Knowing how much your pallets weigh is important for calculating shipping costs, planning load configurations, ensuring worker safety, and staying within vehicle weight limits. Here's a comprehensive guide to pallet weights.
Standard Wood Pallet Weights
The most common pallet — the 48x40 GMA — weighs between 33 and 48 pounds depending on the wood species, moisture content, and construction method. Hardwood GMA pallets (oak) weigh approximately 45-48 lbs, while softwood GMA pallets (pine) weigh approximately 33-40 lbs, and mixed hardwood pallets fall in the 37-45 lb range.
Other Common Sizes
A 42x42 pallet typically weighs 35-45 lbs. A 48x48 pallet runs 40-55 lbs due to the additional lumber. A 48x42 automotive pallet is usually 36-50 lbs. European 1200x800 EUR pallets weigh 20-25 kg (44-55 lbs) due to hardwood construction.
Plastic Pallet Weights
Plastic pallets are significantly lighter. A standard 48x40 nestable plastic pallet weighs just 15-20 lbs, while a stackable model weighs 40-55 lbs, and a heavy-duty rackable version weighs 50-65 lbs. The weight savings from plastic pallets translate directly into reduced shipping costs and reduced worker fatigue.
Factors That Affect Weight
Wood species is the biggest factor. Oak pallets can weigh 30% more than pine pallets of the same size. Moisture content also plays a role — a freshly cut, green pallet can weigh 20-30% more than a kiln-dried or heat-treated one. Recycled pallets may have mixed wood species, so weights can be less predictable than new pallets of a known species.
Why Weight Matters
For shipping, every pound of pallet weight reduces your payload capacity by a pound. On a full truckload with 20 pallets, the difference between 35-lb pallets and 50-lb pallets is 300 lbs — enough for several additional cases of product. For worker safety, OSHA recommends that manual lifting be limited to 50 lbs. Heavy pallets may require two-person handling or mechanical assistance.
Our Approach
At Sacramento Pallet Co., we can sort pallets by approximate weight when weight is critical to your operation. We also offer lightweight options for applications where minimizing pallet weight is a priority. Ask us about our weight-optimized pallet selections.