If you've never ordered tile or flooring online, the words "LTL freight" can sound more intimidating than they need to be. Here's exactly what happens between checkout and delivery day, so there are no surprises waiting at your curb.
Why Tile and Flooring Ship LTL Freight, Not Parcel
Tile and flooring ship via LTL freight because they're too heavy and bulky for standard parcel carriers like UPS or FedEx. LTL stands for "less-than-truckload" — a shipping method where your order shares space on a freight trailer with other businesses' shipments, rather than filling an entire truck by itself.
A pallet of porcelain tile for a bathroom remodel, for example, can weigh several hundred pounds once it's boxed and strapped down. Parcel carriers cap package weight well below that. Freight carriers are built to handle exactly this kind of load, which is why every tile, natural stone, and flooring order at Flair Decos moves this way.
A wrapped pallet of boxed tile being loaded onto a freight truck.
Your Order-to-Delivery Timeline, Step by Step
Your order moves through five stages: confirmation, processing, carrier pickup, transit, and a scheduled delivery. Here's what each one looks like.
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Order confirmation. You receive an email confirming your order and materials.
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Processing. Your tile or flooring is pulled, inspected, and palletized at the warehouse.
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Carrier pickup. A freight carrier picks up your pallet and generates a bill of lading (BOL) — the shipping document that lists what's on the pallet, its condition at pickup, and who's responsible for it in transit.
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Transit. Your pallet travels to a regional freight terminal near your delivery address.
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Delivery scheduling and drop-off. The carrier calls to arrange a delivery window, then delivers on that date.
Full details on carrier handoffs and delivery terms are covered in our shipping policy.
How Long Does LTL Freight Shipping Take?
Most LTL freight orders from Flair Decos arrive within one to two weeks of shipping, depending on distance from our facility and the carrier's route schedule. Weather, holidays, and terminal volume can add a few days on either end — which is normal for freight and not a sign anything has gone wrong.
What You'll Need to Do at Each Stage
The main thing you'll need to do is be reachable for one phone call and available for one delivery window. Everything else is handled by the carrier and by us.
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Answer the scheduling call. The carrier will call, usually 1–2 days before delivery, to set a window.
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Be available for that window. LTL deliveries require someone at the address to accept and sign for the shipment.
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Know your delivery type. Most residential LTL deliveries are curbside, meaning the pallet is unloaded at the curb or driveway, not carried inside. If your address needs a liftgate — a hydraulic platform on the truck that lowers heavy pallets to ground level without a loading dock — confirm that with us ahead of time.
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Inspect before you sign. Check the packaging for visible damage before signing the delivery paperwork. Note any issues directly on the driver's copy.
A driver using a liftgate to lower a pallet from a freight truck to a residential driveway.
Do I Need to Be Home for LTL Freight Delivery?
Yes. Someone needs to be present at the delivery address to accept the shipment and sign the bill of lading. If no one is available during the scheduled window, the carrier will typically attempt to reschedule, which may involve an additional fee from the carrier.
Answering the Questions That Cause the Most Worry
The biggest sources of anxiety with freight shipping are delays, damage, and not knowing where your order is — all three are manageable with the right expectations.
Delays: Weather, mechanical issues, and terminal congestion are the most common causes of freight delays. If your delivery window shifts, the carrier or our team will let you know as soon as it's flagged.
Tracking: You'll receive tracking information once your order ships, so you can follow its progress toward the delivery terminal near you.
No delivery to the door: Standard delivery is curbside. If you need help getting materials from the curb into your home, arrange that with family, a contractor, or installer ahead of your delivery date — freight drivers aren't able to carry items inside.
What Should I Do If My Order Arrives Damaged?
Note any damage on the delivery paperwork before you sign, take photos of both the packaging and the product, and contact us right away through our order claim form. Reporting damage at the time of delivery — rather than after the driver leaves — makes the claims process much faster.
How Flair Decos Stays With You, Nationwide From Our Store
We don't hand your order off to a freight carrier and disappear. Our team monitors shipments after pickup and steps in if a delivery window changes, a carrier misses a call, or anything about the process feels unclear. If something goes wrong, we're the first call to make — not the freight company's general hotline.
We ship floor tile, natural stone, and porcelain tile nationwide, so whether your project is down the street or across the country, the same LTL process and the same point of contact apply. If you're estimating materials before you order, our square footage calculator can help you plan quantities.
Have questions about an order that's already shipped, or one you're about to place? Reach out to our team — we're glad to walk through your specific delivery details, and our full FAQ page and return policy cover additional order questions.