Colored pallets

Pallets and skids are made similarly but have some very specific differences. Learn the differences between pallets and skids by reading here.

Throughout the shipping and storage industries, small and large amounts of product have to be safely transported across far distances. Standard pallets and skids are two common solutions for these operations. The most commonly used variations of both are made of wood, although they have several specific differences. Learn about the difference between a pallet and a skid by reading below.

What Is a Pallet?

Pallets are one of the most common used tools in the storing and shipping industries. While there are pallets made out of various types of materials, one of the most common are wooden pallets. Common dimensions of a standard pallet are 48” x 40”, however, you can have them designed to custom size and shape to hold specific products. They’re built to carry up to 1000 kg of products. One of the distinct details of pallets—as opposed to skids—are that they have a bottom deck of boards. This design is mostly helpful for forklifts. With a bottom deck, you can stack and store pallets better as well. Pallets can sit flat and flush on top of each other this way, which makes them sturdier and takes up less space. Pallets stack better but skids interlock or nest.

What Is a Skid?

Interestingly, skids are the original pallet. One of the greatest differences is it has no bottom deckboards, which make it easier to drag on the floor when you’re moving them by hand. A skid is also cheaper than a standard wooden pallet since it uses less lumber. The legs offer an easier means of moving large stacks of product from one location to another. Skids are also smaller than pallets which means they take up less space, making them easier to store. Lighter than a same size pallet.

Pallets Versus Skids

When investigating the difference between a pallet and a skid, you’ll most likely be wondering which one is better. Consider what you’re storing and transporting. If you’re transporting a smaller amount of products that won’t get damaged too easily, then the lower cost for skids might be your best option. However, if you need to transport and store large volumes of product, like in many warehouses, you’ll need something extra reliable that can secure more weight. In this case, wooden pallets are the better choice. Lighter product weights used for skids and heavier ones for pallets. Skids will fail if weight becomes excessive as there are no bottom deck boards to prevent stringer collapse at the nailing interfaces.

If you’re in need of new wooden pallets for sale, consider First Alliance Logistics Management. Here you’ll find great pallet solutions for small business to larger manufacturing and distribution companies.