The Different Functions and Uses for Pallets – Some Known, Some Novel

Think pallet and you think of shipping. Pallets in wood, plastic, metal and paper are widely used to ship cargo inland or overseas. It forms the foundation for a load and allows for easy handling using a forklift or similar material handling equipment.

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Types and sizes of pallets

Pallets can be made from wood, plastic, metal or corrugated ply. There are different types of pallets categorized according to the method of construction:

• Stringer pallet is made by joining wooden flats, blocks, stringers, forming the frame and a deckboard is then put on top of the frame. There is a four way entry to allow forks of a forklift to handle the pallet from any direction.

• Block pallets have parallel stringers as well as perpendicular stringers and are known as four way pallets.

• Perimeter base pallets have bottom wooden supports oriented in only one direction. 

There are standard sizes of pallets such as:

• ISO pallets measuring 40x48 to 31.5x47.24 inches.

• North American pallets measuring 40x48 to 48x20 inches

• European pallets measure 800mm x 1200mm to 400mm x 300 mm

• Australian pallets, mainly used on that continent, measure around 1165x1165mm, specifically designed to fit the railway containers.

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Normal uses and functions

• Cargo that requires to be handled prior to shipping is put on a pallet and secured with shrink wrap or other methods. That makes handling easy. Fork lift trucks can slide the forks underneath the pallets and lift and shift the load.

• Pallet functions as the base and also keeps the load protected to some extent.

• Use of pallet facilitates containerization processes and fast, efficient movement of goods.

Most metal, plastic and even wood pallets can be reused unless they are damaged. Some governments insist on reuse in order to protect the environment. However, pallets are often discarded due to risk of contamination and prohibitions on reuse in some cases. In such instances the pallets find their way to the second hand market and are disposed off cheaply. Innovative people have found innovative uses for such pallets.

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All the various uses which pallets can be put to:

Use of discarded pallets is limited by your imagination and creativity!

• Temporary shelters and houses have been made of discarded pallets.

• Some people have even gone as far as making an amphitheatre and musical instruments from pallets.

• That is not all; you can join together a few pallets to make a bed. Join them lengthwise and breadth wise and stack them one on top of the other in any formation. Consider them as basic building blocks and anything is possible.

• You can make storage cabinets or tables using these discarded pallets.

• Hang them outside and they become a platform for pots and hanging creepers.

• Put them alongside each other in your garden and you have a temporary patio.

• You can make benches and tables with that rustic look for use outdoors using nothing except pallets.

• Pallets have gaps. These gaps have been exploited to make unique shoe racks and bicycle stands.

• Tie rope and suspend the pallet from ceiling hooks and you have a wonderful swing for your kid.

• You know, you can create an interesting book case using only pallets. Just polish it a little and the bookcase will shine.

• Dress up your bar with an industrial look by using pallets as bottle holders.

• Put them out in the garden and stack one atop the other and then grow plants in them. If you are a hydroponics enthusiast, pallets are the cheap and affordable way to have a number of containers.

• Use them in the kitchen to store vegetables

• Make a stand or worktable for your kids and let them cut, saw or drill on this cheap workbench.

• You can even build a small cabin for your kids in the garden using pallets boarded together. 

Pallets may contain pesticides because they undergo heavy fumigation so just be careful if at all you have to cut or saw them. Just sanding and painting or varnishing them is sufficient in most cases.

If you want to know more about these pallets then get an advice from our expert to get additional information.