Euro pallets
EPAL gives the EPAL Euro pallet a safe working load of 1,500 kg. Browse euro pallets for sale.
How much weight can a pallet hold?
A pallet's load capacity is rated three ways, static, dynamic and racking, and the EPAL Euro pallet has a 1,500 kg safe working load. No single figure fits every pallet.
- Staticon a floor
- Dynamicon forks
- Rackingon two beams, the lowest
What are the three pallet load ratings?
The three pallet load ratings are the static load, the dynamic load and the racking load, and each one measures the weight a pallet carries in a different way of use. Palltech Pallets and BiGDUG define them the same way.
- Static load is the weight on a solid floor.
- Dynamic load is the weight while a forklift or pallet truck moves it.
- Racking load is the weight in beam racking, supported on the two long edges only.
What is the safe working load of a pallet?
The safe working load of a pallet is the weight it is designed to carry in use, set from an ISO 8611 test.
According to Universal Pallets, one pallet has more than one rating. The test gives one nominal load in kilograms for the pallet in its weakest mode, most often beam racking. ISO 8611 applies to new flat pallets, and the nominal load is a test value, not a payload rating.
How much weight can a euro pallet hold?
The EPAL Euro pallet has a safe working load of 1,500 kg, according to EPAL, and weighs approx 25 kg empty.
| EPAL load carrier | Size mm | Weight kg | Safe working load kg | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPAL Euro pallet | 800 x 1200 x 144 | approx 25 | 1,500 | EPAL |
| EPAL 3 | 1000 x 1200 x 144 | approx 30 | 1,500 | EPAL |
| EPAL 2 | 1200 x 1000 x 162 | approx 35 | 1,250 | EPAL |
| EPAL 6 half pallet | 800 x 600 x 144 | approx 9.5 | 750 | EPAL |
| EPAL 7 half pallet | 800 x 600 x 163 | approx 9.5 | 500 (in shelving racks or forklift transport) | EPAL |
| EPAL box pallet | 1200 x 800 inside, 970 high | 70 (made after 2011) | 1,500 (made after 1990; 900 before) | EPAL |
The figures are for pallets that carry EPAL marks, and EPAL publishes no racking load for the Euro pallet. Browse our euro pallets for sale.
How much weight can a wooden pallet hold?
The EPAL-specified 1200 x 1000 mm wooden pallets have a safe working load of 1,250 to 1,500 kg, and no standards body, EPAL or maker publishes a safe working load for the UK standard pallet or the CP pallets.
| Wooden pallet | Published safe working load | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EPAL 2 (1200 x 1000 mm) | 1,250 kg | EPAL |
| EPAL 3 (1000 x 1200 mm) | 1,500 kg | EPAL |
| UK standard pallet, used (1200 x 1000 mm) | no safe working load published; typical guidance is about 1,000 kg (Grade A), about 750 kg (Grade B) and 200 to 500 kg (Grade C), not a rating | Dexion (racking maker), guidance only |
| CP1 to CP9 | no figure published | none of the nine EPAL CP datasheets gives one |
We state a load on a quote only where EPAL or the maker publishes one for the exact UK standard pallet or CP pallets we supply.
Does pallet grade change load capacity?
Yes. A lower grade carries less, because worn boards and repairs weaken a pallet. Dexion's figures are typical guidance, not a rating. Grades A, B and C describe a used pallet by its visible wear and repairs, and PalletsHub states no load rating for used pallets.
How much weight can a plastic pallet hold?
Makers and sellers publish a static load of 1,500 to 7,500 kg and a dynamic load of 700 to 3,000 kg for the 1200 x 1000 mm plastic pallets we checked, according to maker listings.
| Plastic pallet build (1200 x 1000 mm) | Static kg | Dynamic kg | Racking kg | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nestable, open deck, 9 feet | 1,500 to 3,000 | 700 to 1,205 | no figure listed | Go Plastic Pallets, Pallets4Sale, Pallets Direct |
| Closed deck on 3 runners | 5,000 | 2,500 | 1,250 | Go Plastic Pallets, Pallets Direct |
| Open deck, full perimeter base | 6,000 | 3,000 | 1,500 | Go Plastic Pallets |
| Perforated, 5 runners | 7,500 | 1,500 | 1,400 | Pallets Direct |
| Steel-reinforced | 7,500 | 2,500 | 1,250 | Kaiserkraft UK |
A nestable plastic pallet carries no racking figure because makers do not rate it for beam racking. For heavy loads, see our heavy-duty plastic pallets.
How much weight can a presswood, paper or metal pallet hold?
Makers publish a dynamic load of 250 to 1,250 kg for presswood pallets, a dynamic load of 400 to 750 kg for paper pallets and a static load of 1,000 to 2,100 kg for steel and aluminium pallets, depending on the model.
| Material | Load basis | kg published for the models checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presswood | dynamic | 250 to 1,250 (static is 3 times the dynamic figure of the same model) | Inka, Pallets Direct, Scott, BiGDUG |
| Paper (honeycomb) | static, racking, dynamic | 2,000 to 3,500 static; 300 to 750 racking; 400 to 750 dynamic | BiGDUG, Pallets Direct |
| Steel | static, racking | 1,000 to 2,000 static; 500 racking | Pallets Direct and two other sellers |
| Aluminium | static, racking | 2,100 static; 1,000 to 1,400 racking | Pallets Direct (IP-Group, ZARGES) |
How much weight can a pallet hold in racking?
A pallet in beam racking is supported on two edges only, so its racking load is the lowest of its three ratings, and EPAL publishes no racking load for its Euro pallet.
Confirm the racking load for the exact pallet in writing before it goes into beam racking, and browse rackable pallets for models that list one.
How much weight can you stack on a pallet?
The bottom EPAL Euro pallet in a laden stack carries up to 5,500 kg, according to EPAL, when the stack stands on a solid, even surface.
| EPAL load carrier | Safe working load kg | Max load on the bottom pallet of a laden stack kg |
|---|---|---|
| EPAL Euro pallet | 1,500 | 5,500 |
| EPAL 3 | 1,500 | 4,500 |
| EPAL 2 | 1,250 | 4,250 |
| EPAL 6 half pallet | 750 | 1,500 |
| EPAL 7 half pallet | 500 | 1,500 |
| EPAL box pallet | 1,500 | 6,000 (capacity 0.75 m3) |
EPAL states the stacking figures apply "when stacking laden pallets on a solid, even surface", so they do not apply to a pallet on beams. No source we checked publishes a double stacking figure for the UK standard pallet or any plastic pallet.
What reduces the weight a pallet can hold?
Worn or cracked boards, moisture, and concentrated loads and overhang are the three things that reduce the weight a pallet can hold.
- Worn or cracked boards matter because a pallet with a board broken across is not exchangeable under EPAL rules.
- Moisture in wet timber lowers a rating, according to Palltech Pallets.
- Concentrated loads and overhang lower a rating, whether a load sits on a single point or hangs over the deck edge, according to Palltech Pallets.
How to choose a pallet for your load
Choose a pallet for your load in four steps.
- Weigh the loadthen add the empty pallet weight, using the pallet weight calculator.
- Name how the pallet moves and restsfloor, forklift, racking or a stack.
- Read the ratingthat matches.
- Ask the maker or PalletsHubto confirm the figure for the exact pallet. Call +44 7440 280642 or Request a quote.
Pallets by load from PalletsHub
We supply euro pallets, plastic pallets and new pallets for load work.
Plastic pallets
Makers publish a static load of 5,000 kg or more for heavy-duty plastic pallets. Browse plastic pallets for sale.
New pallets
No source publishes one load for every new wooden pallet, so we confirm the figure pallet by pallet. See each new pallet.
Pallet load capacity questions
What is the difference between static and dynamic load on a pallet?
Static load is the weight a pallet holds on a solid floor; dynamic load is the weight it holds while a forklift or pallet truck moves it, according to Palltech Pallets and BiGDUG.
Can a pallet hold its static load on a forklift?
No. A pallet on forks carries its dynamic load, the lower of the two, according to Palltech Pallets.
Do plastic pallets hold more weight than wooden pallets?
Some do on paper. Sellers publish a static load of 5,000 kg or more for heavy-duty plastic pallets, against a 1,250 to 1,500 kg safe working load for EPAL-specified wooden designs, but static load and safe working load are different tests.
What happens if a pallet is overloaded in racking?
A pallet loaded above its racking load is outside the load the maker states, and racking is the lowest of its three ratings, according to Palltech Pallets. Confirm the racking load first.
Does PalletsHub state a load rating for used pallets?
No. Used pallets vary by wear, so we state no rated load for used grades. Ask for used pallets with the grade you need and we quote it.
