Although people often use the term “Pallet” and “Skid” interchangeably, they have some distinct differences. Both are platforms designed to support goods being moved or loaded by a forklift or jack, with the purpose of stabilizing the products for safe transport. Skids and Pallets perform the same function and are quite similar, yet different from each other. The choice between the two depends on the specific need and budget. Here’s the detailed list of differences between a pallet and a skid to help you determine which is better for your business.

Skids

• No Bottom Deck- Skids do not have a bottom deck. Instead, they are slats that touch the ground and support one top deck. This makes skids cheaper than pallets.
• Less Friction- As skids do not have a bottom deck, but rather multiple slats, they have less friction when you need to drag them across the floor.
• Original Pallets- While pallets have taken over many of the jobs that skids once performed, skids are the original palettes, having been designed and put into use before pallets.
• More Mobile- Because they have less friction, yet can still be picked up by forklifts, they are more mobile. Large skids are used to store machinery that needs to be moved around.
• Inexpensive- Since they take less wood or other material to make, skids are less expensive than pallets to produce and purchase.
• Easily Nests- When you need to stack skids, because they do not have a bottom board, they are easy to stack inside of one another and keep them away from tipping.

Pallet

• Top and Bottom Deck- Unlike skids, pallets have 2 decks, one at the bottom and other at the top. This makes them sturdier than skids.
• Stable- Since, pallets have a top and bottom deck, they are very stable and idle to use with the forklift, as they have less of a chance of slipping off the prongs.
• More Friction- With the full bottom deck, pallets have more friction than skids. While this is not great for dragging, it is better if you do not want your pallet to be shoved accidentally.
• Convenient Racking- Racking is the steel structure made up of frames and beams to store materials. Pallets are better for racking tank skids as they are more stable when being lifted by a forklift.
• Carry Weight- Pallets can carry more weight than the skid due to their superior design. A wooden pallet that is properly constructed can carry up to 100 kg of product.

If you are making decisions choosing between a pallet or a skid, your choices will depend on your specific needs, though pallets are more versatile. If you’ve already made up your mind for Pallets, then Geo Pallet Ltd. is the place for you. We offer Standard, Custom made and recycled pallets to suit your requirements. Visit our Website for more information.