What goes on a spec sheet
| Item | What to give |
|---|---|
| Footprint | Length by width in inches, for example 48 x 40 |
| Deck boards | Count on top and bottom, and board thickness |
| Entry | Two-way or four-way; block or stringer |
| Load | Static and dynamic weight the pallet must carry |
| Fasteners | Nail or screw type, if you care |
| Treatment | Heat-treated with the IPPC mark, or none |
The numbers do not have to be perfect. A rough weight and a footprint start the request, and a reply can ask for the rest.
Why new
- Nothing in the wood but the wood you ordered.
- Dimensions are exact, which matters for automated lines.
- Clean decks for medical and food-adjacent freight.
- No history of leaks, spills or odours.
Where new loses
New costs the most, and for an ordinary warehouse a sorted Grade A is often enough. If you ship one way and never see the pallet again, a new pallet is a lot to spend on a throwaway. And note that being new does not make a pallet legal for export: only the IPPC treatment and mark do.
Utah buyers
Lehi and Utah County electronics makers, Ogden medical plants and Clearfield composites suppliers are the usual new-pallet buyers, going by the freight those areas ship. See Lehi and electronics and medical devices for the shape of those requests.
Ask for a price
Send the footprint, a rough weight, the count and how often.
Checking a sample
Ask for one finished pallet before you place a large order. Hold it, weigh it, measure it against the spec sheet and tap the boards. A new pallet should be square, with boards that sit flush and nails driven below the surface. If anything is off, the sample is where to find out.
Lead time and flexibility
- Stock sizes are quicker to arrange than custom ones.
- Heat-treated stock adds a step.
- A recurring order lets a supplier plan lumber ahead of time.
- Mixing new and used in one order is possible; say the ratio you want.
Send the spec sheet items with the request and mention any deadline that drives the buy.
Species and moisture
New pallets are often built from pine, spruce or fir, and sometimes from hardwoods for heavy loads. Kiln-dried wood is stable; green wood shrinks as it dries. Ask which species is used and whether the lumber is dried, particularly if the pallets will sit on a clean line where shrinkage could loosen nails.