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LetterAgent's shipping labels are Canada-only Xpresspost with a five-kilogram maximum, so a mattress is far outside what they cover. For a mattress, you need freight: most people ship one in a heavy-duty mattress bag with the mattress compressed or folded, and book it as freight or through a mover rather than a parcel carrier.
| Option | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Freight (LTL) carrier | One mattress going a long distance | Cheapest per item for single large pieces; you handle pickup and delivery ends |
| Moving company | Mattress plus other furniture | They pack, load, and place it; best when the mattress is part of a move |
| Parcel carrier | Mattress toppers and crib mattresses only | A full-size mattress exceeds parcel size and weight limits |
| LetterAgent label | Not suitable | Canada-only Xpresspost, five-kilogram maximum |
Parcel carriers set hard limits on length, girth, and weight, and even a twin mattress in a bag blows past them. It is too long for the conveyor belts, too bulky for the sorting bins, and too heavy for the parcel rate structure. Oversized items that do get accepted attract large surcharges that can cost more than freight. A mattress belongs in the freight system, which is built for exactly this: box trucks, liftgates, pallet jacks, and terminals instead of conveyor belts. Trying to force it through the parcel network is the most expensive way to learn this.
Start with a heavy-duty mattress bag made for moving, sized to your mattress. These are thick polyethylene, not the thin bags from a hardware store, and they protect against dirt, moisture, and scuffs in a freight terminal. Seal the opening with packing tape, wrapping the tape around the bag a few times so the seam cannot split.
Whether you can compress or fold depends on the type. Foam and hybrid mattresses can often be compressed with a vacuum bag or folded for a short move, but check the manufacturer's guidance first: some warranties are voided by folding. Innerspring mattresses should stay flat and never be bent, because bending can damage the coil unit in ways you cannot see until the mattress sags months later. Transport innerspring mattresses upright on their long edge, and mark the bag "do not bend" so handlers know. Whatever the type, keep the mattress off damp floors and out of rain: a wet mattress is a ruined mattress.
Distance is the biggest factor, then size: a king costs more than a twin in freight because it takes more trailer space. Whether you need the carrier to pick up inside your home and place the mattress in a room at the other end adds to the price, and so does packing help if you want the mover to bag it for you. Get quotes from two or three freight carriers or movers, because freight pricing varies far more than parcel pricing. And do the obvious math first: for a cheap or old mattress, buying new at the destination can cost less than shipping the old one across the country.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
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