Types of Pallets: A Complete Guide to Sizes, Materials & Structures

When you think of pallets, you may not realize how crucial they are to your supply chain. After all, most goods move on some type of pallet, whether it’s in a warehouse or on a truck. However, choosing the right pallet can make or break the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your operations. Whether you’re looking to replace old pallets or setting up a system for the first time, it’s important to understand how different pallet types impact everything from load handling to operational costs.

In this complete guide, we’ll take a deep dive into pallet types, focusing on sizes, materials, structures, and more. By the end, you’ll be equipped with all the knowledge needed to make the best pallet decision for your needs.

What Is a Pallet and What Is It Used For?

A pallet is a flat platform used to support goods in storage and transportation. The design of the pallet allows it to be easily moved by forklifts, pallet jacks, or conveyor belts. Pallets are essential to the logistics industry, as they serve as the base for nearly every product transported across the globe.

Choosing the right pallet isn’t just about convenience — it’s about making sure your products are safely stored, easily transported, and efficiently handled. A pallet that doesn’t fit your needs can lead to logistical problems, wasted space, and higher operational costs.

When selecting the right pallet for your needs, think about factors like how much weight the pallet needs to carry, whether the pallet will be used in automated systems, and if hygiene standards must be met. These factors will guide you toward the right type of pallet for your business.

What Are the Different Types of Pallets by Size?

Pallet sizes can vary widely depending on the region, industry, and application. Choosing the wrong size can result in inefficiencies such as wasted truck space, incompatible racking, and slow operations. Here’s a breakdown of the most common pallet sizes:

European Pallet Size (Euro Pallet / EPAL)

Pallet sizes can vary widely depending on the region, industry, and application. Choosing the wrong size can result in inefficiencies such as wasted truck space, incompatible racking, and slow operations. Here’s a breakdown of the most common pallet sizes:

US Standard Pallet Size

The Euro pallet is the most commonly used pallet size in Europe. It measures 1200×800mm and is certified by ISO standards. The size is designed to fit two pallets side by side in a typical European truck, minimizing wasted space during transport. If you’re shipping goods within Europe or working with European suppliers, you’ll likely need to use this size.

Why it matters to you: If you’re importing goods from Europe or exporting to Europe, choosing the correct pallet size is essential. Euro pallets are the standard in this region, and ensuring you’re using them can save time and money on logistics.

Other Common Pallet Sizes

Outside of the two main standards, pallet sizes vary by region and industry:

If you’re shipping across multiple regions, confirm which sizes your warehouses and carriers can handle before you commit to a format — changing pallet sizes mid-operation is a costly fix.

What Are the Different Types of Pallets by Material?

The material of a pallet affects several key factors, such as its weight capacity, lifespan, hygiene level, and cost. Here’s a look at the most common materials used to make pallets:

Wood Pallets

Wood is still the most widely used pallet material globally — it’s affordable, easy to repair, and available almost everywhere. Hardwood pallets handle heavier loads; softwood pallets are lighter and cheaper.

One thing to watch: if you’re exporting, wooden pallets must comply with ISPM 15, an international phytosanitary standard that requires heat treatment or fumigation to prevent pest transfer. Most reputable suppliers will stamp compliant pallets with the ISPM 15 mark — always check before shipping internationally.

Wood pallets work well for general warehousing and domestic freight. That said, stricter hygiene standards and the rise of automated warehousing are pushing many operations to switch to plastic — and that shift is only accelerating.

Plastic Pallets

Plastic pallets — typically made from HDPE or PP — are increasingly the go-to for industries where hygiene and consistency matter. They don’t absorb moisture, don’t harbor bacteria, and are exempt from ISPM 15 requirements, which simplifies international shipping significantly.

They’re also dimensionally stable, meaning your automated systems (conveyor lines, AS/RS) won’t be fighting warped boards or uneven decks.

Two trade-offs worth knowing: upfront cost is higher than wood, and when plastic pallets do fail, they typically can’t be field-repaired the way wood can. For high-frequency closed-loop operations, though, the long-term cost per trip often comes out lower.

Common applications: food & beverage, pharmaceutical, cold chain logistics, export.

Metal Pallets

Metal pallets — steel or aluminum — are built for conditions where wood and plastic simply won’t hold up. Steel handles the heaviest loads and extreme temperatures; aluminum offers similar durability at roughly half the weight, which matters when you’re paying for airfreight.

These are heavy-duty pallets used primarily in automotive manufacturing, aerospace, and military logistics. They’re not a general-purpose solution — the cost and weight make them overkill for standard warehousing — but in the right environment, nothing else comes close.

Paper Pallets

Paper pallets (also called slip sheets or eco pallets) are flat, lightweight, and fully recyclable. They’re designed for light loads shipped by air, where every kilogram costs money. No forklift needed — they’re typically moved with push-pull attachments.

The limitations are real: they’re single-use in most cases, sensitive to moisture, and can’t handle heavy or sharp-edged cargo. But for the right use case — light, dry, air-freighted goods — they cut costs meaningfully.

For more information on pallet materials, check out our article: The materials of the pallets: 5 materials for enhancing operational efficiency.

What Are the Different Types of Pallets by Structures?

Structure determines how a pallet is loaded, moved, and stored — not just how it looks. These structures apply specifically to plastic pallets, and each of the four main designs solves a slightly different problem.

3-Runner Pallet

Three parallel boards (runners) run the full length of the pallet, leaving the underside open on two sides. This makes it compatible with both forklifts and manual pallet trucks — useful in mixed operations where not every warehouse has a forklift on every floor. It also handles edge racking well, since the runners provide solid, continuous support along the length.

6-Runner Pallet

Add a full perimeter frame and a cross-runner, and you get a 6-runner design. The additional contact area distributes load more evenly, which matters when you’re stacking heavy loads or dealing with uneven floors. It’s a stronger, more stable structure — at the cost of slightly more material and weight.

9-Leg Pallet

Nine individual legs instead of continuous runners. The key advantage: 9-leg pallets are nestable, meaning empty pallets stack into each other rather than sitting flat on top. That can cut return-trip storage space by 60–70%, depending on the design. Common in beverage and retail distribution, where empty pallet management is a real operational cost.

Reversible Pallet

Both top and bottom decks are identical, so the pallet can be flipped and used on either side. This doubles the usable surface and extends service life. Reversible pallets are compatible with both forklifts and pallet jacks — just confirm the entry clearance matches your equipment before ordering.

2-Way vs 4-Way Entry: What’s the Difference?

Entry direction might sound like a minor detail, but in a busy warehouse, it affects how fast your team can move and how flexible your racking layout can be.

2-way entry pallets only allow forklift access from two sides (front and back). They’re simpler and often cheaper to produce, and they work fine in straightforward in/out operations with predictable traffic flow.

4-way entry pallets — also called four-way pallets — can be entered from all four sides. This matters when your forklifts need to approach from different angles, or when your racking system doesn’t always allow a straight-on approach.

In most modern warehouse environments, 4-way entry is the default recommendation. The operational flexibility it provides outweighs the marginal cost difference, especially in high-throughput facilities where forklift time adds up.

Injection Molding vs Blow Molding: How Plastic Pallets Are Made

Both methods produce plastic pallets — but the manufacturing process creates real differences in strength, surface quality, and what environments they’re suited for.

Injection Molding

Molten plastic is injected into a closed mold under high pressure. The result is a dimensionally precise, smooth-surfaced pallet with consistent wall thickness. That consistency matters in automated systems where pallet dimensions have to be exact.

Injection-molded pallets are the standard choice for pharmaceutical, food processing, and clean-room environments. High tooling cost means the per-unit price drops significantly at volume — this is a high-volume production format.

Blow Molding

A plastic tube is inflated inside a mold, creating a hollow structure. The hollow construction actually increases impact resistance and makes these pallets handle temperature extremes well — typically rated from -40°C to +70°C.

Blow-molded pallets tend to be more durable in rough handling conditions and have a longer service life than injection-molded equivalents. The tradeoff is higher per-unit cost at lower volumes, and slightly less dimensional precision.

Vented Deck vs Solid Deck: Which One Do You Need?

Deck surface is often overlooked — but it directly affects hygiene compliance, load stability, and cleaning time.

Vented deck pallets have an open grid surface. Air circulates freely, water drains through, and temperature distribution is more even. This makes them the standard in fresh produce, cold storage, and any application where airflow around the product matters.

Solid deck pallets have a fully closed surface. There’s nowhere for liquid, debris, or small products to fall through, which simplifies cleaning and reduces product loss. They’re the preferred format for food manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and retail environments handling small or loose items.

The short version: if airflow matters, go vented. If cleanliness and containment matter, go solid.

Specialty Pallets for Specific Use Cases

Most operations run on standard pallets — but some industries need designs built around a specific problem. These two specialty formats come up often enough to know.

Spill Containment Pallets

Spill pallets are designed with a built-in containment sump beneath the deck. If a drum, IBC, or container leaks, the liquid is captured rather than spreading across your floor. In many regions, storing hazardous materials without spill containment isn’t optional — SPCC regulations and EPA guidelines mandate it for qualifying facilities.

If you’re storing chemicals, lubricants, or any liquid classified as hazardous, a standard pallet isn’t compliant. A spill containment pallet is.

Water Bottle Pallets

These pallets are purpose-built for 3-gallon and 5-gallon water bottles. The deck surface includes molded slots or raised rings that lock each bottle in position, preventing rolling during transport and reducing breakage. Standard flat pallets let bottles shift — water bottle pallets don’t.

They’re used throughout the bottled water supply chain: loading at the plant, transport to distribution centers, and retail floor display.

Printing Pallets

Printing pallets are designed to keep paper stacks perfectly aligned and consistently fed into printing machinery. By enabling continuous paper supply without stopping the press to reload, they eliminate the downtime that comes with manual paper changes — keeping production lines running and output rates high. If your operation runs high-volume print jobs, the efficiency gain adds up fast.

How to Choose the Right Pallet for Your Needs

There’s no single “best” pallet — the right choice depends on what you’re moving, where you’re moving it, and how often. Here’s how to think through it:

What’s the load? Heavy, dense cargo needs wood or metal. Light, air-freighted goods can use paper or thin-wall plastic.

What are your hygiene requirements? Food, pharma, and medical need plastic (solid deck, HDPE/PP). Standard industrial use? Wood is fine.

Are you exporting? Wood requires ISPM 15 certification. Plastic and paper skip that step entirely.

Is it a closed loop or one-way trip? Closed-loop operations (you get the pallet back) justify the higher upfront cost of plastic or metal. One-way shipments usually favor lower-cost wood or paper.

What does your facility use? If your warehouse runs manual pallet trucks, you need 2- or 4-way entry pallets with the right runner design. Automated systems need dimensionally consistent plastic pallets.

What’s the real cost? Wood pallets cost less upfront, but plastic pallets last longer and need less maintenance. Run the numbers over a full use cycle, not just the purchase price.

Not Sure Which Pallet Type Fits Your Operation? Let’s Figure It Out Together

Pallets are rarely the first thing on a buyer’s mind — but as you’ve seen, the wrong choice ripples through your entire supply chain: incompatible racking, failed compliance checks, higher per-trip costs, and operational bottlenecks that compound over time. Now that you understand the full landscape — from materials and structures to entry types and specialty formats — you’re in a far better position to make a decision that actually fits your operation, not just your budget line.

That clarity is worth something. Most sourcing mistakes happen before the first order is placed.

At CN Plast, we specialize in plastic pallets manufacturing — covering the full range of types discussed in this guide, from injection-molded food-grade pallets to heavy-duty 4-way entry designs for automated warehouses. Whether you’re navigating ISPM 15 requirements, spec’ing pallets for a cold chain facility, or simply trying to find a size that fits your existing racking, we’ve worked through these problems before.

Tell us your load, your industry, and your constraints — we’ll recommend the right type, size, and spec, and back it with a quote. No guesswork, no back-and-forth delays.

Get in touch with CN Plast today and let’s find the right pallet for your operation.

FAQ
What Are the Benefits of Using Plastic Pallets Over Wooden Pallets?

Answer:
Plastic pallets offer several advantages over traditional wooden pallets. They are more durable, hygienic, and cost-effective over the long term. Unlike wood, plastic pallets don’t absorb moisture or harbor bacteria, making them ideal for industries with strict hygiene requirements, such as food and pharmaceuticals. They are also resistant to wear and tear, ensuring a longer lifespan and fewer replacements, ultimately lowering the total cost of ownership. Additionally, plastic pallets can be cleaned easily and are exempt from ISPM 15 certification requirements for international shipments, simplifying logistics.

Why this matters to you: If you’re dealing with high hygiene standards, or require pallets that can withstand repetitive use and harsh conditions, plastic pallets are a superior choice that will save you money and time in the long run.

2. What Are the Key Differences Between Blow Molding and Injection Molding for Plastic Pallets?

Answer:
The main difference between blow molding and injection molding lies in the structure and manufacturing process:

• Blow molding creates hollow plastic pallets that are more impact-resistant and capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. This process makes blow-molded pallets more durable in rough handling environments but can have higher per-unit costs at smaller volumes.

• Injection molding, on the other hand, produces solid, precise pallets with consistent wall thickness and smooth surfaces. These pallets are ideal for industries requiring high dimensional accuracy, such as pharmaceuticals or food processing.

Why this matters to you: If your operation demands pallets that can withstand extreme conditions or impact, blow-molded pallets are the way to go. However, if precision and consistency are more critical, particularly for automated systems, injection-molded pallets would be the better option.

3. How Do I Choose the Right Pallet Size for My Warehouse?

Answer:
Choosing the right pallet size is crucial for optimizing warehouse space and transportation efficiency. Standard sizes like the Euro Pallet (1200x800mm) and US GMA Pallet (1200x1000mm) are commonly used, but industries often require custom sizes to meet specific needs. For example, the food and beverage industry typically uses 1200x1000mm, while the automotive sector may require 1200x800mm for parts handling. Always confirm the pallet size compatibility with your racking systems, dock doors, and transportation methods.

Why this matters to you: Using the wrong pallet size can lead to wasted storage space, increased shipping costs, and even delays in your operations. Ensuring that your pallet size aligns with your infrastructure will save you both time and money.

4. What Types of Pallets Are Best for Exporting Goods?

Answer:
For export purposes, plastic pallets are an ideal choice because they are exempt from ISPM 15 certification, which requires wood pallets to undergo heat treatment or fumigation. Plastic pallets meet international shipping standards, ensuring they don’t delay your shipments. They also offer better durability and can withstand the rough handling during transit without compromising the integrity of your goods.

Why this matters to you: If your business involves shipping internationally, choosing plastic pallets can simplify logistics and save you from potential delays due to certification processes for wooden pallets. Plus, plastic pallets last longer, making them a more cost-effective solution for repeat exports.