Choosing the correct pallet and wrapping materials for shipping.

One of the most common ways to ship material is by palletizing it. However, depending on what you are shipping, you might need to do different things to make sure your shipment is properly stabilized and fully protected. Using good quality packaging materials helps shipments arrive safe and free of damage. There are many different products that we can use to stabilize and secure a load onto a pallet before it can be safely shipped. 

First and foremost, you must identify a sturdy pallet. Some pallets are in better shape than others. Depending on your load, you may need to use a brand-new pallet, or you may be able to get away with using an old, recycled pallet. Used pallets are typically classified as Grade A, Grade B, or Grade C.

Grade A: These pallets have nearly zero blemishes and have required no repairs.

 Grade B: These pallets have typically had damaged boards in the past that have been replaced. They are still in fine condition to transport most loads.

Grade C: These pallets are currently damaged. They have received multiple repairs and may no longer be structurally sound.

Make sure you understand where your shipment is going and what type of shape your pallet needs to be in to get your shipment to its destination safely.

Stabilizing Your Pallet: Whether you have a single box, a group of boxes, or unboxed material loaded directly onto a pallet, it is important to make sure your load is stable.  For lighter loads, stretch wrap might be the only thing you need to keep it together. For heavier loads that need additional support, you might need to utilize additional materials.

Slip Sheets: If you are stacking material or boxes on top of each other, you might want to place slip sheets between each layer. Slip sheets provide a protective layer between the products you are stacking. They strengthen the pallet and provide a grippy surface between layers so that the material does not slide around while in transit. They also help prevent stacked items from causing damage to one another. Additionally, they can be placed beneath the bottom layer of material to make for a solid base at the surface of the pallet.

Corner Boards: Are great to use when you are shipping a box or a group of boxes on a pallet. Corner boards are placed at the corners of a pallet before the stretch wrap is applied to help strengthen & stabilize the load. They can also protect the sides of the boxes from being damaged by stretch wrap that is wrapped too tightly.

Corner boards are recommended to those who plan on stacking pallets on top of each other. When you double stack a pallet without using corner boards, the weight of the entire top pallet rests on the load of the bottom pallet. If your bottom pallet is made up of single wall boxes, those boxes might not be sturdy enough to hold the weight of the top pallet. Corner boards help relieve some of the pressure off the bottom load, which makes the pallets more stackable.

Edge Protectors: Along with corner boards, many people use plastic edge protectors to help protect their loads if they are strapping the load to the pallet. Edge protectors protect the boxes from being damaged by the strapping. Unlike corner boards, which are placed vertically on each corner of the pallet, edge protectors are typically placed around the top edges of a box/load of boxes.

Protecting Your Pallet from the Elements: Along with making sure your load is stable; you need to make sure that your load is properly covered so it is not damaged by the elements. There are different types of covers that can be used to help protect loads from costly damage by keeping out dust, dirt, and moisture during shipping or storage.

Pallet Top Sheeting: Pallet top sheeting is used to cover the material at the top of a pallet. They are typically a flat poly sheet that is laid over top the load before it is stretch wrapped. The stretch wrap is used to help hold the top sheet in place.

Pallet Covers & Gusseted Poly Bags: Pallet covers & gusseted poly bags are pallet covers that cover the entire pallet. These bags are put over top of the load and protect the material from all sides. These bags are available in clear and black. Black bags are often used for security purposes so people cannot see through to the contents of the pallet.

 Need samples or help testing some of these packaging materials? Call us at 813 242 6995 or reach out to sales@quickpakinc.com