How much does a wood pallet weigh?

Pallet weight matters for freight, for manual handling and for the gross weight of every unit load. It is easy to estimate once you know the pallet's board feet, species and moisture content.

The formula

weight (lb) = board feet x pounds per board foot

The pounds-per-board-foot factor depends on the species and how wet the wood is. Freshly sawn (green) lumber carries a lot of water, so the same pallet can weigh about a third less once it is dried.

Weight factors by species

These are the factors used in the examples below, in lb per board foot including nails. The mixed hardwood and SPF values are calibrated against published Pallet Design System spec sheets; the others come from species density tables.

A board foot is 144 cubic inches, so there are 12 board feet in a cubic foot. A factor of 5.25 lb/bf is the same as 63 lb per cubic foot, which is in line with published green red oak densities.

Worked example: GMA-style 48 x 40

The pallet has 13.5 board feet (see board feet for the calculation).

For comparison, a published PDS sheet for this pallet in green mixed hardwood gives 59 lb at manufacture and 37 lb at 12% moisture content.

Why green pallets get lighter

Many new pallets are built from green lumber, and they dry in service. Weight falls as moisture leaves, and the wood also shrinks slightly: roughly 1% in dimension for every 5% drop in moisture content below about 28%. That is why the Pallet Design System reports weight at manufacture and at several moisture contents (25%, 19%, 15% and 12%).

Kiln drying removes most of that water before assembly, which cuts weight and reduces mold risk. See kiln dried vs heat treated and moisture content.

What changes a pallet's weight

1. Lumber volume. More or thicker boards, bigger stringers, blocks. A 48 x 40 block pallet uses much more wood than a stringer pallet; a typical 48 x 40 block design with a perimeter base is about 21.9 board feet, or about 96 lb in green mixed hardwood.
2. Species. Oak is the heaviest common pallet species; SPF the lightest.
3. Moisture. Green vs kiln dried is the biggest single swing, around a third.
4. Fasteners. Nails are a small share of total weight; the factors above include them.

Typical weights by pallet type

Non-wood weights vary widely by model; check the manufacturer's sheet. See plastic pallets, presswood pallets and paper pallets.

Weight and freight

Weight adds up across a trailer. 26 loaded 48 x 40 pallets carry 26 pallet weights: about 1,530 lb of green GMA-style pallets, or about 1,010 lb kiln dried. For empty pallets shipped by the truckload, weight rarely limits the load before space does, but for heavy products on heavy pallets the pallet's own weight counts against the legal payload. See pallets per truckload.

How to cut pallet weight

• Specify kiln-dried lumber
• Use a lighter species where strength allows (SPF or southern yellow pine instead of oak)
• Reduce deck thickness or board count if the load allows
• Use a stringer pallet instead of a block pallet where four-way jack entry isn't needed

Check that the lighter design still carries the load in every support condition. palletdesign.ai computes weight from the parts list for each design and updates it when you change species or moisture.