Pallets have transformed the way a wide range of products are stored, protected, and transported.
So how much does a pallet weigh?
A standard pallet weighs between 30 pounds and 48 pounds.
Designed to hold huge weights, these simple, yet effective, shipping and storage containers have gradually replaced clumsy and awkward containers, such as boxes, crates, barrels, and other containers that were used in the past.
In the 1920s, pallets really came into their own as more advanced forklifts started to be used in different industries. They evolved from ‘skids’, which are very similar to pallets but do not have any bottom deck boards.
Different types of pallets are available and they are made from various materials, including wood, pressed wood, cardboard, galvanized steel, metal, and plastic.
The main types of pallets include the following:
- Flush pallets
- Stringer pallets
- Perimeter base pallets
- Block pallets
- Cargo pallets
- Wing pallets
- Euro-style pallets
- Beverage pallets
- Reversible pallets
- Double sided pallets
- Slave pallets
- POD pallets
- Honeycomb pallets
- Chep pallets
- Peco pallets
Many pallets are capable of holding items that weigh as much as 4,600 pounds, which is about one and half times the size of a car!
How Many Pallets Can You Fit in a 53-Foot Trailer?
If standard 40-inch by 48-inch pallets are used, it’s possible to squeeze 26 to 30 pallets onto the floor of a 53-foot trailer.
The height they can be stacked will depend on the height of the trailer being used and the weight of each pallet.
Fun Fact
More than half a billion pallets are manufactured every year and it’s estimated that there could be as many as 2 billion pallets in use in the United States alone! As more people and businesses become aware of the environment, more pallets are being recycled, with about half a billion pallets recovered annually to make new ones. It’s estimated that almost half of all new pallets are now made from old, recovered pallets!
Resources:
https://www.freightquote.com/how-to-ship-freight/standard-pallet-sizes
https://greenwaypsllc.com/how-much-does-a-pallet-weigh/