Metal pallets: steel, stainless and aluminum compared
Metal pallets are fabricated from carbon steel, stainless steel or aluminum, usually welded. They carry heavy or hot loads, last for years in returnable loops, do not burn and are exempt from ISPM 15. Carbon steel is the strongest and cheapest metal, stainless and aluminum resist corrosion, and aluminum is the lightest.
- Type
- Metal
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Height
- 5.50 in
Every dimension is editable. Get the drawing free, or request a quote.
Metal pallets are the family for loads that would destroy wood or plastic: heavy castings and coils, parts coming out of ovens, washdown areas, and returnable racks that run for years. The three metals behave very differently, so the first decision is which metal.
Types of metal pallets
| Type | What it is | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel pallet | Welded steel, hot-dip galvanized, powder coated or painted | Heavy industrial loads, automotive loops, outdoor storage, ovens |
| Stainless steel pallet (304 or 316) | Welded stainless, no coating needed | Food, chemical and pharmaceutical washdown, corrosive areas |
| Aluminum pallet | Usually seal-welded so it can be washed | Food processing, cleanrooms, loads handled often by hand |
Steel vs stainless vs aluminum
| Carbon steel | Stainless steel | Aluminum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength and stiffness | Highest | High | Lower per section; dents more easily |
| Weight | Heaviest | Heavy | Lightest metal |
| Corrosion | Needs galvanizing or paint | Resists corrosion | Does not rust; some cleaners attack it |
| Washdown and hygiene | Only if sealed and coated | Very good | Very good when seal-welded |
| Heat and fire | Non-combustible, highest heat tolerance | Non-combustible | Non-combustible, high heat tolerance |
| Relative price | High | Higher | Highest |
Weights depend on the design and gauge. A 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) class steel pallet typically weighs about 50 to 150 lb (23 to 68 kg); aluminum pallets of the same footprint are lighter. See the steel pallet and aluminum pallet pages for construction options and published ratings.
When a metal pallet makes sense
- Closed loops with many trips. A metal pallet costs several times a wood pallet but can last for years, so the cost per trip can fall below wood.
- Heavy or concentrated loads such as dies, coils and castings, where wood deckboards would break. See metals and machinery.
- Heat. Parts out of ovens or heat treating would scorch wood and soften plastic.
- Fire-sensitive storage, because metal does not add fuel.
- Washdown and hygiene, with stainless or seal-welded aluminum.
- Export where the pallet returns, since metal is exempt from ISPM 15.
For one-way shipments, metal is rarely economic. Compare with plastic pallets in metal vs plastic pallets.
Capacity
Metal pallets are rated by the fabricator for your load, support condition and rack span, like any other pallet. Published steel examples reach several thousand pounds static; racking ratings are lower. Ask for static, dynamic and racking ratings in writing. See pallet load capacity.
Specifying a metal pallet for a quote
- Metal: carbon steel, stainless 304 or 316, or aluminum
- Footprint, overall height and fork entry (2-way or 4-way, pallet jack access)
- Deck: solid, perforated, checker plate, grating or mesh
- Base: runners, legs, perimeter or cruciform
- Gauge or plate thickness, and finish (galvanized, powder coat, bare)
- Load weight, distribution and support (floor, stacked, racked and beam span)
- Accessories: posts, sides, stacking cups, lifting lugs, drain holes
- Quantity and whether the pallets run in a returnable loop
You can start from the steel template or the aluminum template in the design app.
Drawing and parts listEdit in the design app
Galvanized steel 48×40 template, generated from the model. Every dimension is editable.
Pallet
- Type
- Metal
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Overall height
- 5.50 in
- Classification
- 48.00 x 40.00 x 5.50, Metal, Carbon Steel, Welded, Solid Deck, Runners Base
Construction
- Metal
- Carbon Steel
- Build
- Welded
- Deck / base
- Solid deck, Runners base
- Height
- 5.50 in (5-1/2)
- Gauge
- 12 ga
- Finish
- Hot Dip Galv
- Features
- None
Requirements
- Load
- 2,000 lb, uniform
- Handling
- forklift, pallet jack
- Racking
- Not racked
- Floor stack
- 1 high
- Use
- Reusable / multi-trip
- Environment
- Standard
- ISPM-15
- Domestic only
- Certified rating
- Not required
- Food contact / fire
- No / no listing
Order
- Quantity
- Not specified
- Ship to
- —
- Needed by
- —
Frequently asked questions
Are metal pallets better than wood?
For heavy, hot, outdoor or long-running returnable loads, usually yes: they last for years and do not burn, rot or need ISPM 15 treatment. For one-way shipping they cost far too much. Most metal pallets pay back only in closed loops where they make many trips.
Is aluminum or steel better for a pallet?
Choose carbon steel for the highest capacity at the lowest metal price, and galvanize it for outdoor use. Choose aluminum or stainless where the pallet is washed, must not rust, or must be light enough to handle often.
Do metal pallets need ISPM 15?
No. ISPM 15 covers solid wood packaging only, so steel, stainless and aluminum pallets ship internationally without heat treatment or a stamp.
Can metal pallets be made to a custom size?
Yes. Unlike molded plastic pallets, metal pallets are fabricated, so custom sizes, decks, posts and lifting points are practical at low volumes.
Related
- TypesSteel pallet: welded, galvanized and built for heavy loopsA steel pallet is fabricated from carbon or stainless steel sheet, channel and tube, usually welded and hot-dip galvanized or powder coated. It carries heavy loads, lasts for years outdoors and in hot processes, does not burn and is ISPM 15 exempt. Steel pallets weigh roughly 50–150 lb (23–68 kg).
- TypesAluminum pallet: light metal for food, pharma and cleanroomsAn aluminum pallet is a welded metal pallet, usually seal-welded so it can be washed and sanitised. It is lighter than steel, does not rust, is ISPM 15 exempt, and is used in food processing, pharmaceutical cleanrooms and hot or wet processes. It is among the most expensive pallet types.
- ComparisonsMetal vs plastic pallets: steel, aluminum and plastic comparedChoose a metal pallet (steel or aluminum) for very heavy, hot, sharp or long-life loads, fire-sensitive storage, or when you need a custom fabricated size in small quantities. Choose plastic for lighter closed-loop handling, lower price, lower tare weight and standard footprints.
- GlossaryGalvanizing (steel pallets and fasteners)Galvanizing is coating steel with zinc to protect it from corrosion. Steel pallets are often hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, and galvanized nails, staples and hinges are used where wood pallets or collars see moisture.
- IndustriesPallets and skids for metals and machineryMetals and machinery rarely ship on standard pallets. Machines go on custom runner skids they are bolted to, sheet on solid-deck skids, coils on cradles or coil skids, bars on bunks. Loads of 2,000 to 10,000 lb or more on small areas are common, so each base is designed to its load.
- TypesPallet box: bulk bins, gaylords and box pallets explainedA pallet box is a bulk container with a pallet-sized base that forklifts and pallet jacks can handle: a wooden bin, a corrugated gaylord on a pallet, a collapsible plastic bulk container or a steel box pallet. The EPAL box pallet has a 1200 × 800 mm inner base, is 970 mm tall and carries 1,500 kg.
More in Other materials
- TypesPresswood pallet: molded wood-fibre, nestable and ISPM 15 exemptA presswood pallet is a one-piece pallet molded from wood fibre and resin under heat and pressure. It has no nails, nests about 2.5:1 to 4:1, weighs roughly 25–35 lb (11–16 kg) in 48 × 40 class sizes and is ISPM 15 exempt as processed wood. It comes in fixed sizes and is not rackable.
- TypesPaper pallet: corrugated and honeycomb pallets explainedA paper pallet is made entirely from paper products: a corrugated or honeycomb paperboard deck on feet of paper tubes, honeycomb blocks or folded board. It is very light (from about 4 kg, 9 lb), recyclable and ISPM 15 exempt. Ratings reach about 750–1,000 kg, and humidity reduces strength.
- TypesSlip sheet: the thin pallet alternative, sizes, tabs and materialsA slip sheet is a thin sheet of solid fiberboard, corrugated board or plastic used under a unit load instead of a pallet. A push-pull lift truck attachment grips its tab and pulls the load onto its platens. Sheets for a 40 × 48 in load are commonly 43 × 51 or 44 × 52 in with 3–4 in tabs.
- TypesPallet collar: hinged wooden frames that turn a pallet into a boxA pallet collar is a frame of four boards joined by metal hinges that sits on a pallet to form an open box. Collars stack to build height and fold flat when empty. The common European collar fits a 1200 × 800 mm pallet, is 200 mm (7.9 in) tall and has 4 or 6 galvanized hinges.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 556 words.