Skid vs Pallet: Understanding the Difference and Why It Matters

Many people use the terms interchangeably, but there is a significant difference between skids and pallets, and knowing the difference can ensure you choose the best wood packaging for your requirements. Understanding these differences is essential to optimizing logistics and ensuring your products are stored and transported safely. 

Key Differences: Deck Boards 

The primary difference between a skid and a pallet lies in their deck boards. Deck boards are the surfaces goods sit on for transport.  

Skids: Skids only have top deck boards and rest directly on the ground on their stringers, much like a sled on its runners. Some even refer to the stringers as runners. 

Pallets: In contrast, a pallet has deck boards on both the top and the bottom. When a pallet is on the ground, it rests on its bottom deck boards, with the product sitting on the top deck boards, separated by stringers in between. 

Practical Uses: Skid vs Pallet 

When choosing between a skid and a pallet for your wood packaging needs, it's essential to understand their distinct characteristics and applications. 

Skids  

• Stability Concerns: Skids lack bottom deck boards, making them less stable and harder for forklifts to handle. This absence affects their overall structural stability. 

• Specialized Uses: Skids are particularly suited for heavy machinery, as they elevate equipment off the ground, making it easier to move and reposition. Historically, skids were used in challenging environments like sand and dirt due to their mobile design.

Pallets 

• Stability: Pallets are designed with deck boards on both the top and bottom, which enhances stability. This makes them suitable for safely transporting and storing a wide range of palletized products. 

• Handling: They are easily handled by forklifts and pallet jacks, facilitating efficient loading, unloading, and movement. 

• Versatility: Pallets can accommodate various weights and sizes, offering flexibility for different goods.

• Durability: They are built to withstand the rigors of transportation and storage and are compatible with racking systems for efficient space utilization. 

Pallets generally offer superior stability, versatility, and ease of handling, making them the preferred choice for most transportation and storage needs. However, skids are ideal for specific applications like heavy machinery or difficult conditions where their unique design provides practical benefits. 

Does it Matter if You Use a Skid or a Pallet?

Choosing between a skid and a pallet is crucial for warehouse and shipping efficiency and product safety. Understanding the difference also matters when communicating with your wood packaging designer. Knowing whether you need a skid or a pallet helps them create the most suitable solution for your application. 

Without this understanding, you might receive packaging poorly suited to your needs, leading to potential inefficiencies and risks. 

UFP Packaging Produces Skids and Pallets

In the skid vs pallet debate, each has its specific uses and advantages. Ensuring you choose the right one for your application is essential for effective and safe transportation and storage of your products. By understanding the fundamental differences and their practical implications, you can make informed decisions that benefit your operations. If you need guidance on selecting the appropriate wood packaging, consult a packaging designer who can steer you in the right direction.  

UFP Packaging offers custom pallets, CP pallets, GMA Standard pallets, winged and flush pallets, ISPM-15 pallets, and stringer and block pallets. We also produce custom wood skids.