Product damage during shipping can be expensive. A damaged product may mean replacement costs, delayed deliveries, customer complaints, insurance claims, and lost time throughout your operation. While packaging and handling play important roles, one of the most overlooked factors is the pallet underneath the load.
A pallet that is too small, too weak, poorly configured, or not designed for the way a product is handled can contribute to shifting, crushing, broken components, and pallet failure during transportation. Choosing the Right Pallet Design from the beginning can help provide a more stable foundation for your materials or products and reduce the risk of damage throughout the supply chain.
So, what goes into designing the right pallet?
Start With the Product and the Load
The right pallet should be designed around the product, not the other way around.
Before selecting a pallet, consider the product’s:
- Length and width
- Overall height
- Weight
- Weight distribution
- Centre of gravity
- Shape and dimensions
- Packaging configuration
- Sensitivity to movement or impact
For example, a pallet carrying several evenly distributed boxes has very different requirements from one supporting a heavy engine component or piece of industrial equipment.
Weight matters, but where that weight sits matters just as much. A concentrated load can place significantly different stresses on a pallet than an evenly distributed load. Providing accurate product and load information allows a pallet manufacturer to design around those actual conditions rather than relying on assumptions. Alberta Pallet’s custom pallet guidance specifically identifies load capacity and weight distribution as important factors when engineering a pallet.
Choose the Right Pallet Size
A pallet should support the product appropriately without creating unnecessary overhang.
When a product extends beyond the pallet’s edges, exposed areas can be more vulnerable to impacts during transportation and handling. Oversized pallets can also create their own problems if the load isn’t properly supported or balanced.
The goal here isn’t just to find the biggest pallet that will fit the product; it’s to create a footprint that provides the right amount of support for the load and works efficiently with your handling and transportation requirements.
A custom pallet can be particularly valuable when your product has unusual dimensions or doesn’t fit efficiently on a standard pallet. For businesses looking for custom pallets that Calgary companies can rely on for specialized shipments, the design process should begin with the dimensions and requirements of the product being shipped.
Deck Boards Matter More Than You Might Think
Deck boards provide the surface that directly supports the product, so their configuration can have a major impact on pallet performance. The spacing, thickness, quantity, and configuration of deck boards can be adjusted based on the load and application. A product with small contact points may require different deckboard support than a product with a broad, evenly distributed base.
Poor deckboard configuration can leave portions of a load unsupported or place excessive stress on individual boards.
Alberta Pallet uses the Pallet Design System to customize pallet components, including deckboard configurations, based on specific load requirements and handling conditions. This allows the pallet to be engineered around the application rather than simply assembled to a standard configuration.
Don’t Overlook Stringers and Structural Support
The pallet’s structural components underneath the deck are just as important as the surface your product sits on. Stringers, or the structural supports running beneath the deck boards, help determine how the pallet handles weight and how it interacts with forklifts, pallet jacks, racking systems, and other handling equipment.
The appropriate configuration depends on factors such as:
- Load weight
- Weight distribution
- Entry requirements
- Handling equipment
- Storage conditions
- Whether the pallet will be racked
- How frequently it will be moved
A pallet intended for floor storage may have different requirements from one that will regularly be lifted by a forklift or supported in warehouse racking. That’s why the Right Pallet Design considers what happens to the pallet throughout its entire journey, not just when the product is first placed on it.
Use the Right Fasteners for the Application
A pallet is only as strong as its individual components and the connections holding them together. Fasteners help secure deck boards, stringers, and other pallet components, so their selection and placement should be appropriate for the pallet’s intended use.
For demanding applications, the pallet manufacturer should consider how the fasteners will perform under the expected load, handling, vibration, and repeated movement. This is particularly important for industrial shipments where pallets may experience significant forces during forklift handling, loading, unloading, and transportation.
Rather than treating fasteners as a minor construction detail, they should be considered as part of the overall pallet design.
Design for How the Pallet Will Be Handled
A pallet doesn’t exist in isolation. It may be:
- Lifted by forklifts
- Moved with pallet jacks
- Loaded onto trucks
- Transferred between warehouses
- Stored on the floor
- Placed in pallet racking
- Loaded and unloaded multiple times
- Transported by different modes of freight
Each stage of the loading and shipping process can place different demands on the pallet. For example, a four-way-entry pallet can provide greater flexibility for forklift and pallet-jack access than a two-way design, while racking applications can require additional structural considerations.
When requesting a custom pallet, tell your supplier exactly how the pallet will be handled and stored. Alberta Pallet uses the Pallet Design System to account for specific handling conditions as part of the engineering process.
Keep the Product Secure on the Pallet
Even a well-designed pallet cannot prevent damage if the load isn’t properly secured. The product should always sit securely within the pallet footprint whenever possible, without any unnecessary overhang.
Depending on the product, additional protection may include:
- Stretch wrapping
- Strapping or banding
- Corner boards
- Edge protection
- Blocking or bracing
- Protective padding
- Specialized packaging
Strapping can be particularly useful for loads that are tall, heavy, or irregularly shaped. However, securing a product too tightly can also put pressure on exposed deck boards or vulnerable areas of the load.
The pallet, packaging, and securing method should therefore work together as one system.
Don’t Build a Pallet Stronger Than You Need
It may seem like the safest approach is to simply build the strongest pallet possible. But more material doesn’t automatically mean a better pallet. Overbuilding can increase lumber use, pallet weight, shipping costs, and material waste. Underbuilding, on the other hand, can increase the risk of structural failure and product damage.
The goal is engineered strength.
A properly designed pallet should provide the structural support your specific load requires without adding unnecessary material and cost. That’s where an engineered custom pallet can provide an advantage over simply upgrading to a heavier standard pallet.
How the Pallet Design System Helps
At Alberta Pallet, custom pallets are engineered using the Pallet Design System, a specialized design and analysis tool that allows pallet components to be configured around specific loads and handling conditions.
The system allows Alberta Pallet to customize elements such as:
- Block sizes
- Grain direction
- Deckboard configurations
- Pallet dimensions
- Load requirements
- Handling conditions
It also generates detailed drawings and specification sheets to help clearly communicate the design before production. This means your pallet isn’t simply being built because a certain size is available. It’s being designed with the intended application in mind.
When Should You Consider Custom Pallets?
Not every shipment needs a custom pallet. Standard pallets can be an excellent solution when the product, load, handling method, and storage conditions fit an existing configuration.
Custom pallets become particularly valuable when:
- Your product has unusual dimensions
- The load is unusually heavy
- Weight is concentrated in one area
- Your product extends beyond standard pallet dimensions
- You need specific forklift or pallet-jack access
- Your pallets will be stored in racking
- You’re shipping specialized industrial equipment
- You’re experiencing recurring pallet or product damage
- Your current pallet configuration isn’t using transportation space efficiently
For businesses searching for custom pallets that Alberta manufacturers can design around specialized loads, the key is to provide your supplier with as much information as possible before production begins.
What to Tell Your Pallet Supplier
The more your supplier understands about your application, the more accurately they can design your pallet. Before requesting a quote, have the following information ready:
Product dimensions: Length, width, height, and overall footprint.
Product weight: Include the total loaded weight and, where relevant, how that weight is distributed.
Handling method: Explain whether forklifts, pallet jacks, automated equipment, or other systems will be used.
Storage conditions: Will the pallet remain on the floor, be stacked, or be placed into racking?
Shipping method: Consider truck, rail, container, or other transportation methods.
Quantity and frequency: Recurring orders may require a different approach than a one-time shipment.
Destination: International shipments may have additional treatment or compliance requirements.
Providing these details early can help your supplier recommend a design that balances strength, performance, efficiency, and cost. Alberta Pallet’s own custom-pallet guidance recommends having product weight, dimensions, handling, storage, and shipping information available when developing a custom solution.
Protect Your Products From the Ground Up
Product damage doesn’t always happen because of a bad carrier or rough handling.
Sometimes, the problem begins before the shipment even leaves your facility. The Right Pallet Design gives your product a stable, appropriately engineered foundation for storage, handling, and transportation.
From deckboard configuration and stringer placement to fasteners, load distribution, and handling requirements, every component can contribute to how well a pallet performs.
For companies needing custom pallets that Calgary businesses can count on, Alberta Pallet uses the Pallet Design System to engineer custom pallet solutions around specific products, loads, and handling conditions. With more than 50 years of pallet manufacturing experience, Alberta Pallet can help you develop a pallet designed to protect your products while supporting efficient shipping and operations.
Have a specialized load or recurring product damage issue? Contact Alberta Pallet today to discuss a custom pallet solution built around your needs.