Below are our top tips and tricks to help you master pallet packing:

Build your pallet outside

Firstly, always move your items, pallet, and packing materials outside before you begin creating your pallet; if you do so indoors, squeezing everything through the door will be really tough!

We recommend setting your pallet at the pickup location, so you don’t have to move the contents when the pallet arrives. It’s simply impossible to get a loaded pallet through an open doorway; there are no exceptions and building your pallet inside could result in extra courier charges.

Keep your pallet dry

If your pallet is prepared and sitting outside, you’ll want to make sure it’s protected from the elements, such as rain or snow.

However, if this isn’t an option, try covering the items with a couple extra layers of pallet wrap to keep any moisture out. If this happens, you’ll have to rebuild your pallet, so give yourself a little additional time when packing.

Heat-shrink wrap any boxes or things you wish to ship, as well as the pallet itself, as an added precaution; this will boost the protection if rain or snow escapes underneath the outer layer.

Load boxes in columns

To maximise the strength of your boxes during transit, stack them in columns; otherwise, products may fall off the pallet.

Take your time loading the boxes, starting with the heaviest and finishing with the lightest. This prevents the goods at the bottom of the pallet from being squished by those higher up.

Ensure there isn’t any overhang

Overhanging goods are a logistical no-no. As, overhang not only risks destroying your items, but it also increases the risk of damaging nearby pallets.

Oversized pallets are one pallet, but due to overhanging contents, they take up a lot more space on the delivery vehicle. Pallet couriers, on the other hand, calculate their delivery costs differently.

If your items protrude beyond the pallet, you may be charged extra delivery fees, or worse, your goods may be refused entirely.

Everything should be strapped or wrapped.

For added security, finish packing your pallet by strapping or wrapping everything. It’s the final – and possibly most crucial – step.

We recommend selecting at least one, if not all, of these alternatives to ensure that your items arrive safely at their destination.

Keedwell Scotland, in collaboration with our partner company Keedwell European Freight, provides a variety of services throughout Scotland, Europe, and the United Kingdom.

Warehousing and distribution, general haulage, freight forwarding, and same-day delivery are among the many services available. Get in touch today for more information.