Pallets and skids for metals and machinery
Summary
Metals 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.
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Height
- 4.25 in
- Lumber
- 18.2 bd ft
- Est. weight
- 79 lb (36 kg)
- Fasteners
- 48
Design this pallet
Every dimension is editable. Get the drawing free, or request a quote.
Metal products and machines are the densest and most concentrated loads a wood base carries. A machine may weigh several tons on four small feet. A steel coil concentrates its weight along a line. A bundle of bar stock is long and flexible. The base is usually custom, and its job is as much to anchor the load and give forklift or crane access as to carry it.
Which bases do metals and machinery use?
| Product | Typical base | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Machinery and equipment | Custom skid with heavy runners (often 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in or larger), bolted to the machine | Bolting points, forklift entry, can be dragged into position |
| Sheet and plate | Solid-deck skid or heavy pallet sized to the sheet | Full support, no board marks on finished surfaces |
| Coils (eye vertical) | Flat coil skid, often square, with a solid or near-solid deck | Coil sits on its face |
| Coils (eye horizontal) | Cradle or saddle with chocks | Stops the coil rolling |
| Bars, tubes, extrusions | Bunks and dunnage, strapped | Long products, forklift access at intervals |
| Castings, forgings, parts | Steel pallets, steel bins or heavy wood pallets | Heavy, sharp, oily; long service in-plant |
| Fasteners and small parts | Heavy 48 × 40 in pallets, pallet boxes | Very dense small loads |
| Export machinery | ISPM 15 HT skids and crates | Phytosanitary rules |
See pallet vs skid and the skid template, which uses 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in runners.
Common requirements
- Design to the load. Standard ratings assume a uniform load. Machines, coils and castings are concentrated loads. Put runners or stringers directly under feet, mounting points and coil contact lines.
- Anchoring. Machines are bolted to runners and braced; coils are chocked and banded. The skid must be deep enough for bolt embedment and wide enough for bolt edge distances.
- Handling access. Forklift entry at the right side, clear openings for long tines, and positions for crane slings or lifting bars. Tall or top-heavy machines need wider runner spacing for stability.
- Material. Dense hardwood runners for heavy loads; steel pallets for heavy, hot, oily or outdoor in-plant loops; plywood decks where a flat solid surface is needed.
- Corrosion protection. Dry lumber and vapor barriers for bright metal surfaces; wet wood can stain or corrode finished steel.
- Export. All solid wood, including blocking, bracing and dunnage, must be ISPM 15 treated and marked.
Typical loads and weights
| Load | Typical weight range (estimates) |
|---|---|
| Machine tools and equipment | 1,000 to 20,000 lb and more |
| Steel sheet or plate bundle | 2,000 to 10,000 lb |
| Steel coil (light gauge, narrow) | 2,000 to 10,000 lb; larger coils much more |
| Castings and forgings on steel pallets | 1,000 to 6,000 lb |
| Boxed fasteners | 2,000 to 3,000 lb on a 48 × 40 in pallet |
Very heavy items exceed what a typical pallet shop builds without engineering. For those, ask for a design analysis and specify the lifting method.
Common pitfalls
- Using a standard pallet under a machine. Feet punch through deckboards; the pallet fails when forked.
- Runners in the wrong place. Loads between runners bend the deck; loads outside the runners tip the skid.
- Short bolts or bolts near board edges. Machines shift in transit.
- Wet lumber against bright metal. Staining and rust on finished surfaces.
- Forgetting the unloading site. A skid built for a forklift at the plant may meet a pallet jack or a crane at the customer.
- Unmarked blocking and bracing on export shipments. A common cause of held containers.
Spec checklist for a quote
- Product description, weight and center of gravity; drawings of feet or mounting points
- Base type: skid, pallet, coil skid or cradle, bunks
- Footprint and height; runner size, count and spacing; deck type (boards, plywood, solid)
- Anchoring: bolt size and positions, blocking and bracing, banding
- Handling: forklift direction and tine length, crane or sling points, pallet jack
- Environment: indoor, outdoor, corrosive, oily; vapor barrier
- Material: hardwood species, plywood grade, or steel
- ISPM 15 HT for export, including crate and bracing
- Quantity (often one-offs or small batches) and lead time
The skid template and steel pallet template are starting points; for machinery, attach a drawing of the machine base to your quote request.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a skid and a pallet?
A skid has runners (stringers) and a top deck but no bottom deck. It slides and can be dragged, and it is common under machinery. A pallet has a bottom deck as well. See pallet vs skid.
How are machines fastened to a skid?
Usually with lag bolts or through-bolts into the runners, through the machine's feet or mounting holes, plus blocking and bracing. The runners must be sized and placed under the mounting points.
What pallet do steel coils ship on?
Coils ship eye-vertical on flat coil skids or eye-horizontal in cradles (saddles) with chocks, depending on coil size and handling. Both are built to the coil diameter and weight.
Do machinery skids need ISPM 15?
Yes, for export, if they are made of solid wood. All solid wood in the crate, skid, blocking and bracing needs treatment and marks. Plywood and OSB components are exempt.
Sources and references
- ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (IPPC)
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (Woodpack Global, formerly NWPCA)
Related
- TypesSkid: what it is, how it differs from a pallet, and how to spec oneStrictly, a skid is a pallet with no bottom deck: a top deck fastened to runners, often 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in (a nominal 4 × 4). Skids carry machinery, crates and heavy loads that are dragged or bolted down. In everyday freight speech, especially in Canada and LTL shipping, skid often just means pallet.
- 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).
- ComparisonsPallet vs skid: what is the difference?A skid is a platform with a top deck on runners and no bottom deck; a pallet has a bottom deck too. Choose a skid for heavy machinery, crate bases and loads that are dragged or bolted down. Choose a pallet for stacked, racked or conveyed loads and standard warehouse handling.
- GlossaryRunner (pallet and skid)A runner is a continuous member along the bottom of a pallet or skid that rests on the floor. On skids it is the heavy stringer; on block and plastic pallets it is a bottom board or rail joining the blocks or feet in one direction.
- GlossaryConcentrated loadA concentrated load is a load that bears on one or a few small areas of the pallet deck instead of spreading over it, such as drums, machinery feet or a coil. It usually gives a much lower safe load than the same weight spread evenly.
- GlossarySingle-face palletA single-face pallet has only one deck, the top deck, fastened to stringers or blocks, with no bottom deckboards. A skid is a single-face pallet.
- TypesSkid: what it is, how it differs from a pallet, and how to spec oneStrictly, a skid is a pallet with no bottom deck: a top deck fastened to runners, often 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in (a nominal 4 × 4). Skids carry machinery, crates and heavy loads that are dragged or bolted down. In everyday freight speech, especially in Canada and LTL shipping, skid often just means pallet.
- TypesExport pallets: ISPM 15, container sizes and material choicesAn export pallet must meet ISPM 15 (heat-treated and marked wood, or an exempt material such as plastic, presswood, paper or metal), fit the container and the consignee's equipment, and usually be cheap enough to lose. Common choices are HT wood, 45 × 45 in or 1200 × 1000 mm footprints, and nestable plastic.
More in Industries
- IndustriesPallets for food and beverage manufacturingFood companies run two pallet systems: hygienic plastic or aluminum inside wet and open-product areas, and 48 × 40 in wood or pooled pallets for cased goods. The FDA Sanitary Transportation rule requires suitable, cleanable, sanitary pallets but does not mandate a material.
- IndustriesPallets for grocery and consumer goodsGrocery runs on the 48 × 40 in pallet: GMA-style stringer pallets or pooled block pallets (CHEP, PECO, iGPS plastic). Retailers set the rules in vendor guides: footprint, entry, condition, height, weight and labels, and some accept pooled pallets only. Check each retailer's current guide.
- IndustriesPallets for pharmaceutical and healthcare productsPharmaceutical plants keep wood out of cleanrooms and GMP areas and use hygienic plastic (closed deck, washable) or aluminum there. Finished goods ship on 48 × 40 in or 1200 × 800 mm wood or plastic pallets to meet distribution, cold-chain and customer rules. The quality system, not a law, sets the material.
- IndustriesPallets for the chemical and plastics industryChemical loads (drums, pails, IBCs and 25 kg bags) need heavier, tighter-decked pallets than grocery. Europe uses the CP1 to CP9 block pallets; North America uses 48 × 48 in drum pallets, 42 × 42 and 44 × 44 in sizes and heavy 48 × 40s. Deck gaps and load type matter as much as weight.
- IndustriesPallets for the automotive industryAutomotive supply chains run on returnable plastic pallets, bulk containers and steel racks that cycle between suppliers and plants. OEM packaging guidelines set the footprints; 48 × 45 in is a common automotive size in North America. One-way wood pallets and ISPM 15 crates cover service parts and export.
- IndustriesPallets for beverages: water, soft drinks, beer and spiritsA pallet of bottled water commonly weighs 2,100 to 2,500 lb, and canned drinks and beer 1,500 to 2,200 lb. Most North American beverage loads ship on 48 × 40 in pooled or GMA-style pallets, plus 48 × 20 in half pallets for store delivery. Stiff decks, tier sheets and good wrap prevent crushed loads.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 763 words.