Engineers are always looking for a better, faster, cheaper way to execute their processes. That’s what they do. So in the late 1990s and early 2000s, cardboard, or corrugated paper started replacing wood in various packaging applications. And naturally, all types of pallets needed an upgrade.
Ikea continues to be our case study for switching from wooden pallets to corrugated paper pallets, saving $193 million per year (10 percent of total) in transportation costs alone according to Change the Pallet. If cost isn’t enough, what about sustainability? Ikea also projected to reduce 20 percent of CO2 emissions per cubic meter of products transported over 5 years.
Let’s take a look at what the true differences are between wood pallets and cardboard pallets.
Typical Wooden Pallets |
Typical Corrugated Pallets |
|
Load Capacity: |
4,600 lbs |
3,000 - 15,000* lbs |
Weight: |
30 - 70 lbs |
13 - 16 lbs |
Cost for 1 Pallet: |
$10 - $25 US |
$7 - $20 US |
*by custom application
Dimensions of Corrugated Pallets vs Wood Pallets
The standard dimensions for a wood pallet are 48 x 40 inches but can range from 30 x 30 inches to 48 x 48 inches. Regardless of the exact dimensions, standard wood pallet sizes are always rectangles.
Corrugated paper pallet sizes are totally customizable to your needs by shape, size
Because cardboard pallets weigh significantly less than their wooden counterparts, they are ideal for delivering freight and fuel savings, with more room for your product in each shipment.
Safety of Corrugated Pallets vs Wood Pallets

Because cardboard pallets weigh significantly less than wooden pallets, they are much safer for workers to handle. In addition, nails, staples
Additionally, wood can start off with contaminates like insects, fungus
Paper pallets do not require these treatments to be 100 percent sanitary and are well-suited for clean room environments. Plus, these corrugated pallets are also made with non-wicking cores for added stability and moisture resistance.
Using corrugated paper pallets can reduce the hazardous materials in your facility and around your product and employees.
Recycling of Corrugated Pallets vs Wood Pallets
To recycle wooden pallets, you must take them to facilities that can shred the wood. The recyclers must also have access to metal separating tools like a magnet to separate out the nails and staples for recycling. This can quite costly.
On the other hand, feel free to bale your paper pallets alongside cardboard boxes and other corrugated packaging products. This can lower your disposal costs and can generate revenue upon proper disposal. This is a big bonus for corrugated pallets since they can generally only be used for one trip.
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Tags: Pallets
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