What Are the Key Differences Between a Skid and a Pallet?
Wooden pallets and timber skids are widely used in industry these days, notably for storing items in warehouses or for preparing finished products for their onward journey to a distribution depot. On the face of it, these two items look similar and do a very comparable job. However, skids and pallets are not the same things at all. Read on to discover the ways in which they are different as well as their similarities.
Skid and Pallet Production
A timber skid uses less wood in its production than a conventional pallet. This is because a skid only has one side on which goods can be loaded. When they are set upside-down, their cross supports face up. On the other hand, a wooden pallet has timber slats on both sides. As such, the production of a skid is quicker and cheaper than a correspondingly sized pallet. You may be buying pallets when your warehouse and logistical operations only require a skid. If so, then you should switch and start saving money immediately. This is a common issue because skids are often referred to as pallets when they are, in fact, not the same thing.
Skid and Pallet Design
As mentioned, the design of a timber skid is different from a pallet because it uses few materials. Furthermore, pallets come in two types. A stringer type of pallet can be lifted on two sides only using a forklift truck, for instance. Their construction means that three parallel sections of wood only allow the forks of the truck access from opposite sides. However, a block type of pallet uses multiple sections of wood in differing orientations meaning that access is granted from all sides. Not only is this more convenient but it means that a block pallet is inherently stronger and can cope with greater loads.
The Benefits of Skids and Pallets
Both timber skids and wooden pallets offer great advantages when it comes to handling heavy or bulky items. They increase efficiency in a wide range of industrial applications compared with the additional labour costs involved with using other systems. They integrate well with automated systems, such as pallet distribution conveyor belts and hand trucks. In fact, both skids and pallets can also be made from plastic as well as timber meaning they can be exposed to wet or humid conditions without compromising their structural integrity. Having said that, heat treating wooden skids and pallets is usually enough to meet the demands of most environments.