How to Save on Shipping When Ordering Custom-Cut Metal Online
Shipping metal can get expensive, but there are ways to minimize your costs. Learn how to reduce costs by staying within UPS size limits, cutting oversized pieces strategically, and avoiding unnecessary freight charges. Plus, if your shipping cost seems too high, our expert Mike can review it for you!
Consider UPS for cost savings
UPS shipping is typically more affordable than LTL Freight. However, there are weight and size limits:
- Max weight per finished package: 150 lbs
- Max length for finished packages: 108”
- Max size for flat packages: 48” x 48”
These limits apply to the entire packaged shipment, not just the metal itself. If your order exceeds these limits, it will likely be shipped via LTL Freight, which tends to be more expensive.
Read more about Cut2Size Metals shipping rules and guidelines
Visit UPS and learn more about shipment size and weight guidelines
Optimize your order with custom cuts & avoid common oversized costs
When ordering stock sizes, if your material is too heavy or too long for UPS, our system will automatically quote a freight shipping rate. This is a great opportunity to go back to the product page and adjust your order to be cut closer to your final dimensions. Smaller, lighter pieces are more likely to qualify for UPS shipping, significantly reducing your costs.
One of the most common oversized shipping situations we see is with extrusions, such as a 144” (12 ft) long square bar. If you don’t need the full 144” for your project, consider cutting it down to 72” (6 ft) lengths. This way, your order can be shipped via UPS instead of requiring more expensive LTL Freight.
Think your shipping cost is too high?
We’ll review it for you.
Sometimes, shipping calculations can be tricky. While we have worked hard to refine our shipping formulas, unusual order combinations can occasionally result in higher-than-expected UPS shipping rates. If you think your shipping cost looks too high, contact Mike, our shipping guru, at (812) 429-1634, and he’ll review your order to see if any adjustments can be made.
Get the metal you need - without overspending on shipping
By following these simple tips, you can reduce shipping costs while still getting the exact metal pieces you need—without paying extra for oversized freight.
Need help optimizing your order? Contact us today, or start saving now by placing your custom-cut metal order at Cut2SizeMetals!