Buyer guide
Container Loading Guide for Metal Bed Frames (20GP / 40HQ)
How flat-pack metal bed frames load into 20GP and 40HQ containers, why measured carton volume decides your per-container count, and how to read a loading plan from a supplier.
Published 2026-10-08 · Logistics & cost
Why volume, not weight, decides the count
Metal bed frames are light for their size. A 40'HQ container hits its volume limit long before it hits its weight limit — so the cubic metres per carton, not the kilograms, are what determine how many frames you fit. That is why the knock-down series exists: at 0.06–0.08 m³ per set it loads roughly twice as many units as a fixed frame of the same mattress size.
All figures below come from measured carton data (HJF-PW-2026-001). Download the full specification table with packed volume and gross weight per spec →
20GP vs 40HQ, in plain terms
20GP
Usable freight volume is around 28–33 m³. It suits a trial order, a mixed-size first shipment, or a market where you do not want a full container's working capital tied up. Real loading efficiency runs ~70–80% once carton dimensions and stacking are accounted for.
40HQ
Usable freight volume is around 68–76 m³ with the high cube. This is where flat-pack frames pay off: the lower the per-set volume, the more units a 40HQ carries, and the lower your landed cost per frame. Most volume buyers consolidate a full 40HQ.
Indicative per-container counts
Planning figures below use a 40HQ at ~68 m³ usable and ~80% real loading efficiency (≈54 m³ effective), and a 20GP at ~28 m³ usable and ~75% efficiency (≈21 m³). They are volume-based estimates to size an order — the loading plan we send with a quotation uses the actual carton dimensions, not just the cube.
| Spec (packed m³) | 20GP (≈21 m³ eff.) | 40HQ (≈54 m³ eff.) |
|---|---|---|
| CZ1 900×2000 (0.06) | ≈ 350 | ≈ 900 |
| CZ1 / CZ2 1500–1800 (0.08) | ≈ 260 | ≈ 675 |
| JL / L 1500–1800 (0.17–0.20) | ≈ 105–125 | ≈ 270–320 |
| JY 1500–1800 (0.17–0.20) | ≈ 105–125 | ≈ 270–320 |
| SLAT 1500–1800 (0.13) | ≈ 160 | ≈ 415 |
Counts are indicative. A mixed-size order does not simply average — carton lengths differ, so the real plan is built per size. Ask for the plan; do not quote these numbers to a freight forwarder.
What to ask for in the quotation
- Carton dimensions (L × W × H, mm) and cartons per unit
- Total packed volume per unit (m³) and gross weight per carton
- A loading plan for the exact mix you want, not a single-size maximum
- Whether cartons are stackable and how they are strapped and protected
Tell us the spec. We will send the numbers.
Send a model, a size and a quantity — or just a drawing. You will get carton dimensions, packed volume, gross weight and a lead time.