Shipping natural stone slabs internationally is risky business. A 200kg marble slab is fragile, heavy, and expensive — one bad bump can crack it beyond repair. Proper packaging is the difference between a slab arriving pristine or in pieces. Here is how we package stone for safe worldwide shipping.
1. Wooden Crate (A-Frame) Construction
Slabs must always ship vertically, never flat. We build custom A-frame wooden crates that hold slabs at a 90° angle, distributing weight evenly. The frame uses kiln-dried timber (ISPM-15 heat-treated for international compliance) with reinforced cross-beams.
2. Slab Protection Layers
Each slab gets multiple protective layers:
- Polystyrene foam on all edges (corners chip easiest)
- Plastic film wrap to prevent surface scratches
- Rubber pads between slabs when bundling multiple
- Steel banding to lock slabs firmly to the A-frame
3. Container Loading
For full container loads (FCL), A-frames are bolted to the container floor and braced with timber to prevent any movement during ocean transit. For less-than-container loads (LCL), each crate is independently secured.
4. Cut-to-Size Packaging
For fabricated countertops and tiles, we use:
- Fumigated wooden boxes with foam dividers
- Each piece separated by styrofoam sheets
- Palletized for easy forklift handling
- Detailed packing lists with piece counts and dimensions
5. Insurance & Documentation
We strongly recommend all-risk marine insurance for high-value shipments. We provide full documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and photos of loading.
Want to know shipping cost for your location? Get a quote with packaging included.