Brazilian Wood Depot
6770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
Now introducing LIVE GPS TRACKING on shipments!
Brazilian Wood Depot has always provided the most professional and reliable shipping in the industry. Now, you can track your Decking or Siding order in real-time with cutting-edge 4G GPS Technology! Learn more about our robust shipping process with our Shipping Guide, below!
BWD Shipping Guide
There are many variables when it comes to shipping Brazilian Hardwoods. Brazilian Wood Depot utilizes a number of different shipping methods to best serve our customers. Each different method has its own benefits and limitations. We have been a leader in lumber shipments for over 20 years and are very proud of our shipping standards!
It is important to note that ALL delivery methods require the customer to unload materials! None of these drivers are permitted to help unload unless expressly specified otherwise.
- LTL Shipping – This is the most common method of shipping lumber, out of state. We always fully crate these shipments and now we offer GPS Tracking for only $25! Read more about LTL Shipments below.
- Flatbed Delivery – Flatbeds are utilized for shipments that are over the LTL weight limit (usually around 4000 lbs) or when the cost of a flatbed is similar or less than the costs of LTL’s (usually in the Southeast US). We also use them when a customer needs the product more quickly. Flatbeds are always faster than the LTL system. Read more about Flatbed benefits below.
- Local ATL Box Truck Deliveries– We utilize a third-party courier service for our customers in the metro-ATL area. Read more about Local Deliveries below.
LTL Shipping
Shipping with LTL Carriers is the most common way to ship hardwoods across the retail portion of the industry. Carriers provide cost-effective rates by consolidating lanes, for efficiency. These carriers nearly always offer shipment tracking and portals that allow customers to track the history. Carriers aren’t great for moving very heavy loads, usually over 4000 lbs. They also aren’t great for moving very long parcels, 18′ – 20′. As the parcel moves from terminal to terminal, on its way to its destination, it is moved around with forklifts and so, it’s prone to damage if unprotected. Read about our crates below!
LTL Shipments sometimes get ‘lost’. How can a 16 ft, 3000 lb crate get lost? Good question. We’ve never had a shipment that went lost forever, they always turn up, but it can be a stressful and irritating situation. No distributor nor carrier is immune to these types of problems. Brazilian Wood Depot has found a technology-based solution! We are now introducing 4G GPS Tracking for LTL Shipments! You won’t find this service anywhere else! Read on below!
Importance of Crating
Crating hardwood decking so that it will sufficiently protect the lumber during shipping is extremely important. These crates can weigh up to 4000 pounds and can be over 20 feet long. The stress applied to the crates and strapping while they are moved in and out of over-the-road trailers is significant. So, engineering and building these crates uniquely to fit each shipment is crucial to delivering boards that look as good when they arrive at their destination as when they left our warehouse.
Brazilian Wood Depot takes great care to design and build the best crate for the job. These crate designs are continually upgraded to ensure that the lumber is delivered to the customer in perfect condition. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Imagine the headaches caused by damaged crates and lumber. Having to return or file claims on damaged crate is an aggravating way to begin any construction project. DO NOT purchase lumber that is not crated, for LTL shipment!
NEW! Live GPS Tracking!
As unbelievable as it might be, big heavy crates can sometimes go missing. It’s a rare situation, but right now, carriers are overwhelmed and understaffed. Sometimes they just don’t have the manpower to go and put their hands and eyes on your specific crate. This leads to delays that can last up to days or weeks, in rare instances, where the crate is simply ‘missing’. This is stressful for both us and the customer.
For this reason, we are now introducing 4G GPS tracking for certain LTL Shipments! This will allow us and the customers to pull up real-time updates of where it is. No more waiting on the carrier to tell us if they have found it! We can tell them where it is! Peace of mind is the name of the game here. This service will not be as important for customers in the southeast United States, but customers in the Northeast, Midwest, or Pacific Coast will find this service VERY helpful. And in some instances, we require this service with an order. After all, we’re exposed to risks, just as much as the customers are.
How does it work? It’s pretty simple. We place the GPS Tracker in a pre-labeled return envelope, securely inside the crate. Customers will be able to track the parcel with their own unique link or on mobile with the Logistimatics phone app, available on Android and iOS devices. There are also options to create geo-fence notifications and other helpful tools! When you receive the material, simply drop the tracker in the mail and send it back to us. We only charge $25 for this service! (after a $100 refund, when the tracker is sent back to us)
The LTL Process
Coordinating the delivery- The day your crate is loaded on the carrier, you will receive an email from us that has the 1- 800 number for the carrier and your PRO number, which is a tracking number. You will call that number and reference your PRO number to coordinate the drop-off. Usually, it is best to call them the day AFTER we send you the email with the carrier details, but you can call whenever you like. On the initial phone call, they can usually tell you what day to expect the drop-off. As that day approaches, you can usually call that number back for a more precise drop-off time or window. All coordination of the drop-off will be between you and the carrier. Our involvement usually just complicates things, but if you need our help, do not hesitate to reach out. Most drop-offs occur within 2-5 days of loading.
Unloading- These crates are delivered in different sized box trucks, up to 40’ or 48’ dry trailers (full-sized semi’s). They have limited maneuverability and WILL NOT pull onto residential driveways. If you live on a street with difficult accessibility, or you have a very long driveway, you might consider meeting the driver at the end of the driveway/street with a pick-up truck/flatbed/box truck/etc.. Alternatively, arrangements can be made for you to pick up the crate at the carrier’s terminal. In most cases, you’ll either need a trailer, box truck, or flatbed. Contact us to make these arrangements.
***IMPORTANT!***
– DO NOT request a liftgate. Liftgates can be helpful with shorter pallets but are actually a hindrance when unloading our lumber/materials. Furthermore, it incurs a fee that IS NOT included in your quote.
-The driver IS NOT required to help unload. In addition, these vehicles are NOT equipped with forklift/moffets/etc. so someone MUST be onsite to receive the materials.
What You’ll Need- In most cases, it will help if you have another person or two to help unload, as it will be done, by hand. Most orders can be hand unloaded by two people in under 30 minutes. Someone can climb in the truck to break open our straps and crating. A knife, crowbar, and hammer will likely be required. Once opened, slide the boards to the back of the truck for someone on the ground to stack on the property. Once the boards are unloaded, pull out the crating, for discard. For storage and installation tips, visit our Documents page, https://www.bwdepot.com/resources/documents/
*Hardware is shipped, via UPS, to the same destination as the crated materials unless otherwise specified.*
If a Crate is Broken Upon Arrival
This is an important consideration. BWD takes great care to ensure our materials make it to the destination in the exact, excellent, condition it left our shop. This said, we have no control of how the carriers handle the materials. Broken crates and damaged materials are not common, but it can happen. In these circumstances, DO NOT refuse the shipment. If you refuse the shipment, it is possible that we will never see these materials again. Accept the delivery, immediately take an inventory of the damage, take pictures, and notify us. Without fail, there will be less damage to the materials than you expect; another advantage of using such hard and durable materials. If there are scratches on one side of the board, you can most often use the other side. If there is a gauge, chunk or split on the side or end of a board, you can usually cut out the damage and use the footage on either side of the damage. We DO NOT expect you to install boards with severe cracks, gauges, or deep scratches on the FACE of the boards that cannot be easily sanded out. All of this said, we will make good on any damaged linear footage that is unusable. This means, if a 16’ board is damaged in one area, we are not responsible for replacing the full 16’ board. For this reason, we always recommend against designing the deck with full-length boards. See our Purchase Policy for more information on Full-Length boards. If you MUST use full-length boards we may recommend or insist that you use a flatbed for delivery, see below.
Flatbed Delivery
Shipping hardwood lumber via flatbed is a GREAT option, for several reasons. While the cost of shipping via Flatbed is usually more expensive than LTL, there are several very distinct advantages of having the materials shipped this way.
- Damage– Unlike LTL carriers, the materials never leave the trailer until it arrives at its destination. This eliminates any possibility of damage during LTL terminal transfers. This advantage cannot be overstated. For this reason, these orders are NOT crated.
- Maneuverability– Depending on the size and weight capacity of the trailer, these trucks often have better maneuverability than full-sized LTL vans.
- Weight Capacity– Flatbeds have the ability to scale weights much greater than LTL shipments. Some orders require the use of flabeds, based on the length and weight of the order.
- Weight Flexibility– Unlike LTL shipping, we have more flexibility in how we palletize the materials. For instance, if the customer will have unloading equipment (Forklift/lull/etc..) on-site at the time of delivery and the equipment is rated for 2000-2500 lbs, we can palletize the materials in smaller bundles that can be handled by the equipment. This is a very important advantage for larger orders.
- Trackability– Flatbed shipments have much more direct lanes to the customer. Customers have access to the logistics professional we contract. These providers have direct contact with the drivers and therefore, the ability to provide more accurate updates and ETAs.
- Speed– LTL carriers move parcels from terminal to terminal, on the way to their destination. Flatbeds are MUCH faster! They either make their drops the same day or the next day, in most cases.
Since Flatbed shipments remain on the truck until they arrive at their destination, crating is not necessary. Ask us about flatbed delivery options for your order. Very often, if full-length boards are required, we will insist that a flatbed is used for the delivery. Most often, hardware will be shipped on the Flatbed Truck, with lumber materials. Again, customers are responsible for unloading their deliveries.
Local Deliveries (Greater Atlanta Area)
- A customer representative must be on-site to unload the delivery
- Third-party courier services are utilized. The drivers are not permitted to unload materials.
- If no representative is on-site at time of delivery, materials will be returned to BWD, and the customer will incur an additional delivery fee.
- Deliveries are most often made on 24’ flatbed or box trucks. Maneuverability may be limited. Please make reasonable considerations regarding accessibility.
