When it comes to purchasing wooden pallets, it’s important to consider the size you will need. Most companies in the United States use a standard 48 by 40-inch pallet, but that doesn’t work for every company. There are several details worth considering to find the right pallet sizes for your warehouse operations. For some helpful tips for choosing the right pallet size for your needs, read below.

Consider Your Product

One of the first things you need to consider when trying to figure out the correct pallet size is the product you’re storing and shipping. The product you’re handling will have a significant impact on the necessary size of your pallets. Wooden pallets offer stringer pallets for lighter loads and block pallets for heavier ones. As you’re likely to have both types of loads at some point or another, you could use a combination of these two pallets. Consider how much product will fit on the pallet, how high they are stacked, and the overall unit load. A unit load refers to the number of items assembled on a pallet.

Packing Product for Storage

Another of our important tips for choosing the right pallet size for your needs is to consider how you intend to pack products on the pallets for shipment and storage. You should consider details such as primary and secondary packaging. If you have items with large secondary packaging, you need to use pallets large enough that the product will not hang over the edges. This could create instability and cause the load to topple. Also, it’s beneficial to utilize space efficiently in your warehouse. Racking is one of the most efficient means of achieving this since it allows you to build storage upward. Make sure that your pallets fit your racks. You never want any level of overhang, as this could cause the pallets to fall and injure someone below.

Customization and Size Consideration

There are also custom wood pallets that can make it easier to order the right size. You can purchase custom-made pallets made from new wood or recycled wood to lessen costs. It’s wise, however, to remember to avoid going for too many varying sizes. Stick to a few sizes that will become the standard in your warehouse, as this will help with optimization.

Efficient and Safe Transport

A final and important detail to consider is shipping. What path will your product loads be shipped by? What kind of vehicles will be used in the transport? These questions should be present when choosing pallet sizes. You want to optimize your shipment space, and you want to place pallets loads so they’ll be secure. Loads can easily topple and cause product damage during transport if they are not stable. This is why it’s also so important to properly optimize your pallet loads. The right weight and stacking will give the load better stability during shipment.