What is dunnage?
Dunnage is the sawn or laminated wood used to raise, separate, stabilize, and protect freight inside a trailer, intermodal container, railcar, flatbed deck, or vessel hold. It is the piece of lumber under a steel coil, the laminated beam between two stacks of appliance boxes, the 4-by-4 timber under a transformer, the wedge-shaped scrap wood holding a pipe against a shipping cradle. It is a consumable - most dunnage is cut, used once, and either returned to the shipper for reuse or scrapped at destination.
The function is not about aesthetics. Dunnage carries the compression load from above, distributes point loads across more deck area, prevents cargo-to-cargo contact that causes scuff and dent damage, lets a fork truck get under the load for unloading, and in rail service meets specific AAR Open Top Loading rules governing how high and how heavy a dunnage element can be.
A single truckload of appliances consumes 40 to 80 linear feet of dunnage lumber. A single rail car of coiled steel consumes 100 to 200 linear feet of heavy timber dunnage, often rebuilt at origin for every car. For a mid-size manufacturer this is tens of thousands of linear feet per month - and sourcing it reliably is a logistics problem that gets quiet attention until supply breaks.
Dunnage grades we supply
Standard dunnage lumber
Standard dunnage is nominal 2-by-4, 2-by-6, 4-by-4, 4-by-6, and 6-by-6 kiln-dried softwood (Southern yellow pine, Douglas fir, or spruce-pine-fir mix) in random lengths from 8 to 20 feet. It is used under appliance stacks, between layers of palletized goods, under cased machinery, and as block-and-brace material for truckload shipments. Grade is #2 Common or better - sound, straight, no major knots or splits that would compromise load bearing.
Heavy timber dunnage
Heavy timber dunnage is 6-by-6, 8-by-8, and 10-by-10 solid sawn or glulam. It carries steel coils, transformer bases, generator bases, large-tonnage machinery, and any point load above 20,000 pounds. Species is Douglas fir or Southern yellow pine for strength-to-weight; load capacity is published per cross-section.
Laminated dunnage
Laminated dunnage is cross-banded ply-and-glue construction built in blocks and beams. It carries a higher load per unit cross-section than solid sawn, is dimensionally stable in high-moisture environments (ocean containers, humid rail cars), and is specified by major steel mills, paper mills, and automotive OEMs for high-value loads. Common sizes are 4-by-4 by 48 inches, 4-by-6 by 60 inches, and 6-by-6 by 72 inches.
ISPM-15 heat-treated dunnage
All dunnage leaving the US on an export shipment must carry an ISPM-15 stamp. We supply heat-treated and IPPC-stamped dunnage in all grades for container, flatrack, breakbulk, and heavy-lift export cargo.
How much dunnage you need (rules of thumb)
For an appliance truckload (refrigerators, washers, dryers) count on 2 pieces of 2-by-4 by 92-inch dunnage between each layer, plus 4 pieces of 2-by-4 as leveling at the trailer deck. A 53-foot trailer stacked two high consumes approximately 60 to 80 linear feet of 2-by-4.
For a flatbed steel coil load count 2 heavy timber dunnage bunks per coil (6-by-6 cross-section, 72 to 96 inches long), plus side-brace lumber. A standard flatbed with three 20,000-pound coils consumes approximately 25 to 40 linear feet of heavy timber plus bracing scrap.
For an intermodal container of appliances or furniture count 2 to 4 blocks of 4-by-4 dunnage per layer, plus perimeter blocking to the container walls. A 40-foot high-cube container consumes approximately 30 to 50 linear feet of blocking.
For an export breakbulk vessel heavy lift (transformer, generator) count custom-cut heavy timber dunnage sized to the lift point and base dimensions. We cut to published drawings and ship as an export dunnage kit.
Dunnage pricing and freight
Dunnage is sold by the piece, the linear foot, or the truckload-lot depending on grade and quantity. Standard 2-by-4 dunnage in random lengths runs roughly $0.65 to $1.10 per linear foot delivered in 50-state coverage, with higher prices at longer distances from the yard network. Heavy timber dunnage (6-by-6 and up) runs roughly $3.50 to $6.00 per linear foot delivered. Laminated dunnage runs 2 to 4 times solid sawn.
We quote dunnage by delivered piece count to your dock. For high-volume dunnage programs (10,000 linear feet per month and up) we quote a program rate with a monthly standing order and scheduled replenishment. For export dunnage we quote the kit as a line item with ISPM-15 stamp fee included.
Freight is included in our delivered price for truckload lots. For LTL and small-order dunnage we quote freight separately. Same-day Florida delivery is standard for orders under 2 PM EST.
Dunnage and AAR Open Top Loading rules
Rail shipments covered by AAR Open Top Loading Rules (OTL) have published minimum dunnage requirements for every load class. For steel coils, OTL specifies minimum bunk cross-section and maximum bunk spacing. For lumber loads, OTL specifies tier dunnage dimensions. For heavy-lift and project cargo, OTL requires an engineered dunnage drawing approved before shipment.
Our rail-grade dunnage is supplied to AAR OTL rule specification. For engineered-drawing shipments we work with the shipper and the railroad's shipment-approval engineer to supply exactly what the drawing calls for.
What to send us for a dunnage quote
Send us: the type of load (appliance, machinery, steel coil, generator, transformer, pipe), the trailer or container type, the typical weekly volume, the ship-to state, and whether this is a domestic or export shipment. For export shipments confirm ISPM-15 requirement. For rail shipments confirm AAR OTL grade.
Standard quote reply same business day. For urgent dunnage shortages (production line out of block material) we move same-day from the regional yard.
Industries we supply dunnage to
Common specs
| Grade | Typical cross-section | Length | Load capacity (illustrative) | Price band ($/LF delivered) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard softwood | 2x4, 2x6, 4x4, 4x6 | 8-20 ft | Up to 10,000 lb point load (4x4) | $0.65 - $1.10 |
| Heavy timber | 6x6, 8x8, 10x10 | 8-20 ft | 20,000 - 60,000 lb (6x6) | $3.50 - $6.00 |
| Laminated block | 4x4, 4x6, 6x6 | 24-96 in | 40,000 - 80,000 lb | $7.00 - $12.00 |
| ISPM-15 export | All grades | Spec | Spec | Add $0.20 - $0.50 for stamp |
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Frequently asked questions
Can you supply dunnage on a standing weekly delivery?
Yes. We run standing-order dunnage programs for appliance plants, steel service centers, and automotive OEMs. Published weekly or bi-weekly delivery, program pricing, dedicated yard inventory, and a named account contact. Send us a monthly volume estimate and ship-to location to quote.
What is the difference between dunnage and pallet lumber?
Pallet lumber is cut to specific pallet-build dimensions (stringer, deckboard, block) and supplied to pallet manufacturers. Dunnage is random-length lumber used loose to raise, separate, and stabilize freight. Grade overlap exists - a #2 Common pine board can be used for either - but dunnage is sold by cross-section and random length, not pallet component spec.
Is laminated dunnage worth the premium over solid timber?
For high-value, moisture-exposed, or long-duration shipments (ocean container, 30-day rail car, humid plant floor), laminated dunnage pays off. It does not warp or split like solid timber under moisture cycling, carries 20 to 40 percent more load per cross-section, and lasts through multiple shipments if returned. For one-way domestic truckload at low moisture, solid timber is more economical.
Do you supply ISPM-15 stamped dunnage for export shipments?
Yes. We supply heat-treated and IPPC-stamped dunnage in all grades for export shipment. The IPPC stamp is branded (not painted) on at least two faces per piece. We document the heat-treatment cycle on the delivery paperwork.
Can dunnage be returned and reused?
Standard softwood dunnage is typically one-way - cost of recovery exceeds the material value. Heavy timber dunnage and laminated dunnage are often reused in closed-loop programs between an OEM and a 3PL. We quote return-and-reuse programs on request.
What is AAR OTL and does it apply to my shipment?
AAR Open Top Loading Rules are the Association of American Railroads published rules for how open-top rail cargo must be loaded, dunnaged, and secured. If your freight moves by rail on a flatcar, open gondola, or specialized open-top car, OTL applies. For intermodal container-on-flatcar shipments, OTL does not apply (the container handles internal dunnage). We supply dunnage to OTL spec on request.
How quickly can you deliver dunnage?
Standard dunnage from Florida yards: same-day to 19 Florida same-day counties for orders confirmed by 2 PM EST, next-day statewide, 1 to 6 days nationwide via partner yard network. For emergency production-line shortages we expedite same-day to any yard-adjacent destination.
Do you cut dunnage to specific lengths?
Yes. We quote cut-to-length dunnage for 10,000 linear feet and up. For smaller orders we supply random-length and the shipper cuts at the dock. For export dunnage kits with engineered drawings we cut to drawing and label pieces for assembly.
Can I quote dunnage without specifying the exact cross-section?
Yes - send us the load type (steel coil, appliance, pipe, generator) and the typical weight per piece, and we recommend a cross-section and quantity. For engineered loads we ask for the drawing.
What species do you supply dunnage in?
Southern yellow pine, Douglas fir, hemlock, and spruce-pine-fir mix depending on region and strength requirement. For heavy timber we default to Douglas fir or Southern yellow pine for strength-to-weight. For laminated dunnage we supply engineered-wood product (Mix-of-species cross-banded ply-and-glue).
Updated 2026-10-07