How to ship furniture in Canada

What fits as a parcel

Furniture that comes in several boxes ships as several parcels, each with its own label. Each box is checked against these limits on its own.

Shipping a flat-pack bookcase

IKEA’s BILLY bookcase, 80 × 28 × 202 cm, comes in one flat box of about 207 × 30 × 13 cm and 40 kg. Rounded up, that’s 82 × 12 × 6 in and 88 lb:

Carrier	Billed as	Fits
Canada PostRegular Parcel	88 lbWeight sets it	Heavier than 66 lbLongest side over 78 in
Canada PostOther services	88 lbWeight sets it	Heavier than 66 lbLongest side over 78 in
UniUni	Limits and divisor not published. A quote asks UniUni directly.
PurolatorGround	88 lbWeight sets it	Heavier than 70 lb
PurolatorExpress	88 lbWeight sets it	Heavier than 70 lb
UPSStandard	88 lbWeight sets it	Fits
UPSExpress	88 lbWeight sets it	Fits
FedExGround	88 lbWeight sets it	Fits
FedExExpress	88 lbWeight sets it	Fits

Canada Post turns it down on weight and length, and Purolator on weight. UPS and FedEx take it, and it bills at its actual 88 lb, since flat-pack boards are dense. Both add an extra handling charge: UPS for a box over 50 lb or 48 in long, FedEx over 55 lb or 48 in.

Shipping flat-pack in its own cartons

Flat-pack furniture leaves the factory in its own cartons, so it usually ships as it is. Check each carton before you label it: tape torn corners and split seams, and add corner protectors where edges are crushed. Weigh and measure every carton, since a set of three can mean one heavy box and two light ones.

Each carton gets its own label and is priced and tracked on its own. If you’re shipping a lot of them, Bulk labels make a label for each box from one spreadsheet.

Assembled furniture

Furniture that isn’t in a box costs more and is covered less. UPS and FedEx add extra handling for anything not fully encased in a carton, and Purolator carries unpackaged articles, household goods and personal effects at the shipper’s risk and pays no claims on them.

• Take it apart where you can: legs, shelves, doors and hardware.
• Box the parts, with corners and edges padded and every gap filled.
• Pack glass shelves and mirrors on their own. Canada Post doesn’t pay for glass damage, and UPS takes glass only with its written pre-approval.
• Put the screws and fittings in a labelled bag taped inside one of the boxes.

When it has to go by freight

A box over 150 lb, longer than 108 in or over 165 in length plus girth is past every parcel carrier’s limit. From 130 in length plus girth, UPS, FedEx and Purolator already bill at least 90 lb. ProtonShip ships parcels, so for a sofa or a fully built dresser, use a freight carrier or a furniture delivery service.