When you are shipping your goods via freight shipping, it’s normal that your shipping company will use pallets to both pack and ship. Pallets are great for a number of reasons, and the biggest reason being that they will help protect your goods. They are also very efficient and will help maximize the trailer space. Most companies use a standard size pallet, which you can use to help pack your items and get an accurate shipping quote.
Standard Pallet Dimensions
The most common pallet sizes are:
- 48” x 40”
- 42” x 42”
- 48” x 48”
How Much Should a Pallet Weigh?
How much a pallet should weigh will depend on the size of the pallet and the materials used. No matter what size/materials you should aim to have pallets weigh anywhere from 30-48 lbs. A few pounds over, shouldn’t matter too much with the strength of the pallet.
Types of Pallets
When you use a pallet, it makes it easy for a forklift to move the items in the storage facility until the shipment is ready to be shipped. This will help ensure that no damage occurs when the shipment is being loaded or unloaded. Pallets can be made from a variety of materials and the types of pallets depend on how they’re constructed.
Most Common Pallet Types
- Two-way pallets – these pallets have forklift openings on both ends of the pallets and are also called unnotched pallets.
- Partial four-way pallets – these pallets have standard forklift openings on two ends, and the other ends, they’ll have smaller openings.
- Four-way pallets – these pallets have your standard forklift openings on all four ends.
- Stringer pallets – these pallets are built using 2” x 4” materials of either wood, plastic, or metals. They also have two-way forklift openings.
- Block pallet – these are your sturdiest pallets and are made with both a parallel and perpendicular layout which gives the pallet extra support. They have nine blocks sized either at 4” x 4” or 4” x 6”. They also have your standard four-way forklift opening.
Once you have a basic understanding of pallets you can gauge which type of pallet is best for your shipment. If you still don’t know, contact the custom crating & packing experts at Extreme Packing Solutions. We offer free estimates and want to get your shipment to its destination safely. For a free quote or if you want more information, contact us directly on our website or call us at 978-232-9190.
