Packed to arrive the way it left the yard.
Every QwikStone order is packed to one standard, checked by the broker before the balance is paid, photographed at container loading and sealed. Here is exactly how.
How we bundle slabs
Slabs are packed in bundles of 6–8, polished faces together, so the only surfaces that touch anything are the rough backs. Bundles ship either standing in a wooden bundle frame or leaning on an A-frame.
- Every slab is numbered in sequence — book-matched slabs stay together
- Edge chips & cracks are photographed by the broker before packing
- Bundle weight is written on the bundle and on your order
- 1Outer slab: rough back faces outward, polished faces protected inside
- 2Hardwood battens at both ends, top to bottom
- 3Two steel bands (≥ 19 mm) with crimped seals
- 4Aluminium / plastic corner guards on all four corners
- 5Timber skid with three bearers for the forklift
A-frames for big slabs
Large-format slabs (over 3 m) and book-matched sets travel on A-frames. Leaning slabs at 82° keeps the weight on the edge, where stone is strongest, and lets the container be loaded with a forklift from either side.
- Up to 12 slabs per side, ≈ 2.2–3 t per A-frame
- Wood is heat-treated & stamped ISPM-15 for customs in every market
- Straps are re-tensioned after the broker check
- 1Fumigated hardwood A-frame (ISPM-15 heat-treated) with a centre post and cross-brace
- 2Slabs lean polished face to polished face, plastic film between every pair
- 3Steel bands around the whole bundle, tensioned and sealed
- 4Rubber strip on the base beam so slab edges never touch wood or steel
- 5Skids under the base so a forklift can lift it from either side
How we pack tiles
Tiles are boxed by batch and shade, stacked on a four-way pallet, stretch-wrapped into one block and closed in a slatted crate so nothing can shift or be crushed.
- One batch & shade per crate — no mixed shades on site
- Corner guards under the steel bands so cartons are not cut
- Crate label shows m², carton count and weight
- 1Tiles in printed cartons, same batch & shade in one crate
- 2Cartons stacked in a column pattern, max 5 high, stretch-wrapped as one block
- 3Slatted crate: corner posts, top and middle rails, diagonal brace
- 4Two vertical steel bands through the pallet
- 5120 × 100 cm ISPM-15 pallet, four-way entry
Cut-to-size goes in closed crates
Countertops, vanity tops, steps and cladding panels are packed on edge in screwed plywood crates, with foam between every piece and the piece list on the outside, so your fabricator or fitter can find each piece without unpacking everything.
- Piece numbers match your drawing / cutting list
- Sink & hob cut-outs get a timber brace across the opening
- Crate is screwed shut so it can be re-used on site
- 1Crate label: order number, piece numbers, weight, room
- 2Countertops stand on edge, never flat — the strongest way for stone
- 310 mm foam sheet between every piece; finished edges wrapped
- 4ISPM-15 stamp on two sides; "this side up" arrows
- 5Crate base on bearers, screwed — not nailed — so it can be opened on site
How we load the container
Stone fills a container by weight long before it fills it by volume. We load the heaviest bundles low and over the middle, keep the centre of gravity near mid-length, and block every unit so it cannot move when the ship rolls.
- Loading is photographed: empty box, each unit going in, blocking, doors, seal
- Seal number and photos are added to your order the same day
- Mixed containers (several yards) are consolidated at our hub before loading
- 1A-frame 1 — heavy bundles low and over the middle
- 2A-frame 2
- 3Closed crate for cut-to-size
- 4Airbag fills the gap between cargo so nothing can slide
- 5Tile pallets towards the door end (lighter)
- 6Timber blocking nailed to the floor at every cargo face
- 7Doors sealed with a numbered bolt seal — recorded on your order
How every unit is secured
Blocking stops sliding, lashing stops tipping, airbags fill the gaps, and desiccant keeps polished faces from staining on a 4–6 week voyage.
- Lashing follows the CTU Code (IMO/ILO/UNECE) for cargo transport units
- Nothing is lashed to the container walls — only floor rings & corner posts
- Gaps over 15 cm are filled with an airbag or timber
- 1Floor lashing ring (D-ring) rated ≥ 2 t
- 2Timber blocking, 100 × 100 mm, nailed to the container floor
- 3Ratchet strap from the ring over the A-frame, 5 t breaking strength
- 4Dunnage airbag inflated between cargo faces
- 5Desiccant bags hung from the roof rails — stops condensation staining polished faces
- 6Crate / next cargo unit, blocked tight
What happens after you pay the deposit
- 1Broker inspectionAn association-approved broker checks the exact slabs at the yard within 72 h and uploads photos to your order.
- 2You pay the balanceOnly when the report matches — otherwise a full refund or the seller’s discount.
- 3PackingThe yard packs to this standard; the broker checks packing on the same visit or a second one.
- 4Pickup & consolidationOur engine picks the cheapest route — direct to port, a milk-run of several yards, or via our hub.
- 5Container loadingLoaded, blocked, lashed, photographed and sealed. Seal number goes on your order.
- 6SailingWeekly sailings on our lanes; tracking on your order page.
- 7Customs & deliveryCleared at the destination port and trucked to your ZIP / PIN code.
Transit damage
Open the doors in front of the driver if you can, and photograph the seal, the doors opening and every damaged piece before unloading further. Report it on your order page within 48 hours. Because we have photos from the yard, the broker and the loading, we can show where it happened — and claim against the carrier's or the cargo insurance on your behalf.
Ready to order?
Buy one slab or a full container — straight from verified yards.