What Type of Wood Are Pallets Made Of?

Pallets are used everywhere throughout the world, but have you ever wondered what type of wood are timber pallets made of? Is it one type or are there multiple ones? There are many types of pallet wood available to pallet manufacturers in Sydney. 

Some Facts About Timber Pallets

1. Not all pallets are created the same way and not all wooden pallets are made of the same timber species. 
2. Timber pallets are not globally standardised, the main standardisations in place are the European and American, there are many other timber pallet standards used globally. 
3. Pallets are not made of scrap wood. Most pallets start out with a high grade of wood.
4. Wooden pallets are safe to use since most of them are now heat-treated instead of the earlier chemical treatment that used to be a preferred process for export pallets. 

Why Use Wood?

While there are different types of pallets now available on the market, primarily wooden and plastic pallets, the timber ones remain the preferred choice for many people who are looking to buy pallets in Sydney, for the following reasons:

• They are repairable – there is a pallet repair service
• They are recyclable
• They are sturdy
• They are more eco-friendly 
• Wood is a renewable material 

The Material

Depending on the type of standard pallets, there are different types of wood available for pallet manufacturers. For Euro Pallets, they can be made from 14 different types of approved wood. While in North America there are basically only 2 types of wood that are used. 

Softwood VS Hardwood

Hardwood is the wood from a broadleaved tree (such as oak, ash, or beech) or basically the wood that comes from a tree that loses its leaves in the fall and then regrows them in the spring. While softwood is the wood from a conifer (such as pine, fir, or spruce) or the one from a tree that never loses its leaves and stays green year-round.

Softwood is not weaker than hardwood, and they both have equal durability and strength, in many cases, the softwood species are better to build sturdy pallets with.

What Wood is Used for Pallets?

This would depend on numerous factors including the wood availability in the region, the cost of the wood which is going to be passed to the cost of the pallet, the government regulations and standardisation in place.

Pine pallets are a very popular option because pine ticks many boxes for pallet manufacturers. The same applies to oak pallets. 

With a lot to learn about pallets, consult your local pallets supplier before you buy pallets. If you are looking for affordable pallets in Sydney, contact us today for a free instant quote.