Shipping a pallet - Anyone have tips or advice?

My apologies if this has been addressed already. I have never shipped a pallet... but I want to!

Is everyone shrink wrapping your boxes to the pallet? If there are just 4 large boxes, one layer, can I just tie them on with rope? What about a cheap tarp completely wrapping the boxes together and then tying it down? I'm just trying to be cost effective and avoid a lot of money in shrink wrap if possible, even using items I already have... but don't want to be cheap and shoot myself in the foot! Also, if you used shrink wrap, where did you purchase it?

Thanks!

Walmart, Lowes, home depot, etc...

Shrink wrap is cheap and easy and you will use it again. Mike

I'll dig up a photo of that pallet. Ropes worked, but I really spent a lot of time securing that.

I'm working up another pallet to go to Gorven, and I'm doing it a little differently this time. I'll grab a photo of that.

I'm not aware of any place that sells shrink wrap or gaylord boxes within 150 miles, so you make do with what you have. But, ropes can be used. What I'm doing this time is a little easier, though

Here is the pallet that I sent out:



The Priority Mail box was used to send material in to me. Do not use unused Priority Mail boxes for this- that would be illegal. As you can see, I used a lot of ropes on it, but I had over a dozen boxes, and they were of different sizes. If you're boxes are the same size, it should be easier.

This time, I'm adding wooden sides to the pallet, basically turning it into a large box that I'll fill with my cardboard boxes. I can already tell that it's a lot more stable. I'll get photos of that when I get a chance. I'll still run a couple of ropes around the wooden structure to reinforce it, and tie the bozes down to the pallet with ropes, but it'll basically create a cage for the material.

It's a lot of trouble to go to, but it works. Gorven is right, though- if you have access to shrink wrap, use it. That stuff really does wonders!

I am the inventory manager at my job and I receive and ship pallets loads often. The best shipments we receive are bundled with a bundler or bailer (plastic straps) and straps attached to the pallet. I don't expect you will be doing that. The shipments we receive that are shrink-wrapped almost always received in great condition with the exception of poorly stacked boxes or heavier boxes stacked on top. The next has been boxes wrapped with lots of packing tape, around and around. Probably the cheapest way. I've never received one tied with ropes like matadors' so I have no comment on that. Sounds like it worked though.

When I ship a pallet load, I ALWAYS ship shrink-wrapped. I've never had a problem with the shipment. I make sure it's absolutely secure, I don't want the business I work for to lose money. I assume you don't want to lose money. It's also called cellophane wrap.

shrink wrap is also easier to remove at the destination

Shrink wrap is at wal mart, lowes, home depot, and ebay, just the places I've seen it. Mike

I knew I'd seen one roped down! I guess it depends on the size, weight, and amount of boxes for sure. I was checking prices for the shrink wrap online and pricing was all over the place. It seems like the best way to go though so I'll pick some up when I get around to packing all my boxes. Thanks all!

First off "DON"T USE ROPE" that is one of the worst pallet secures you can use with the exception of a rope net they work great.

The stretch wrap is the only way to go for multiple boxes you want to try to make it as much one item as possible. It kills me how clients will ship me thing that cost tens of thousands of dollars in cheep, old, worn-out packaging material, with barely any tape to keep the box closed. Spending .5% on packaging to the value of the continence is OK you will spend more if the pallet falls apart in transit. Also if you do have a lot of boxes you can get a small box of the plastic strapping cheap from Amazon. This works great too.

Additionally if you don't have a dock or forklift look for a small company around you that dose. I use the feed store by my house to ship from cost me $20.00 a pallet for them to put it on a truck or take it off one. This is by far the best for me the nearest dock is 45 min.

Eric