Standard 48x40 pallets handle the vast majority of shipping and storage needs. But what happens when your product doesn't fit? Whether it's oversized machinery, irregularly shaped equipment, or extra-heavy industrial components, custom pallets provide the solution.
When Do You Need Custom?
Consider custom pallets when your product overhangs a standard pallet by more than 3 inches on any side, when standard pallets lack adequate support points for your product's shape, when your load exceeds the rated capacity of standard pallets, when your product requires specialized blocking, bracing, or containment, or when standard sizes waste space in your trailers or containers.
Common Custom Configurations
Oversized pallets (up to 120" x 120" or larger) support large machinery, HVAC equipment, and industrial components. Skids (pallets without bottom deck boards) are often used for permanently positioned heavy equipment. Crates and pallet boxes combine a pallet base with enclosed sides and a lid for maximum product protection. Nestable designs use tapered or interlocking elements that allow empty pallets to stack compactly.
Specifying a Custom Pallet
When requesting a custom pallet, provide: external dimensions of the product, total weight including any packaging, fragility or sensitivity requirements, planned shipping method (truck, container, air), stacking requirements during storage and transit, and whether the pallet needs ISPM 15 treatment for export.
Material Options
Custom pallets can be made from standard lumber (most economical), plywood (good for heavy, distributed loads), engineered wood (LVL for extra strength), metal reinforcement (for extreme loads), or combination materials. Your pallet designer will recommend the most cost-effective material based on your requirements.
Our Custom Process
At Sacramento Pallet Co., we start with a consultation to understand your needs. We then design and, if requested, prototype a custom pallet for your approval. Once approved, we manufacture to your specifications with consistent quality whether you need 10 or 10,000.