Do I Need Rackable, Stackable or Nestable Pallets?

As a professional involved in manufacturing, warehousing or transportation business you come to appreciate the many benefits that come from plastic pallets. You want to ensure you have exactly the right storage system for your products. Your success depends on the choices you make. One smart move was your decision to select plastic pallets over other materials such as wood or corrugate.

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Plastic pallets are increasing in popularity. Experts predict that the plastic pallet market will have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of7.7 percent from now until 2022. Of the estimated 1.3 billion pallets circulated in the market, 4 percent are now made from plastic. Those figures are bound to increase.

There are good reasons for switching to plastic pallets. One is because regulations governing industries like food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and e-commerce require clean and hygienic environments. Additionally, E-commerce automated warehouses use plastic pallets which have extensive longevity. They are also consistent in size and tare weight and have a better long-term investment returns than wood.

For most facility owners and operators like you, it’s practical to amass an inventory of plastic pallets. There are many different plastic pallet styles available. But which kind of plastic pallets is right for you? In general plastic pallets are categorized as rackable, stackable or nestable pallets. So which one makes sense for your company? Is their a possibility that these categories can overlap? Yes, however let’s start with the basics.

Pallet Stacking or Stocking Approaches

To correctly answer the question of which style of plastic pallets to choose, it’s necessary to look at your pallet stacking approach. It’s key to correctly decide between stackable vs. rackable vs. nestable pallets. All three of the main types of pallets have specific design features that work with various uses and your space utilization will dictate your storage method.

Each method has its purpose. The two main pallet stacking methods are floor stacking and rack stocking. Floor stacking is simply placing loaded or empty pallets directly on the floor while rack stocking utilizes systems such as selective or drive-in racks to store pallet loads.

Floor stacking is the most economical pallet stacking approach. This method requires nothing more than warehouse floor space. To capitalize on floor space, you can stack pallets on top of each other, though this requires pallets specifically designed for stacking.

Rack stocking involves placing loaded pallets into a racking system composed of metal uprights, beams and sometimes wire decking. Investing in quality pallet racks can be expensive upfront, but it’s an overall solution to maximizing your warehouse area, and it saves you money in the long run. With pallet racking, you’re essentially stocking your pallets vertically, but you can easily move loads because they’re stored according to tier levels.

Floor Stacking vs. Racking Systems

Stacking your plastic pallets on the floor is a safe and timeless approach. It’s more of a product management approach than an integrated system. Making rows of pallets with aisles separating them is often called block stacking. It’s a simple and highly effective pallet storage method, especially for heavy loads.

Heavily loaded pallets require significant support. Your loads may weigh more than even the strongest rack systems and components can support. If that’s the case, you have no alternative than to floor stack.

Floor stacking is effective for the Last In-First Out (LIFO) pallet storage method. This organization approach is to place long-term storage items at the bottom or at the back of a pallet row. High demand and quick turnover products get placed on the top or front of the row.

Nestable pallets have a unique design in that they can stack upon each other like Legos. Instead of having a solid base, nestable pallets have indentations that allow them to nest into each other when stacked empty. With nestable pallets, you can stack up to four times as many empty pallets as compared to standard stackable pallets within a specific space. This design is especially helpful when you need to store unused rackable pallets in your warehouse for future use or when you need to deliver large quantities of nestable pallets to or from your facility.

The best suited plastic pallets for floor stacking are called stackable pallets. These pallets have a specific design that evenly distributes the load across the floor area, the pallet below it, or the flat surfaced load below it. The stackable pallet design makes it absolutely conducive for vertical storage or stacking from the floor up.

However, there is another alternative to vertical storage, and that’s by using a racking system. Rack systems are excellent options when you want to make the most use of a confined or limited floor area. The floor stacking approach tends to spread out loaded pallets in a lateral pattern rather than vertical. However, vertically stacked pallets are cumbersome and inefficient time-waster when you have to move certain pallets at a moment’s notice.

Racking solves the inefficiency problem. With racking systems, each loaded pallet sits on its own support. It’s free for direct picking without disturbing neighboring pallets either above or below it.

Racks are ideal for the First In-First Out (FIFO) storage method. This concept involves organizing stored pallets so they’re in a position to be immediately placed and picked without moving other pallets or sorting through inventory. FIFO methods are highly efficient and time conserving.

Properly organized warehouses and storage facilities with large volume traffic depend on FIFO organization. Racking systems are the optimal solution for a fast turnaround, but they require the right pallet design for smooth storage. The pallets have to have a structural design that supports its load while spanning from end to end.

This is where racking systems excel. The combination of specially designed rackable pallets working with uprights and beams allows for an integrated assembly. It’s where the pallets, themselves, contribute to the system’s overall structural integrity.

Pros and Cons of Racking vs. Stacking Methods

Like with most business decisions, you’ll find pros and cons to both ground stacking and racking your pallets. There is no real right way to solve storage problems. The best solution is an individual choice based on your unique needs.

The most important factor is that your plastic pallet choice has to be compatible with your storage method. For example, it’s impossible to make nestable pallets properly work with a racking system especially if it does not have a firm tight mesh wire decking or some form of solid decking to hold it up. For the vast majority of stackable pallets storing loads without some form of pallet support underneath could result in some form of catastrophic failure on the part of the pallet. This is something we want to avoid at all cost.

The key is to clearly decide what storage method you’ll use and match your pallet selection to its intended purpose. You might be in a position where you’ll dedicate one part of your facility to the stackable method and another warehouse area for rackable storage. Blending methods is fine as long as you keep your plastic pallets in the service they’re best suited for.

Comparing racking to stacking isn’t necessarily apples-to-apples. These are two distinct storage methods and need to be treated that way. Let’s look at the pros and cons of racking vs. stacking methods.

1. Racking Method

There are several advantages and disadvantages to the racking method, whether you’re edge racking or using wire decking.

Racking Method Pros

Here are some of the benefits to racking:

Excellent solution for vertical storage problems
Safe and stable vertical storage system
Maximizes warehouse floor storage area
Valuable long-term return on investment
Allows individual pallet access at all times
Best application for FIFO storage concept

Racking Method Cons

Here are some of the downsides to racking:

Considerable capital investment for initial purchase
Requires powered forklifts with extended reach
Has maximum weight capacity limitations
Needs professional sign-off for safety approval
Not suitable for pallets not designed for structural support

2. Stacking Method

There are also advantages and disadvantages to plastic pallet floor stacking.

Stacking Method Pros

Here are a few of the benefits of stacking:

Excellent solution for unlimited floor space applications
Extremely stable for heavily loaded pallets
Unlimited weight capacity including multiple pallet stacks
Inexpensive costs with relatively low initial upfront investment
No powered forklift or material handling machinery required for shorter stacks
Good system for LIFO storage organization

Stacking Method Cons

Here are a few of the downsides to stacking:

Limited vertical space use
Poor storage to floor space ratio
Poor accessibility to blocked pallets
Can be unsafe when stacked too high
Restricted to specific pallet design
Not efficient for FIFO pallet storage organization

Comparing racking to stacking is an interesting exercise. As mentioned, there is no exact right or wrong way to organize your pallet storage system. The idea is to make the most of what storage method you select. And the key is to implement the best pallet configuration that works with either the stacking or racking systems.

Types of Pallet Stacking Configurations

So far, we’ve discussed that there are three main plastic pallet configurations — rackable, stackable and nestable pallets. Again, each plastic pallet configuration is designed to conducive for specific applications.

We also discussed the two main methods for storing those pallet configurations. The first is the simple and inexpensive approach of placing your pallets right on the floor and then stacking them one on top of the other. For a more efficient and space-saving option, you can invest in a racking system that allows you the freedom to access your pallets exactly at any time.

We laid out some pros and cons for both storage options. As you saw, there are benefits and limitations with each. Your choice truly depends on your warehouse or facility operations and your long-term intentions.

At Material-Handling, we understand the issues involved in choosing between developing an effective stackable pallet storage method or investing in a top-quality racking system. We also have the knowledge and experience to help you decide on which rackable, stackable or nestable plastic pallets will provide you with a safe and efficient storage solution. Call one of our knowledgeable representatives and talk to us about your unique situation. We will discuss and present our selection of racking systems and components so you can determine the storage system that makes the most sense for your workplace.

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with our plastic pallet and racking inventory, let’s dig deeper into the three main types of plastic pallets. By using the right pallet configuration in the right application, you’ll easily maximize your storage area and receive an excellent return on your investment. Here’s a detailed look at each plastic pallet type and how you can put them into the best service possible.

1. Rackable Pallets

Rackable plastic pallets are specifically designed and manufactured to work with warehouse racking systems. Racks have three main components that make up a safe system capable of supporting pallets carrying up to their maximum designed weight capacity. These are the typical parts you’ll find in a racking system:

Uprights: These are the vertical support members. They’re also called frames or ends. Uprights carry the assembly’s static and live loads from the pallet and transfer it down to the floor.
Beams: Horizontal cross-members in a rack assembly are called step beams. These are the lateral pieces that tie the uprights together and support the loaded pallets. Beams hold the load in its place while extending rigidity to the entire rack unit.
Decks:Shelves are known as decks in the racking industry. These removable shelves rest across the rack’s beam member and add additional support to a pallet in place. Wire decks are optional as rackable pallets are designed to structurally self-support.

Being structurally self-supporting is the key element that defines rackable plastic pallets from their stackable and nestable pallet counterparts. Rackable pallets have runners, bars or stringers that run perpendicular to the rack’s beams. This design is essentially a bridge that lets the pallet float between the beam and carries the entire pallet load to transfer load points onto the beam.

Rackable pallets can work with or without wire decks. The idea of using decks in a racking system is to help load-share pallet weights. Decks allow non-bridging pallets like stackable and nestable units to work with a rack system. However, rackable plastic pallets are specifically made for rack applications.

Stackable and nestable pallets should not be placed on beams without some sort of pallet support. They’re not designed as bridges, and they’d collapse if their weight weren’t uniformly distributed. Rackable pallets have designated load points and are entirely safe as long as they’re correctly set on the rack’s beam supports and the loads they bear are within their respective capacities.

2. Stackable Pallets

While stackable plastic pallets aren’t bridge-like in their structural design, they have incredible strength in transforming uniform loads to the floor. In some circumstances, stackable pallets can be placed on rack decks and allow the deck to transfer point loads to the beams. This may work well in some cases, but you should never depend on stackable pallets to hold weight if their mid-section isn’t directly supported with some form of pallet support.

If you need to hold, move and store heavy loads directly on the floor, then stackable plastic pallets are a great choice. They are more than capable of handling the job, however, if you are looking to stack loads from the ground then please be alert to the following advice: Do not just know what your stackable pallet is capable of handling but also know what your load or product is capable of handling. For example, let’s assume you have a 3 tier level of boxes on a stackable pallet and you want to place another pallet load on top of that. Let’s further assume that the 3 layers of boxes individually weigh 10 lbs each and the content within the boxes are not very solid and do not fill the boxes to maximum cubic capacity. What do you think would happen if a stackable pallet with a 1000 lbs load was placed on top of that 3 level layer of boxes? If you answered “Crush”, then you would be correct. The stackable pallet at the very bottom may handle the load but the 3 level layer of boxes due to their density and capacity will not handle the weight. Issues like this lead to damaged product or even toppling. For stacking application we recommend that you always review and check the integrity and stability of both your pallets and loads.

In essence, stackable plastic pallets are best utilized where they have complete support underneath them while rackable pallets are designed to handle loads on racks that do not have pallet supports. Both are great for handling loads within their respective capacities so long as they are holding products according to their design and proper function.

When not in use, either rackable or stackable pallets can be neatly stacked and stored in a strategic location for future use. The challenge for some warehouses, however, is that they may have more unused pallets than available space to store them. Fortunately, there’s a solution – nestable plastic pallets.

3. Nestable Pallets

Nestable plastic pallets are space savers. That’s their intended design and practically their sole purpose. If you need to make the most use of storage space in your warehouse, then nestable pallets are the right way to go.

These compact pallet designs fit into each other when not holding loads and waiting for the next job. They nest or squeeze together because of their unique and special profile.

Nestable plastic pallets have hollow leg supports that allow a pallet surface to sit high enough off the warehouse floor or racking deck to allow lift truck tines access. This design lets nestable pallets operate as normal product support platforms the same way as rackable and stackable pallets. The difference is that nestable plastic pallets also have indentations on the surface so pallet legs can fit or nest inside each other when stored.

Most nestable plastic pallets are lightweight due to their hollow design. As such, nestable pallets have limited weight capacity and need to be used carefully to avoid overloading and causing harm. Make sure you check the manufacturer’s weight rating before loading your nestable pallets.

Nestable plastic pallets have no structural bridge capacity and can’t be placed on racks unless there’s a solid deck in place. They also have limited crush resistance. They can be set directly on the floor when fully loaded but be careful about placing multiple stacks upon a nestable plastic pallet.

Although nestable plastic pallets have weight limitations they more then make up for it with the minimal space they will utilize in your warehouse or onboard transit trucks. If your facility and transport network stores many empty pallets between load times, then you’ll benefit from investing in a quality stock of nestable pallets. For saving significant storage space, you can’t beat a nestable pallet design.

Choosing Between Rackable, Stackable and Nestable Pallets

Which plastic pallet design is best for you — rackable, stackable or nestable? Well, that depends on how you intend to use them. Each pallet type has a specific purpose. The answer is picking the right plastic pallet for the place you’re putting it into service.

There are rules-of-thumb in using plastic pallet types. These are guidelines, and it’s best to talk to a specialist before investing your valuable capital. Here’s our best online advice about what plastic pallet type is best for you:

Rackable plastic pallets: If you have invested or are about to invest in a racking system, especially an edge-racking system, then rackable plastic pallets are the logical choice. They’re designed and built to be self-supporting and transfer weights to the rack beam and upright components.
Stackable plastic pallets: For heavy loads stored low, then we suggest you buy stackable plastic pallets. You can also use stackable pallets in a rack system provided you have wire or solid decks that support the pallet’s center section.
Nestable plastic pallets: If your application does not require extra heavy loads and empty pallet storage space is a primary concern then you’ll want to take a serious look at nestable pallets. The space you maximize in your storage facility will be well worth the investment.

Pallet Storage Safety Considerations

At Material-Handling.com, we take safety seriously. Safety is a prime consideration in every facility, and that requires investing in the safest material handling equipment possible.

Plastic pallets are designed with safety in mind, however, knowing the basic design and functions of each of the pallets will help you best determine the safest pallet for your application. Here are a few plastic pallet safety tips to keep in mind:

Never substitute a stackable or nestable plastic pallet for a rackable pallet, especially when using an edge racking system.
Never exceed the manufacturer’s recommended maximum load rating.
Never overstack pallet loads regardless of weight capacity.
Always keep your plastic pallets in premium condition.
Do not use a broken or frayed plastic pallet under any circumstance.
Invest in American-made plastic pallet products that offer quality and safety.

Pallet Racking Systems

If you do choose a racking system, call us, and we’ll guide you through our components and make sure your racks are sufficient for all your pallet loads. We’ll also make sure you’re equipped with the right pallet types for all your warehouse needs. We offer a variety of uprights, frames, step beams and wire decking for all your racking needs.

Pallet Storage Options From Material-Handling.com

Material Handling is a leading American supplier of material handling products. From racks to plastic pallets and other warehousing equipment, we can outfit you with top-quality products that you can depend on for performance and safety. Call us today at 877-350-2729, and we’ll help you get exactly what you need. You can always reach us through our online contact form.