flat glass for windows and facades moves on specialized trailers with built-in racks, or on A-frames for smaller orders. It is very sensitive to shock and twisting, which rules out rough roads and loose securement.
Tile is simpler but heavy. A full trailer of tile can weigh out with only part of the deck used, so pallets are placed over the axles and the load is planned to weight from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Glass, Stone & Tile: common questions
Can you deliver heavy stone containers from the port?
Yes. We arrange drayage on tri-axle chassis or with permits for overweight containers, from the port or rail ramp to your yard or shop.
How are stone slabs shipped by truck?
Slabs stand on A-frames, strapped and padded, on flatbeds or in containers. The receiver unloads them with a crane, slab clamp or forklift attachment.
Do you ship flat glass?
Yes. Large flat glass moves on specialized glass trailers or A-frames, and smaller glass products in crates on vans or flatbeds.
Do you move tile?
Yes. Tile moves on pallets in vans or on flatbeds. Because it is dense, loads are planned to weight and axle limits.
Can you deliver countertops to job sites?
Yes, with confirmation of access and unloading equipment at the site before the truck is dispatched.
Do you handle stone and tile imports?
Yes. We book ocean freight, coordinate customs clearance, and deliver the containers to your warehouse or yard.
Related industries
Other industries we ship for
Construction & Building Materials
Lumber, drywall, fixtures, steel and pre-fab modules — flatbed and project cargo to job-sites.
Furniture & Office Moves
Retail and office furniture blanket-wrapped or crated, with liftgate, inside delivery and full office relocations.
Metals & Steel
Coils, plate, beams, pipe and rebar on flatbed and step deck, with coil securement, tarping and border paperwork.
Let’s move it
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