How Much Does a Pallet Weigh?

Pallets give you the ability to stack items and keep them protected during transport, thanks to their durability and strength, and they also make it far easier to transport goods in bulk using a fork truck or forklift. Weighing your pallet is an important part of the process. This blog discusses why you should weigh your pallet, how you should weigh a pallet, and how much the average pallet weighs.

Why is the Weight of a Pallet Important?

The weight of a pallet is important whether you’re the one shipping or receiving the pallet. It’s a good idea to weigh your pallet before beginning to stack products. Knowing the weight means that you can subtract it from the weight of the goods when weighing, so you know the true weight of the goods.

If you're buying or selling goods based on weight, subtracting the weight of the pallet from the consignment is important because it gives you a true weight for the goods, so a price can be accurately calculated. Don't forget that when buying or selling based on weight, trade approved scales must be used.

Whether you’re transporting your pallet on a truck, plane, train or ship, each has to keep track of how much weight is on them to prevent them from being overloaded. Knowing the weight of your pallet as well as your palletised goods helps prevent this issue. Also, the weight of your entire pallet can affect the price of the transport, so this gives you the opportunity to get an accurate estimate.

How Can I Remove the Weight of My Pallet from the Scale?

In order to remove the weight of your pallet from the scale, you’ll need to utilise the Tare function. The Tare function lets you subtract the weight of an item on the scale. If you place a pallet on a platform scale, it will display the weight of the pallet. Hitting the Tare button returns the display to zero, only recording the weight of items stacked on the pallet from then on.

How Should I Weigh a Pallet?

There are a few options to choose from when it comes to weighing pallets. Let’s go over each one and how they can help make the process easier. There’s more information in this blog post if you need further guidance.

Platform Scales

Platform scales are the best scales to weigh pallets or palletised goods. This is because they are heavy-duty and long-lasting since they’re typically made from steel. Some scales like Kern’s EOS are constructed from stainless steel, making them easier to clean, less susceptible to corrosion, and even more durable in general. Before you purchase a platform scale, guarantee that you have room in your warehouse to make a designated weighing area; your scale will likely not move from its place very often. Platform scales are perfect for use with fork trucks or, if ramps are added, pallet trucks.

Pallet Weigh Beams

If you don’t have the space to designate a scale permanently, the best option is pallet weigh beams. Weigh beams can be set at the desired distance apart from one another to accommodate abnormally shaped or particularly large loads. Once you’re done using them, these beams can be stored away easily, taking up much less space than their platform scale counterparts. The most cost-effective option for weigh beams is Adam Equipment’s AELP Pallet Weigh Beam Scale, which even comes with a rechargeable battery for ultimate portability and convenience.

Pallet Truck Scale

Pallet truck scales are also portable, in fact, their purpose is to move your pallet while weighing it simultaneously. Pallet truck scales are durable and convenient, just keep in mind that they don’t offer the same accuracy of beams or platform scales. Inscale stocks one pallet truck scale, Adam’s PTS.

How Much Does a Pallet Weigh?

So, how much does a pallet weigh? The standard wooden pallet that you would find anywhere, with measurements of 122x102 cm, weighs on average between 15.9 kg to 20 kg. These pallets can handle about 2086.5 kg on top. As you can tell, while the weight of the pallet doesn’t seem like much in comparison to its load, not taring off the pallet will make you overestimate the weight of your goods.

However, wooden pallets of 122x102 cm are not the only types of pallets out there. Other common sizes include 122x122 cm and 106 x 106 cm, approximately. Some pallets have different types of construction. For example, standard pallets have “stringers,” aka wooden beams running through them with some space in between. Others may have no stringers or stringers in different configurations. Pallets may also be made of materials other than wood, such as plastic.

All these details will affect both the weight of your pallet and how you weigh your pallet, so it’s important to keep them in mind! If you are likely to be weighing palletised goods regularly and will need the weight of the goods minus the pallet, we recommend keeping a record of the types of pallets you use and their weights. You can tare off pallet weights more quickly in that case, using preset tare if your scale has this function.

Need help deciding which pallet scale is right for you? Contact the Inscale team at 01908 972660 for assistance.