Packaging Guidelines

Packaging Guidelines:

Here are some tips to ensure you packages are packed up to carrier and insurer standards. In order for shipping insurance to cover damages, the package must be packed correctly. This is not an all-inclusive list, but is intended to be a basic guide. Please call or email us with additional questions or for availability of packing materials. Of course, “Mail and Parcel” would be happy to pack any of these items for shipment.

Non-Fragile, Non-Breakable items:

Ship these items in a sturdy box with peanuts or bubble-wrap to prevent movements of the contents during shipment. Place items in a plastic bag that may be affected by water. Place small loose or granular items in a sturdy inner bag. Boxes should be new, and not have any markings on the outside, other then the shipping label.

Fragile Items – Box-in-Box Method:

Wrap items in at least 2 inches of bubble wrap or foam material to fit snuggly in a corrugated box. Use a second outer container at least 6 inches longer, wider and deeper than the inner box. Fill the bottom of the outer box with 2-3 inches of cushioning material. Place the inner box centered inside the outer box and fill the voids with cushioning material. For very delicate items, cushion the inner box with at least 4 inches of bubble wrap before placing in the outside box. Boxes should be new, and not have any markings on the outside, other than the label.

Fragile Items – Bubble Wrap method for large, thick or flat items:

Wrap item in at least 4 inches of bubble wrap. Place the items in a sturdy outer container and fill any voids with more bubble wrap.

Special Requirements:

• Engines, Transmissions, Lawn Equipment: Drain all fluids, ship in double or triple walled containers, secure all removable parts, and temporarily plug the fill-tube and dipstick opening to prevent seepage
• Photos, poster board, X-rays: Tape flat items to rigid material. Sandwich flat material between layers of double wall corrugated pads and tape both pads together on all seams.
• Industrial Machinery Parts, sheet metal parts: Pad all sharp edges and corners, pad all precision-machined areas, and protect parts susceptible to damage. Ship in double-wall containers whenever possible and cushion to prevent movement.
• Printed Matter: Bundle large quantities of printed matter with shrink wrap or banding to hold in place in case box splits during transit. Place bound material in double-wall, full-overlap corrugated boxes.
• Artwork: Apply masking tape in a crisscross pattern on glass or Plexiglas and insert a piece of cardboard to fit over the masked area to prevent shattering during transit. Then package in the box-in-box method, as well as, double bubble wrap and then put into a protective plastic bag and fill around it will a minimum of 2" of packing peanuts. 
• Stringed Instruments: Loosen tension on the strings, place the instrument in the case and then fill any voids with bubble wrap. Place the case in a larger box with at least 3 inches of bubble wrap or peanuts between the case and the outer box. With hard cases, only bubble wrap should be used.
• Computers and peripherals: The box-in-box method should be used, as well as, double bubble wrap and then put into a protective plastic bag and fill around it will a minimum of 2" of packing peanuts. 
• Monitors: Remove base and ship face down using the box-in-box method. Printers: Remove print cartridge and place inside sealed bag. Tape down moving parts. Remove any paper trays. Use box-in-box packing method.
• Magnetic storage devices: Pack with at least 3-6 inches of void around the item to reduce impact of magnetic fields. Label the box stating that there is a magnetic storage device inside.
• Fragile china, glass, clay, porcelain, etc, valued at $500 or more: use either box-in-box method or foam in place system.

The following items generally are not insured for shipping:

Accounts, bills, notes, evidence of debt, money, checks, money orders, COD payments, coins, securities, tickets, notes, gift cards, manuscripts, documents, bullion, gemstones (loose stones), furs, neon items, hazardous materials, perishable cargo, eggs in the shell, flowers, plants, seeds, guns (other than antiques). Some special and large value policies are available, but may take some time to establish.

We can not ship the following items:

Handguns or automatic weapons, alcohol of any kind (including some perfumes), car batteries, controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, some live animals, explosives or ammunition, gasoline or flammable fuels, toxic liquids, flammable solids, poisons, radioactive materials, mercury, hazardous chemicals or solvents, compressed gas, tobacco, and used medical devices.

Maximum sizes for shippers (length + girth):

The length + girth is determined by taking the length, which is always the longest dimension of the package, and adding it to 2 times the width, plus 2 times the height of the package (L+(2*W)+(2*H)). The outer dimensions of the carton, rounded up to the nearest whole inch, must be used for these calculations.

• FedEx Home Delivery – 165 inches
• FedEx Ground and Air – 165 inches
• U.S. Postal Service (except Parcel Post) – 108 inches
• U.S. Postal Service Parcel Post – 130 inches

Maximum package weight and length:

• FedEx (excluding home delivery) – 150 lbs and 108 inches (119 inches for air)
• U.S. Postal Service – 70 lbs

Corrugate Box Strength Requirements

Use this table to determine how much weight a particular cardboard box is designed to hold. If too much weight is packed in a box, the package may burst and fall apart during shipment.

Maximum Weight of Contents (lbs.)	Size Limit of Box in inches (L+W+H)	Busting Test (lbs per sq inch)	Edge Crush Test (ECT) (lbs per inch width)
Single-Wall Corrugated Containers
30	75	200	32
40	75	200	40
50	85	250	44
65	95	275	55
80	105	350	NA
Double-Wall Corrugated Containers
60	85	200	48
80	95	275	51
100	105	350	61
120	110	400	71
140	115	500	82
150	120	600	NA

Mail & Parcel reserves the right to inspect any package to ensure compliance with packing requirements, as well as to ensure that there are no hazardous materials. Mail & Parcel is required by our insurance carrier to open and inspect the packing on all packages with a declared value of $500 or more.