Brazilian Wood Depot is the undisputed champion in long-distance shipping of Hardwood Lumber!
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.
- Hotshot Delivery – Hotshots are utilized for shipments that are over the LTL weight limit (usually around 4000 lbs) or when the cost of a hotshot 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. Hotshots are always faster than the LTL system. Read more about Hotshot 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)
What You Need to Know about LTL Shipments
Please be aware that not LTL companies are equal. Some are more professional than others. Even within the same company, local terminals can vary in professionalism and follow-through. Please keep this in mind as dealing with them can sometimes be frustrating. Nearly all distributors, in the hardwood industry, utilize these means of transportation because of their cost-effective nature. BWD is the ONLY distributor that FULLY ENCLOSES your materials in plywood crates, ON ALL SIDES, with engineering detail and care!
Coordinating the Delivery
The day your crate is loaded on the carrier, you will receive a VERY IMPORTANT email from us that has important carrier contact and tracking information including a PRO number, which is a tracking number. Keep this handy, you may need this later. ALL carriers are instructed to contact the consignee (customer) to arrange the drop-off, the day of or the day before the delivery being made. Unfortunately, sometimes they do not. Instead, you are welcome to call the carrier yourself and reference your PRO number to begin coordinating the delivery. It is usually best to call them at least a day or two after you have received the email mentioned above. 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 will occur within 3-7 days of loading. When speaking with them, YOU DO NOT NEED A LIFTGATE! Do not request one, do not agree to one. It will NOT help and oftentimes make it more difficult to unload. Furthermore, it adds a fee that was not included in your shipping estimate.
Preparing for Delivery
Carriers have different-sized trucks to accommodate the navigation of smaller side streets. Some have limited maneuverability and they WILL NOT pull onto residential driveways. Usually, shipments go directly to the job site, curbside. 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 and transloading it to another vehicle. Alternatively, arrangements can be made for you to pick up the crate at the carrier’s terminal. Please be sure to have an appropriate vehicle and let us know ahead of time that you plan to do this.
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 about 30 minutes. A knife, crowbar, and hammer will be required to break open the crating and cut the straps.
Unloading By Hand
CUSTOMER MUST UNLOAD! The driver WILL NOT help and ARE NOT equipped with unloading equipment! He/she will open the back gate of the truck and wait for you to unload the materials. Cut the straps, break open the crating, remove the GPS (if applicable) and set it aside, cut more straps until the materials are exposed. Once exposed, slide the boards out of the back of the truck. Once the boards are unloaded, pull out the crating, for discard. Some drivers will allow you to leave the crating material on the truck for discard at their warehouse. This varies by driver. For storage and installation tips, visit our Documents page, https://www.bwdepot.com/resources/documents/
If Crate is Broken Upon Arrival
We go through great efforts to ensure this doesn’t happen. In fact, it is exceedingly rare that it does. However, if you do receive a crate that is damaged, please check your lumber very carefully and note any damaged pieces. The driver MUST get your signature before he leaves. If there is ANY DAMAGE, you MUST make very specific notes on the paperwork you are signing. This is a legal document, without notating damage, an insurance claim is nearly impossible to pursue. Take a photo of the paperwork you’re signing. Of course, we will do whatever we need to do to get you what you need, consistent with our Purchase Policy. Take notes and photos of any damage you see.
Returning the GPS
You’ll find the GPS device is on top of the lumber, inside the crate. It is inside a pre-labeled USPS return box. DO NOT OPEN IT. Simply put it in any USPS mailbox. Upon our receipt, we’ll refund $100. Please do this ASAP. We will cancel the monthly plan after 30 days and a refund will not be processed.
*Hardware is shipped, via UPS, to the same destination as the crated materials unless otherwise specified.*
Hotshot Delivery
Shipping hardwood lumber via Hotshot is a GREAT option, for several reasons. While the cost of shipping via Hotshot is usually more expensive than LTL, there are several very distinct advantages of having the materials shipped this way. The Hotshot market consists largely of 30′ Gooseneck trailers that are pulled behind pick up trucks. The market also offers utility vans, box trucks, full-sized semis, and partial loads. Our goal is to match the vehicle-type most appropriate for your load, the accessibility of the destination, and cost-effectiveness.
- 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. Unless in a box truck, they will be banded AND tarped.
- 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.
What You Need to Know About Hotshot Deliveries
Shipping hardwood lumber via Hotshot is a GREAT option, for several reasons. While the cost of shipping via Hotshot is usually more expensive than LTL, there are several very distinct advantages of having the materials shipped this way. The Hotshot market consists largely of 30′ Gooseneck trailers that are pulled behind pickup trucks. The market also offers utility vans, box trucks, full-sized semis, and partial loads. Our goal is to match the vehicle-type most appropriate for your load, the accessibility of the destination, and cost-effectiveness.
Prior to Loading
Prior to loading, our Hotshot provider will contact you with questions regarding timing, how materials will be unloaded, and accessibility of the destination. Be aware that the drivers are not equipped with unloading equipment and ARE NOT PERMITTED TO HELP UNLOAD.
It is the customer’s responsibility to inform us/Hotshot provider with any accessibility concerns or notices. Mountainous, gravel, or tight roads should be communicated prior to finalization and loading.
What You’ll Need
You’ll need a knife to cut the straps and a place to stage the materials consistent with the accessibility to the area and the type of vehicle making the delivery. Confirm these details with the Hotshot provider prior to loading. Have an appropriate amount of labor prepared to unload if unloading by hand. Drivers generally expect loads to be unloaded in 30-40 minutes. THE DRIVER IS NOT PERMITTED TO HELP UNLOAD.
When It’s Loaded
Your materials will be banded with either feet or on a pallet and then tarped by the driver. THEY WILL NOT BE CRATED UNLESS SPECIFIED OTHERWISE! These types of loads don’t need crates because they are loaded by BWD and unloaded by the customer ONLY. They will not be transloaded or otherwise handled in any way by anyone other than BWD staff, to load, and the customer, to unload.
Unloading by Hand or with Equipment
Most of our customers unload Hotshots, by hand. It is most often helpful to have another set of hands, or multiple depending on the size of the load. Usually, this takes about 30-40 minutes. The driver will wait but is NOT PERMITTED TO HELP. Drivers are contracted by BWD and expect to remain onsite for offloading for no longer than 1 hour. Please unload in a timely manner.
Once the tarps are removed, cut the straps and unload the materials, board by board. Sometimes the driver can pull into a driveway, but this is ENTIRELY at the discretion of the driver. DO NOT plan on carrying the materials away from the trailer, around the house, or to another spot on the property. Unload the materials from the truck/trailer where it sits to allow the driver to leave in a timely manner.
If you plan on having unloading equipment (forklift, skidsteer, lull, etc..) please let us know the weight capacity of the equipment ahead of time so we can bundle the materials accordingly.
DON’T FORGET THE HARDWARE!!! Your order probably includes hardware, wax and oil. Usually, the drivers keep that in the cab/truck. It is easy for the driver to forget they have it. Fortunately, they usually don’t forget, but be aware that they have it!
Damage or Missing Pieces
Damage to materials on hotshots is beyond rare and should never happen. In the exceedingly rare instance that you do find damage, take specific notes and pictures. You MUST notate any damage in the paperwork the driver asks you to sign. It is a LEGAL document. Of course, we will do whatever we need to do to get you what you need, consistent with our Purchase Policy. However, it is important that you take photos and notes on the BOL (paperwork). It is nearly impossible to pursue an insurance claim with the trucking company without those notes.
The customer is responsible for reporting any missing pieces at the time of delivery. Please report any missing pieces to us, ASAP. We reserve the right to refuse concessions, fulfillments, replacements or exchanges of any claims of missing/incorrect pieces beyond 48 hours of delivery being made. It is important that you confirm the fulfillment of the order immediately, upon delivery. Please do not delay the driver when confirming quantities/lengths/etc…
Local Deliveries
Local deliveries are made by trusted 3rd party delivery groups. Most often, they are made in 20′ – 24′ box trucks. Sometimes, size permitting, they are made in smaller vehicles like short box trucks and utility vans. DRIVERS ARE NEVER PERMITTED TO UNLOAD AND ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH UNLOADING EQUIPMENT. We try to execute all deliveries before lunchtime unless specified otherwise.
What you Need to Know About Local Deliveries (Greater/Metro Atlanta Area)
- Deliveries are usually made on 20′-24’ box trucks. Maneuverability may be limited. Please make reasonable considerations regarding accessibility. Flatbed/trailer deliveries are easier for unloading with equipment. Please let us know if you plan on unloading with forklift/tractor/lull/etc…
- CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNLOADING. DRIVERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO HELP AND WILL NOT BE EQUIPPED WITH UNLOADING EQUIPMENT.
- Drivers are contracted by BWD and expect to remain onsite for offloading for no longer than 1 hour. Please unload in a timely manner. Most orders can be unloaded in less than 30 minutes with 2 or 3 individuals.
- A customer representative must be on-site to unload and confirm the materials are delivered, as ordered.
- 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.
- Drivers DO NOT return to BWD. Exchanges or returns CANNOT be put on the delivery trucks!!! The customer must facilitate the materials back to BWD warehouse unless specified otherwise.