Deciding what pallets are best for your company can be an overwhelming endeavor. Most companies are not large enough to staff a full-time pallet purchasing agent, so many buyers are delegated the responsibility with little understanding of the pallet world. One of the decisions that each buyer must make is what type of lumber they want their pallets built from.
The available pallet lumber options can be confusing, but this article exists to help you be better equipped to take on the challenge and succeed!
What are my lumber options for pallets?
There are many different types of lumber used for building pallets. Most pallets are built from one of the following buckets:
- High-density Hardwood (Birch, Cherry, Oak, Maple, Ash, Beech, Yellow Birch, Walnut, Elm, and Red Maple)
- Low-density Hardwood (Poplar, Willow, Linden, and Aspen)
- Softwood (Cedar, Cypress, Spruce, Pine, Hemlock, Spruce, and Fir)
- Reclaimed/Recycled (Mix)
Both the region and supply dictate what specific species in these buckets are available to you. You may not have the choice between species, but you should always have the choice between these types. Of the three types, Low-density Hardwood is the least popular for pallets.
So, what are the distinctions between lumber types?
The main differences between lumber types are the weight and weight capacity of the material.
High-density hardwood is the strongest lumber type for pallets. Because of the incredible weight capacity, much of the pallet market is filled with high-density hardwood lumber. The downside to high-density hardwood is that the lumber weighs many pounds. If your pallet application utilizes manual labor to lift, shift, and move pallets, then a high-density hardwood pallet may not be your best decision. However, if you use automation and put excessive weight on your pallets, high-density hardwood would fit the job beautifully.
Softwood lumber, on the other hand, is the weakest lumber type for pallets. Most of the time, when softwood is used on pallets, the lumber needs to be slightly thicker than a similar high-density hardwood board – to hold the weight without breaking. However, softwood's limited weight capacity does not mean it is always a worse option. Softwood-constructed pallets are very lightweight. Many companies that utilize manual labor for moving pallets value softwood pallets as much easier to maneuver manually. So, although softwood pallets have a limited weight capacity, their cumulative lightweight for operations is a valuable trait for some companies.
Low-density hardwood is the tweener between softwood and high-density hardwood. It is stronger than softwood but weaker than high-density. Alternatively, low-density hardwood is lighter than high-density but heavier than softwood. Sometimes, the jump between softwood and high-density hardwood is too significant of a tradeoff between features. Low-density hardwood offers a wonderful compromise in these cases, accomplishing strong weight capacity with less weight to handle the pallets.
Reclaimed lumber is a unique category. It actually can contain all three of the previous options. Although reclaimed is not a distinct set of wood species, it deserves discussion as its own specific category. Reclaimed lumber is the used lumber harvested from recycled pallets. It is not new and clean as compared to the previous types. However, it dominates a massive amount of the pallet market. The main reason for this is the affordable price point of reclaimed lumber. Usually, reclaimed is the cheapest price point for pallets. You are not guaranteed cleanliness, specific lumber types, or uniformity. However, reclaimed is a great affordable option if you are flexible on what you are seeking.
Other factors to consider:
Mold Potential is a crucial factor for specific industries. The medical and food industries are examples of sectors where mold is not tolerated to even the slightest degree. However, there are some industries, like building materials, that are much less concerned about the presence of mold. No company wants moldy pallets. However, your ability to tolerate the potential of mold or not will affect your lumber decisions.
The most common way to ensure the lack of mold growth in your pallets is to buy pallets built with Kiln-Dried (KD) lumber. KD lumber is the process of using heat to cook the moisture out of the fresh-cut green lumber. Mold growth thrives when the following components are sufficiently present: moisture, oxygen, food source, and the correct temperature range. KD lumber is treated to reduce moisture and, therefore, does not allow mold growth.
The other alternative is to buy pallets built of reclaimed lumber. Due to the time recycled pallets have been on the market, most of the lumber is naturally air-dried and no longer susceptible to mold. However, because reclaimed pallets could have been exposed to endless possibilities of chemicals and compounds, mold could grow from other causes.
Cleanliness is another significant factor for many industries. Reclaimed lumber is not guaranteed to be clean. In contrast, new lumber will always be clean. The only time new lumber would be considered “unclean” is when it contains a significant amount of bark. Large pieces of bark on your pallets usually mean that your pallet provider uses a lower grade (traditionally referred to as #2) lumber. Even though the lumber has minimal markings, dirt, or residue of any kind, the presence of bark can cause issues when trying to ship to some large corporations.
So, which lumber should I choose?
Lumber decisions are not always simple and obvious. Like buying a car, every upgraded feature brings about a heftier price tag. You need to identify which factors are most important to your application before deciding on the best lumber for your pallets. Consider your requirements for weight capacity, cleanliness, mold tolerance, pallet weight, and price. If you must have clean pallets, you will most likely need to exclude reclaimed. If you must have dry pallets, then reclaimed or Kiln-Dried lumber will be your best solutions.
I’ll end with some good news: Purchasing pallets can be very simple. Don’t be discouraged.
Talk to pallet companies in your area. Explain your needs and ask them what lumber options they offer to solve them. If the price is too high, consider asking how changing the lumber type would affect it. If you have issues with cleanliness, mold, or weight requirements, offer a different lumber option for them to quote.
Knowledge is power. The more aware you are of the options available to pallet companies, the more likely you will arrive at a happy solution for you and your company. Be brave. Enjoy the people and the process.