Wooden pallets are widely popular across many industries for being a cost-effective solution that can be recycled, reused and easy repaired if broken.
Pallets can be made from a variety of different woods, however, it often depends on which country they are manufactured. Pallet producers, such as ourselves, use wood from trees that have a faster rate of growth and that are constantly available. This automatically makes hardwood a less unattractive option as it comes from trees with a slower rate growth which also makes it a more expensive material. Softwood trees, on the other hand, grow faster so they have significantly more supply.
This being said, it may come as a surprise that both hardwood and softwood are used in the UK to produce pallets. In fact, the most common kinds of timber used are pine and oak, which are softwood and hardwood respectively.
The bottom line is that any wood can be used, however, three things are considered by pallet manufacturers to choose which ones will be used: the availability of the wood, the cost, and whether or not that kind of wood meets the UK regulations.
At Alpha Pallets, we specialise in the production and supply of both new and reconditioned pallets made from wood that complies with both UK and European regulations. Check out our UK and Eurosize options and call us on 01604 230579 to order your wooden pallets today. We offer a fast and free delivery service, where we aim to get your order to you within 24 hours after being placed.
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This being said, it may come as a surprise that both hardwood and softwood are used in the UK to produce pallets. In fact, the most common kinds of timber used are pine and oak, which are softwood and hardwood respectively.
Typically, they are a mixture of hard and soft woods, often oak for the load bearing parts as it is strong and southern yellow pine for the non-load bearing parts. Often pallets are also made from plywood constructed of alternate layers of hard and soft woods. Both kinds of pallets also then need heat treating.
Pallet measures of standard pallet size differs according to geography; the UK standard size is 120cm by 100cm, whilst Euro pallet size is typically smaller, with standard pallet dimensions of 120cm by 80cm, although customers often confuse the Euro standard pallet with the UK pallet size.
Pine is frequently used in pallets because it is a clean product that can be kiln dried without causing any damage. This makes it suitable for shipping and storing food products and pharmaceuticals. Oak is a considerably stronger material; however, to farm and fell oak just for pallets would obviously be expensive.
Don't be tempted to burn scrap wood i.e. old fence panels, pallets, etc; these may have been treated with wood preserver when they were made, which can give off harmful fumes when burnt in any kind of volume.
UK pallet size and Euro pallet size are usually the same, standardised dimensions: once the pallet measures within 120(cm) x 100(cm) x 220(cm) it is being classed as a standard pallet in the UK and Europe.
Pallets with an MB stamp have been treated with a highly toxic pesticide which can be necessary in certain regions of the world where there are pests that can't be eliminated by heat treatments. You should never use pallets with a MB stamp for any home project nor should they be burned.
While some pallets constructed from untreated wood can be safely burned, many pallets are treated with pesticides, fumigants, or chemicals that prevent rotting or insect infestations. Painted pallets, those visibly contaminated, or pallets marked with the letters MB should never be burned.
The type of wood – Different woods have different colors, grain patterns, and densities. This can help you identify the type of wood used to make the pallet. The weight of the pallet – Heavier pallets are usually made of hardwoods, while lighter pallets are usually made of softwoods.
The main difference between the two is their dimensions. The American pallet is bigger (1200mm X 1000mm) and heavier (30Kg aprox.), and the European pallets are a bit smaller (1200mm X 800mm) and lighter (25Kg aprox.).
Heavyweight Euros (800mm x 1200mm) can fetch the best prices of any pallet at up to £3.50, while lighter weight versions can be worth as little as 50p. Euro pallets can be easily identified by EPAL, EUR and manufacturer stamps on the blocks.
In recent times, standardization has occurred to a certain extent and we now have a widely used standard European pallet known as the EUR Pallet, Europallet or EPAL Pallet. Its dimensions are 1200mm×800mm (31.50”×47.24”) and is one of the six approved ISO Pallet sizes.
Standard pallets in the UK measure 1.2m long x 1m wide whereas Euro pallets are slightly smaller at 1.2m x 0.8m. This is because standard pallet sizes differ slightly depending on the country or region of the world where the pallets and goods are coming from.
When we talk about the standard pallet size in North America, we're generally talking about the 48” x 40” wooden pallet. The 48 x 40 wooden pallet was established as the standard-sized pallet by the Consumer Brand Association (CBA), but it took some time to get there.
For UK shippers, standard dimensions are 1 x 1.2m, whereas in the EU the average is 1.2m x 0.8m, along with an additional six types of Euro Pallets recognised by the ISO. However, Amazon recommends keeping to the UK standard of 1 x 1.2 metres.
Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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