Why Pallet Preparation Matters

Pallet preparation decides how well freight survives the trip and the months that follow in storage. A square, stable, labeled pallet moves through receiving and into a rack without trouble. A leaning, overhanging or unlabeled pallet may wait on the dock for rework.

Most of that work happens at the shipper, before the truck arrives.

Start With the Pallet Itself

Use a pallet in good condition with no broken boards or protruding nails. Check that its size matches what the warehouse and the receiver expect. Racks are built for certain dimensions, so an odd size may not fit.

Weight matters too. Ask the warehouse for its limits per pallet and per rack level before you ship.

Building the Load

• Stack cartons square with the pallet edges
• Avoid overhang, which crushes corners and catches on racks
• Put heavier cartons on the bottom
• Interlock layers when the carton sizes allow
• Keep the height within the warehouse’s limit

Federal storage rules require tiered material to stay stable and secure against sliding or collapse. The OSHA materials handling standard states that requirement, and warehouses apply it when they accept pallets.

Wrapping and Securing

Stretch wrap holds cartons together. Start at the base, tie the wrap to the pallet and work upward with overlap. Corner boards can add strength for tall or heavy loads.

The article on stretch wrap explains how wrap protects loads in more detail.

Labels and Pallet Preparation

Every pallet needs a label the warehouse can read. Include the item number, quantity, lot or date when tracked and any purchase order number. Place labels on at least two sides.

For mixed pallets, list every item and quantity. Otherwise, receiving staff must break the pallet down to count it.

Pallet Preparation for Special Goods

Fragile items may need dividers or top sheets. Food may need clean pallets and specific packaging under food safety rules. Hazardous materials need markings that meet federal hazmat rules.

For those products, check with the warehouse, the carrier and the relevant agency before building loads.

Checking Before Shipping

A quick inspection at the shipper prevents most problems. Check stability, wrap, labels and height. Then take a photo of each pallet before it loads.

For example, a hypothetical candle maker might photograph every outbound pallet. If the warehouse later reports a leaning load, the photo shows how it left. That record helps settle where the problem began. The guide on pallet rebuilding covers what happens when a pallet arrives unstable.