Pallet types
Skid: the pallet with no bottom deck
Reviewed
A skid is a pallet with no bottom deck: deckboards nailed across two or more runners (stringers) so it can be forked, dragged or bolted to machinery. palletdesign.ai's 48 x 40 skid template uses 3/4 in top boards on three 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in runners for machinery and crate bases.
On this page
What is a skid?
In the industry glossaries a skid is simply a pallet without a bottom deck. It is the most basic single-face pallet: a top deck on runners, which are the skid's name for stringers. People also say "skid" loosely for any pallet, especially in shipping and trucking, so confirm which one a customer means before quoting.
How a skid is built
| Component | Typical build | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Top deck | 3/4 in boards, 3-1/2 and 5-1/2 in wide | Thicker than a pallet deck because nothing supports it from below |
| Runners | 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in (4x4 nominal) or 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 in (4x6 nominal) | Heavier runners carry machinery and give fork clearance |
| Bottom deck | None | The runners sit directly on the floor |
| Fasteners | 2-1/2 in nails or screws | Longer nails for the thicker deck; bolts for machinery |
A 48 x 40 in skid with seven 3/4 in top boards (two 5-1/2 in leads, five 3-1/2 in interior) on three 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 48 in runners uses about 18 board feet and 48 nails at the Uniform Standard minimum of 3 per lead-board joint and 2 per interior joint. It is heavier than a GMA pallet despite having no bottom deck, because the runners are solid 4x4s.
Common add-ons: chamfered runner ends so the skid can be dragged, bolt holes for anchoring equipment, tie-down points, and a plywood top in place of boards. The 48 x 40 skid page shows a full drawing and parts list.
When to use a skid
- Machinery and equipment. The load is bolted through the deck into the runners, and the skid often stays with the machine.
- Crate bases. Most shipping crates are built on a skid.
- Loads that are dragged or pushed into place, where a bottom deck would catch.
- One-way shipments of heavy, compact items where a bottom deck adds cost without helping.
When not to use a skid
- Floor stacking. With no bottom deck, the runners of the upper skid bear on narrow strips of the load below. The designer warns when a stacked load sits on a skid and suggests adding bottom boards.
- Four-way handling. Solid runners wall off two sides, so a skid is a two-way unit. Forklifts and pallet jacks enter from the ends, between the runners.
- Conveyors and racks designed for double-face pallets. Runners alone can hang up on rollers and give less bearing on rack beams.
- Retail and pooled programs that specify a double-face pallet.
Skid vs pallet
| Skid | Double-face pallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom deck | None | Yes |
| Entry | Two-way | 2-way or 4-way |
| Stacking | Poor load spreading | Good |
| Typical runner or stringer | 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in or larger | 1-3/8 x 3-1/2 in |
| Best for | Machinery, crates, dragging | General freight, racking, stacking |
See double-face pallets for the alternative.
How to specify a skid
- Size, runner direction first: e.g. 48 x 40 in, runners 48 in long.
- Runners: count, width x height, chamfered ends or not.
- Top deck: board count, thickness and widths, or a plywood panel.
- Fasteners: nails, screws or bolts, and the bolt pattern for machinery.
- Load weight and footprint: where the feet of the machine sit.
- Handling: forklift direction, crane or sling lifting.
- Heat treatment if the skid will be exported, which is common for machinery.
Machinery loads are concentrated, not uniform, so a capacity number for a skid must say where the load bears. palletdesign.ai's beam checks are indicative; confirm a heavy machinery skid with the manufacturer's analysis.
Questions
- What is the difference between a skid and a pallet?
- A skid has no bottom deck; a pallet has top and bottom decks. In everyday shipping talk the words are often used interchangeably.
- What size runners does a skid use?
- 4x4 (3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in actual) is common for machinery and crate bases, with 4x6 runners for heavier loads.
- Can skids be stacked?
- Empty skids stack fine. Loaded skids stack poorly because the runners concentrate the weight on the load below; add a bottom deck if loads will be stacked.