Tips for Keeping Your Pallets Damage-Free

If your business is like most industrial businesses, you use a lot of pallets. Unfortunately, these pallets can be costly. This is especially true if they regularly have damage and need replacement.

However, with a little care, you can easily reduce the amount of damage your pallets sustain. To keep your pallets free from harm, follow a few simple tips.

One of the common mistakes that people make is to choose cheap, low-quality pallets that are not very durable or simply not to choose the right type of pallets for the work they do. Choosing plastic pallets in high-heat operations, for example, would lead to severe pallet damage and melting.

Always think about the size and weight of the objects you will place on your pallets. From there, choose a pallet specifically designed to support the type of bulk and weight you need.

Also, think carefully about whether plastic pallets or wood pallets are the best fit for your items. The bottom line is to carefully choose high-quality pallets that will work for your specific needs.

Much of the damage that occurs with pallets is due to improper pallet racking and storage.

Fortunately, you can take the guesswork out of how to properly move, store, and rack pallets with a pallet-racking system. These electronic devices effectively and carefully handle pallets.

The key is to choose the right pallet-racking system for your type of pallets and for the amount of space you have available. By working carefully with a professional provider of pallet-racking systems, taking exact measurements of your working space, and choosing a system that works with your type of pallets, you can choose the right option.

If you choose plastic pallets, then you will not need to worry about the nails. These pallets do not require any type of nails.

When you use wooden pallets, however, you need to invest in good-quality nails to hold everything together. You could choose the best, most expensive pallets for your business, but if the nails that hold them together are not strong, then your pallets and nails will not last and important inventory or equipment could sustain damage.

Choose nails designed specifically for industrial use. Even better yet, find nails specifically made for use with pallets.

On most job sites, forklift operators pick up and handle pallets. However, improper forklift usage can easily lead to mishandling and damage of your pallets.

Thus, anyone you employ to use your forklifts should be well-trained in their use. Obeying forklift operator instructions, such as weight limits, and regularly servicing equipment can keep your pallets in great shape through years of use.

One final thing you can do to have undamaged pallets is to keep them stacked and carefully balanced when stored. Each pallet in a stack should be fully secure to the one below it. No pallet should ever wobble or have parts of it hanging off the side of another one.

Improperly balanced pallets are a recipe for damage and disaster. They can easily topple over, causing damage. Plus, a forklift cannot grab unbalanced pallets the right way, further increasing the risk of damage. Proper and even pallet stacking each time can make a big difference in the quality and durability of your pallets.

Many great ways exist to keep your pallets lasting longer. For more tips and for help finding the perfect pallet-racking system, contact the experts at Lone Star Pallet Rack. We are happy to answer all your questions and help with all your pallet needs.