When goods are loaded into or unloaded from trucks, ships or other modes of transport, they need protection against shocks, impacts and other causes of damage when moving along the supply chain. Moreover, they also need to be able to be stored and handled with ease throughout the shipping process.
To achieve all this, logistics and shipping companies use pallets to facilitate easy shipment of unit loads.
Since they have to go through a variety of modes of transport, they need to be packed in a way that can be handled safely and with ease regardless of how and by whom they are being stored or moved.
Hence, pallets come in standardized sizes.
What are Standard Pallet Sizes?
The standard pallet size differs when it comes to both industries and countries, and also on the material used to create the pallet.
However, the Consumer Brand Association (CBA) recognizes wooden 48” x 40” pallets as the standard pallet size in North America, followed by 42” x 42” and 48” x 48”.
When the pallets are used in international trade, ISO or the International Organization for Standardization (responsible for standardizing measurements and dimensions for industries) recognizes six standard pallet sizes depending on the country.
These are as follows:
Importance of Standard Pallets
Standardization of pallets is important for a numbers of reasons, as it:
Helps to enhance the efficiency of the supply chain both domestically and internationally
Allows optimization of material handling equipment
Optimizes transportation and warehousing processes to the maximum for efficient utilization of truck and warehouse space
Provides seamless movement in the automated production processes without needing adjustments in different pallet sizes
Eases usage by multiple vendors if discrepancies exist in one of the vendor’s supplies
Types of Pallets
Here are a few pallets types that are most commonly used in international shipping:
- Stringer Pallets A stringer pallet is the most common type of wooden pallet with a unique design that adds boards or stringers to provide a more solid or study base for heavy unit loads. These come in a four-way or two-way design.
If it is a four-way, the forklifts can enter this pallet from any side, but if it is two-way, it can only enter from two sides.
Solid Deck Pallets Also known as solid top pallets, these pallets have a solid surface. These are mostly wooden pallets that require very minimal repairs and sustain minimal damage. They are great for storing or transferring small items.
Block Pallets
A block pallet, or a four-way pallet, is when the forklift can access it from all four sides. It is built for more durability and therefore requires more use of wood. To stabilize the top deck, cylindrical posts are added.
Double Wing Pallets In this pallet, the top and the bottom deck wood extends or goes beyond the stringer giving it the effect of “wings.”
They offer more surface area making the transport of a large number of goods possible.
- Double Face Pallets
- Made of decks on both the top and bottom of the pallets, double face pallets provide more sturdiness by adding a deck to the bottom as it evenly distributes the weight of the cargo or load.
When Standard Pallets May Not be Used There are times when a product may require the pallet size to be customized. This is when the standard pallet sizes cannot be used to protect the goods from loss or damage.
Depending on the product, certain specifications will have to be kept in mind while designing the custom-made pallet.
Maximum Pallet Size The biggest standard wooden pallet size used in North America is 48” x 48”, which is used to transport liquids such as oil in 55-gallon drums. In air cargo, the biggest pallet size is usually 96 inches x 125 inches.
This size may vary depending on the different airlines transporting cargo.
Loaded Pallets Loaded pallets refer to the pallets loaded or stacked onto each other on a pallet for storage and transport reasons.
The cargo is to be loaded in such a way that it remains stable and doesn’t create stress on the pallet and the other shipment stacked.
Number of Pallets That Fits in a 40ft High Cube Container Approximately around 20-21 (48” x 40”) North American pallets can fit inside a 40ft high cube container, and around 24 standard European pallets can fit inside.
Pallet Coloring and Markings
Pallets contain some markings and can be seen in different colors. These markings, colors and stamps help to provide information about the pallets and their quality.
Such as -
Pallets with no distinguishable stamps or color mean that they are used for domestic or national transportation and are not treated chemically.
International Plant Protection Convention or IPCC stamps on pallets are used for international shipping.
Colored pallets help differentiate pallet pool companies of different companies such as - Red pallets: The Pallet Exchange Company (PECO), United States of America; Blue pallets: Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool (CHEP), Australia; Red pallets: La Palette Rouge (LPR), Europe; and Brown pallets: IPP Logipal, Europe.
ISPM-15 or International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 marking indicates to the border inspection government services that the wood pallet is treated with methyl bromide or heat in obedience to the standard mentioned.
Lumber grading markings assert the quality of the lumber in use and provide vital information about the wood used, such as whether it is dried or unseasoned, the grading agency’s name, lumber grade, sawmill identification, and more.
FAQs 1. What is Standard Pallet Weight? The weight of pallets may vary between regions, but typically, the weight of a standard pallet is about 30-48 lbs.
2. What is the Height of a Standard Pallet? The height of a standard pallet is around 6”.
3. How Much Weight can a Standard Pallet Hold? A standard pallet can hold at least 4600 lbs.
