Building materials
Building Materials Freight Shipping
Building materials are heavy, awkward and easy to ruin in the rain. We haul them on flatbeds, Conestogas and dry vans, matched to what each load needs.
Common problems
What gets in the way of building materials freight
Weather damage
The problemWet drywall, insulation or lumber is a rejected load.
How we handle itMoisture-sensitive freight rides in a dry van or on a Conestoga. Open-deck loads are tarped before they leave.
Heavy, awkward loads
The problemBundles of lumber, roofing and siding are dense and hard to secure.
How we handle itDrivers strap or chain each load and recheck it on the road. We plan the weight before loading.
Building season peaks
The problemSpring and summer construction puts every supplier on the road at once.
How we handle itOur fleet covers your regular volume, and our brokerage desk adds trucks in peak months.
Side and forklift unloading
The problemYards and job sites unload from the side with a forklift, not at a dock.
How we handle itFlatbeds and Conestogas open for side unloading wherever the receiver has a forklift.
What we haul
Building materials freight we move
Lumber and panels
Dimensional lumber, plywood, OSB and engineered wood.
Drywall
Gypsum board that has to stay dry.
Roofing
Shingles, underlayment and roofing accessories.
Insulation
Light, bulky batts and rolls that fill a dry van.
Siding, windows and doors
Finished exterior products, packaged and secured.
Who books with us
- Building products manufacturers
- Lumber yards
- Building supply distributors
- Home improvement DCs
Full Truckload Rate Calculator
Equipment and services
Built around your freight
Flatbed
An open deck for freight that loads from the side or top, chained or strapped to federal securement rules.
Conestoga
A flatbed with a rolling tarp system. It loads from the side like a flatbed and covers the freight like a van.
53-foot dry van
Enclosed trailers for palletized, boxed and floor-loaded freight that has to stay dry.
Brokerage desk
Our own fleet runs your base volume. Our brokerage desk adds trucks for surges and for lanes outside our network.
How a load moves
From quote to delivery
- 1
Get a rate
Enter the pickup and delivery ZIP codes in the calculator. You get one all-in number with fuel included.
- 2
Plan the load
Dispatch confirms the trailer, the weight and your pickup and delivery appointments.
- 3
Pickup and transit
One driver and one truck from pickup to delivery, tracked live by ELD and GPS.
- 4
Delivery
The truck arrives on your appointment, and proof of delivery comes back to you.
Lanes we run
Where we haul building materials freight
A sample of our lanes for this industry. Need a different lane? Put your ZIP codes in the calculator.
- Toledo, OH to Charlotte, NCUS-23 S, I-77 SDry van580 mi · 2 daysView lane
- Charlotte, NC to Detroit, MII-77 N, I-75 NVan or flatbed630 mi · 2 daysView lane
- Raleigh, NC to Birmingham, ALI-40 W, I-85 S, I-20 WFlatbed560 mi · 2 daysView lane
- Greensboro, NC to Tampa, FLI-85 S, I-95 S, I-4 WVan or flatbed680 mi · 2 daysView lane
- Columbia, SC to Pittsburgh, PAI-26 W, I-77 N, I-79 NFlatbed575 mi · 2 daysView lane
- Tampa, FL to Greensboro, NCI-4 E, I-95 N, I-85 NVan or flatbed680 mi · 2 daysView lane
Questions
Building materials shipping, answered
How do you keep drywall and lumber dry?
We use a Conestoga, a flatbed with a rolling tarp system, or a tarped flatbed. Insulation and other packaged products can ride in a dry van.
Can you deliver to lumber yards without a dock?
Yes. Flatbeds and Conestogas unload from the side with a forklift, so a dock is not needed.
Do you haul roofing and shingles?
Yes. Roofing is heavy and usually rides on a flatbed, tarped and strapped.
Can you add trucks in the spring building season?
Yes. Our own fleet runs your base volume, and our brokerage desk covers the peak months.
What equipment is best for my building materials?
It depends on the product. Send the commodity, weight and dimensions, and dispatch matches the trailer before you book.