How to Protect Your Pallets During Transit?

Pallets are the backbone of the global supply chain, but they are also one of the most vulnerable points in logistics. A damaged pallet doesn’t just mean a broken piece of wood; it means a compromised load, rejected shipments, safety hazards for warehouse staff, and significant financial loss.

Whether you are shipping via LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) or full freight, protecting your pallets during transit isn’t just about wrapping them in plastic—it requires a strategy for the entire Unit Load.

From selecting the right base to mastering stacking patterns, here is how to ensure your pallets—and the goods carrying them—arrive at their destination intact.

Step 1: Inspect the Pallet Base (The Foundation)

You wouldn’t build a house on a cracked foundation, and you shouldn’t stack valuable inventory on a compromised pallet. Protecting your load begins before a single box is stacked.

Before loading, every pallet must undergo a visual inspection. A weak base is the primary cause of load failure during the vibrations and shocks of transit.

What to Look For:

• Broken Planks or Stringers: Even a hairline crack reduces the pallet’s Working Load Limit (WLL). If a forklift hits a bump, that crack can snap, causing the entire stack to topple.
• Protruding Nails: Loose nails are a warehouse nightmare. They can tear packaging, puncture products, and injure employees.
• Moisture Damage: Traditional wood pallets absorb water. A wet pallet is weaker, heavier, and can introduce mold to your cargo.

The GreenBlock Advantage: Engineered Durability

One of the most effective ways to protect your load is to switch to a pallet designed to resist these common failures.

Unlike traditional wood pallets that are prone to splitting and nail pops, GreenBlock pallets utilize a hybrid design with engineered plastic blocks.

• No “Nail Pops”: Our construction minimizes the risk of fasteners working loose during transit.
• Consistent Strength: Because we use engineered blocks rather than natural timber for the load-bearing points, you don’t have to worry about knots or rot compromising the structural integrity of the pallet.
• Moisture Resistant: Our blocks do not absorb water, ensuring the pallet maintains its strength rating even in humid or rainy conditions.

Pro Tip: Never try to “make do” with a damaged pallet. If a pallet shows signs of structural failure, tag it for repair or recycling immediately. It is cheaper to replace a pallet than to replace a rejected shipment.

Step 2: Stacking Strategies for Stability

Once you have verified your pallet base is sound, the way you stack your cartons effectively determines the fate of your shipment. A pallet is only as strong as its stacking pattern.

Most transit damage occurs not because the pallet broke, but because the load shifted or crushed under its own weight. To prevent this, follow these three golden rules of stacking.

1. Column vs. Interlocking Patterns

There are two primary ways to stack boxes, and choosing the right one depends on your cargo:

• Column Aligned (Corner-to-Corner): Boxes are stacked directly on top of one another, with corners aligned.
  • Best For: Maximizing compressive strength. The corners of a box are its strongest points. By aligning them, you ensure the weight travels straight down to the pallet deck.
  • The Risk: This stack is unstable and prone to toppling (falling over) if not tightly wrapped or strapped.
• Interlocking (Brick Pattern): Layers are rotated 90 degrees, similar to laying bricks.
  • Best For: Load stability. The unit naturally holds itself together, reducing the risk of the stack splitting apart during transit.
  • The Risk: This can reduce compressive strength by up to 50%, as the heavy corners of top boxes sit on the weaker middle sections of the boxes below.

2. Eliminate Overhang

“Overhang” occurs when your goods extend beyond the edge of the pallet deck. This is one of the biggest causes of transit damage for two reasons:

1. Reduced Strength: Shipping cartons lose up to 30% of their stacking strength when they hang over the edge.
2. Impact Damage: If the box sticks out, it—not the pallet—becomes the bumper. When the forklift pushes the pallet into a truck or rack, the product takes the full force of the impact.

The Fix: Always ensure your load fits strictly within the dimensions of the pallet (typically 48″ x 40″). If your boxes don’t fit efficiently, consider using a larger custom pallet or optimizing your packaging.

3. Low Center of Gravity

This is basic physics, but often overlooked in the rush of the loading dock. Always place the heaviest, most dense items on the bottom layers and lighter, fragile items on top. A top-heavy pallet is a tipping hazard, especially when a truck makes a sharp turn or hard stop.

Step 3: Securing the Load (Wrapping & Strapping)

A stable stack is useless if it falls apart the moment the truck hits a pothole. Securing the load to the pallet is the most critical step in preventing “load shift”—the leading cause of freight damage.

Depending on the weight and nature of your goods, you will rely on two primary methods: Stretch Wrapping and Strapping.

1. The Art of Stretch Wrapping

Stretch wrap is not just about keeping dust off your products; it is a structural component of the shipment. When applied correctly, it acts like a giant rubber band, pulling the load inward and securing it to the pallet base.

• Lock the Load to the Pallet: The most common mistake is wrapping only the boxes. You must begin by wrapping the base of the pallet itself. Capture at least 3 inches of the wooden pallet deck and the bottom layer of boxes together. This “locks” the cargo to the pallet so they move as one unit.
• The Rope Technique: For extra stability, twist the wrap into a “rope” during the first few turns around the base. This creates a high-tension band that is nearly impossible to break.
• Don’t Skimp on the Top: Spiral up to the top, ensuring a 50% overlap on each layer. Once at the top, wrap securely to prevent the upper boxes from sliding off during braking.

2. When to Use Strapping (Banding)

For heavy industrial loads, lumber, or machinery, plastic wrap isn’t enough. You need strapping to physically hold the item down.

• Polypropylene (PP) / Polyester (PET): Best for palletized boxes or brick packs. It has some stretch, allowing it to absorb shock without snapping.
• Steel Strapping: Reserved for extremely heavy, non-compressible loads like engine blocks or metal pipes.

Pro Tip: Never strap directly against a cardboard box. The high tension will slice right through the carton, damaging your product. This brings us to the next essential tool: Corner Boards.

3. Corner Boards (Edge Protectors)

Corner boards are rigid V-shaped strips (usually heavy cardboard or plastic) that run vertically along the corners of your stack.

• Increased Stacking Strength: They act as vertical columns, allowing you to stack pallets on top of each other without crushing the boxes below.
• Strap Protection: They distribute the pressure of strapping bands, preventing them from cutting into your inventory.
• Wrap Tension: They allow you to pull your stretch wrap tighter, creating a denser, more secure load without crushing the box edges.

Step 4: Preventing Forklift Damage

The forklift is simultaneously the pallet’s best friend and its worst enemy. Industry estimates suggest that the vast majority of pallet damage occurs not during transit, but during loading and unloading at the dock.

A forklift tine moving at speed carries thousands of pounds of force. If it strikes the wrong part of the pallet, it can shatter leading boards or destabilize the entire load.

1. Master the Entry

The most common damage occurs when drivers enter the pallet too quickly or at an improper angle, causing the tines to “spear” the stringers or blocks.

• Spread the Tines: Drivers should spread the forklift tines as wide as possible to fit the pallet pockets. Wide spacing stabilizes the load and prevents the pallet from rocking or sliding during transport.
• Stop the “Bulldoze”: A bad habit on loading docks is “bulldozing”—pushing a pallet across the floor rather than lifting it. This puts massive lateral stress on the pallet legs/blocks, often causing them to snap off. Always lift clear of the ground before moving.

2. The GreenBlock Solution: True 4-Way Entry

One of the biggest limitations of traditional “stringer” pallets is that they are often only 2-way entry. This means a forklift can only pick them up from the front or back. If a forklift approaches from the side, the driver has to physically manhandle the pallet to rotate it, increasing the risk of damage and injury.

GreenBlock pallets utilize a 4-way block design.

• Universal Access: Forklifts can enter from any of the four sides without obstruction. This eliminates the need to push, drag, or pivot the pallet to get the right angle.
• Impact Resistance: Traditional stringers (the long side boards) are prone to splitting if a forklift tine hits them. GreenBlock’s engineered plastic blocks are denser and more resilient than soft pine stringers, absorbing minor impacts without shattering.
• Efficiency: Because drivers can grab the pallet from any direction, loading times are faster, and the margin for error—and damage—is significantly reduced.

Here is the draft for Step 5 and the Conclusion.

This final section moves the focus from the warehouse floor to the trailer itself, addressing the final variable in transit damage. The conclusion ties everything together with a strong ROI argument and a final pitch for GreenBlock.

Step 5: Inside the Truck (Dunnage & Bracing)

You can inspect, stack, and wrap your pallet perfectly, but if it is loaded into a truck with 12 inches of empty space next to it, it will likely arrive damaged.

In transit, “voids” (empty spaces) are the enemy. When a truck brakes hard or takes a sharp turn, unsecured pallets will slide into those gaps, creating a domino effect of crushing impacts.

Fill the Void

Professional freight carriers use dunnage to immobilize cargo. If you are loading your own trucks or managing a private fleet, ensure your team is using:

• Dunnage Air Bags: These are inflatable bags placed between pallets or between the pallet and the trailer wall. They fill the void, creating a tight, unified block of cargo that cannot shift.
• Load Bars & Straps: For partial loads, use telescoping metal load bars or ratchet straps to lock the last row of pallets against the trailer walls. This prevents the “tail” of the load from falling backward during acceleration.
• Anti-Slip Mats: As mentioned earlier, placing rubber mats under the pallet can increase friction, reducing the likelihood of the pallet skating across the trailer floor.

Conclusion: A Secure Load is a Profitable Load

Protecting your pallets during transit isn’t just about following rules—it is about protecting your bottom line. Every damaged pallet represents a potential rejected shipment, a strained client relationship, and the hidden administrative costs of filing freight claims.

By following these five steps—starting with a solid base, stacking intelligently, securing the load, and loading the truck properly—you can virtually eliminate preventable transit damage.

Start with the Right Foundation 

The best stacking strategy in the world cannot save a weak pallet. If you are looking for a pallet that offers superior durability, 4-way entry for safer handling, and moisture resistance for consistent performance, it is time to look at GreenBlock.

Our engineered design provides the stable, reliable base your operations need to ensure your products arrive exactly the way they left your dock: safe, secure, and ready for sale.

Ready to upgrade your fleet? Contact Pallets LLC today for a quote on our damage-resistant hybrid pallets.