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Pallets made of wood, metal, plastic, and paper are used to stack goods for shipping. Softwoods are cheaper but less durable than hardwoods. Metal and plastic pallets are stronger but heavier. Pallet designs include crossbar, block, and perimeter base.
Pallet design is an important part of the shipping industry because these bases made of wood, metal, plastic, and sometimes paper help keep goods stacked in one tight package. The traditional thin, flat wooden box made of slats, called a crossbar, is still used to stack produce, but that design is just one of many options. Other pallet designs include block pallets and perimeter base pallets.
Pallet material matters whether it is created specifically for a project, such as with a computerized pallet design system, or whether it is recycled used pallet. In pallet design, softwoods make for cheaper but more fragile pallets than hardwoods. Both are more environmentally friendly than other materials because wooden pallets can be easily repaired rather than just thrown away. Even less durable than wood, a paper shipping pallet is an inexpensive and lightweight alternative that’s perfect for cargo like plastic.
When larger loads need to be sent, shippers turn to a metal and plastic pallet design. These materials are much stronger than wood or paper, each with unique qualities. Plastic pallets are lighter than metal, very strong and often have short legs for added stability, but once these pallets break they are beyond repair. Metal pallets, usually made from aluminum or steel, are the most durable pallets for shipping and are also resistant to fire and rust. These are very heavy, however, and are inefficient when shipping is charged by weight.
Most materials, aside from paper, can be made in one of three main types of shipping pallet designs. The crossbar is the most common, consisting of three large slats at the top and bottom, enclosing a thin internal frame. The internal frame creates an open space between the slats so that a forklift jack can fit inside and easily lift the contents of the pallet. A block pallet is similar to a cross beam, except it uses more slats, typically five on each side, creating a stronger pallet.
The perimeter base pallet design is considered the strongest of all. Its odd configuration is ideal for automated industries and shipping equipment, as it only has slats on one side and an open bottom, for easier mechanical handling. The perimeter base has up to seven slats in its upper part, leaving almost no gaps or gaps along the surface.
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