Pallet standards and sizes

Footprint is only the first question

UK 1200 x 1000mm and Euro-size 1200 x 800mm describe plan dimensions. Two pallets with the same footprint can differ substantially in board thickness, deck coverage, entry type, block or stringer construction and fastening pattern — and therefore in how they behave in racking, in a trailer, and under a heavy load.

When you specify a pallet, state the footprint, the construction if it is dictated to you, and what the load and handling actually are. A footprint alone is not a specification.

Euro-size is not automatically EPAL

EPAL is a licensed specification with its own marking and repair rules and an associated exchange culture. A 1200x800 pallet is only a licensed exchangeable pallet if it genuinely is one. Buying 'Euro pallets' and receiving unlicensed 1200x800 pallets — or vice versa — causes rejections at goods-in.

If your customer requires licensed exchangeable pallets, say so explicitly in the enquiry. If you only need the footprint, say that too; the options are wider and usually cheaper.

Choosing between materials

• New timber: predictable specification, needs treatment and marking for in-scope export movements.
• Used timber: cost-effective for domestic and one-way work; grade consistency is the thing to pin down.
• Plastic: washable and consistent, outside wood packaging treatment rules, higher initial cost.
• Presswood: light and nestable, suited to one-way lighter loads; material status should be checked per route.
• Bespoke timber bases and cases: for awkward, heavy or high-value items where a footprint does not fit.

Load ratings

We do not publish load ratings on this site. Static, dynamic and racking capacities depend on the specific build and on how the load sits, so they belong in a written confirmation against a real requirement, not in a marketing table.