§ 05.3Size Guide / Pallet Types
The part everybody
ignores until
it breaks.
The pallet base is 11% of a tote's embodied carbon, 100% of its forklift interface, and the component most likely to decide whether a unit can be reused. It is also the only part of our operation where we routinely fail to achieve reuse — and we publish that number.
- Types
- 4
- Standard
- Plastic
- Best reuse rate
- Steel, 100%
- Worst reuse rate
- Timber, 71%
§ 05.3.1The four types
Compared on the things that actually matter.
| Type | Weight | Static load | Dynamic load | Entry | Service life | Our reuse rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic (HDPE/PP) | 32 lb | 4,400 lb | 2,600 lb | 4-way | 15+ years | 96.1% |
| Steel | 60 lb | 6,600 lb | 3,500 lb | 4-way | 25+ years | 100% |
| Composite | 44 lb | 5,500 lb | 3,000 lb | 4-way | 18+ years | 94.8% |
| Timber | 50 lb | 4,400 lb | 2,200 lb | 2-way or 4-way | 4–9 years | 71.0% |
Static load is the rating when the tote sits still; dynamic load is while it is being moved by a forklift. Reuse rates are our own FY2025 intake figures — the proportion of each pallet type we recover for further service.
Reuse rate by pallet type
- Steel100%
- Plastic96.1%
- Composite94.8%
- Timber71%
The timber bar is the worst number we publish anywhere on this site. Hardwood deck boards fracture and nails pull, and below a certain condition our repair economics do not justify saving the pallet. The 29% we cannot reuse is chipped to animal bedding and mulch rather than landfilled — but chipping is a material cascade, not reuse, and we call it that.
- 11%
- Of tote embodied carbon
- 4-way
- Entry on all but some timber
- 27in
- Minimum fork spread
- 29%
- Timber we cannot reuse
The pallet's share of 315 lb CO₂e.
Forklift from any side.
For four-way entry.
Chipped, not landfilled.
§ 05.3.2Choosing
Which base for which duty.
| If you need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest cost | Timber | Cheapest base, shortest life |
| Default / general industrial | Plastic | Best balance of weight, life and cost |
| Washdown or hygienic environments | Plastic | Non-porous, no harbourage, steam-cleanable |
| Food or pharmaceutical | Plastic | No splinters, no pest risk, no ISPM-15 question |
| Heaviest products (SG > 1.4) | Steel | Highest static and dynamic ratings |
| Longest service life | Steel | 25+ years, essentially always reusable |
| Outdoor long-term storage | Steel or plastic | Timber rots; plastic may embrittle in UV |
| International export | Plastic or steel | Avoids ISPM-15 heat treatment requirements |
| Lightest tare | Plastic | 32 lb versus 50–60 lb |
| Type | Primary failure | Secondary | Detectable before failure? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic | Foot cracking from forklift impact | UV embrittlement over many years | Yes — visible cracking |
| Steel | Corrosion at weld joints | Deformation from impact | Yes — visible rust and bending |
| Composite | Delamination at the deck joint | Foot cracking | Partly — delamination can be internal |
| Timber | Deck board fracture | Nail pull and rot | Often not — failure can be sudden |
That last cell matters. A timber deck board can look sound and fail under load. It is the main reason we do not recommend timber bases for anything heavy or anything stacked.
ISPM-15 and export
Timber pallets crossing international borders must be heat treated or fumigated and marked under ISPM-15. Plastic, steel and composite bases are exempt entirely, which removes a compliance step and a potential border delay.
If your totes may ever be exported, specifying a non-timber base at purchase is much cheaper than dealing with it at the port.
Pallet replacement
On most composite IBC formats the pallet base is separately replaceable. A tote with a perfect bottle and cage on a cracked pallet is a cheap repair rather than a retirement.
- Replacement bases
- Plastic, steel, composite available
- Fitted here
- Part of our reconditioning service
- Supplied loose
- Yes — see parts & accessories
§ 05.3.3Handling
Forklift entry, and the mistake that cracks pallets.
- Four-way entry means forks can enter from any of the four sides — standard on plastic, steel and composite
- Minimum fork spread for four-way entry is 27 inches; wider is better for load stability
- Forks should seat fully under the deck, not catch the leading edge of a foot
- The commonest cause of cracked plastic feet is a fork tip striking the foot during approach
- Never lift a loaded tote by the cage frame — the cage is not a lifting point
- Never drag a loaded tote across a floor; the feet take the whole shear load
- Forklift capacity needed
- Gross weight at the fork centre, not nameplate rating
- 275 gal loaded with water
- 2,418 lb
- 330 gal loaded with water
- 2,901 lb
- 550 gal loaded with water
- 4,879 lb
§ 05.3.4Pallet questions
Specifying and repairing.
Can I specify a pallet type on reconditioned stock?
Yes, within what is available in the reclaimed population. Plastic is easiest because it is the dominant type; steel bases are less common and may add lead time. We will tell you honestly what we can allocate.
Does pallet type affect the UN rating?
The pallet is part of the approved design type, so replacing a pallet with a different type can affect the marking’s validity. We only fit bases consistent with the design type on any unit we recertify. Detail on the UN/DOT ratings page.
Why do you still accept timber-palletised totes if the reuse rate is poor?
Because the bottle and cage are the valuable components and they are unaffected. We buy the unit, reuse the bottle and cage, and replace the base where the timber is beyond repair. Refusing the whole unit over its pallet would be absurd.
Are plastic pallets recyclable at end of life?
Yes — they go into our own granulation stream alongside failed bottles, since both are HDPE or PP. That is why the plastic pallet reuse-plus-recycle figure is effectively 100% even though the reuse figure is 96.1%.
Specify it upfront
Pallet type is cheap to choose and expensive to change.
Hygiene requirement, heavy product, export plans or outdoor storage — tell us and we'll allocate accordingly.