New pallets are built from all-new lumber and have never shipped on, usually to a spec sheet covering size, deck boards and fasteners. They are the choice when a customer specifies new wood, or when a load has to meet a standard that used stock cannot.
| Spec | Choices | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 48x40, 48x48, 42x42, 48x45, 48x42, Euro or custom | Must match racking and trailers |
| Entry | Two-way or four-way; stringer or block | Decides how a forklift enters |
| Deck coverage | Open or close-boarded | Matters for small cartons and bags |
| Lumber | Softwood or hardwood | Weight, cost and strength |
| Treatment | Untreated or heat treated | Export needs the ISPM 15 mark |
A two-way pallet is lifted by the deck boards; a four-way pallet is lifted by the stringers and is usually heavier, bigger and more durable.
A customer who writes new pallets into a purchase order, a load that will sit in humid storage, a regulated product, and any shipment that must look uniform are the cases. New pallets also answer the 'what is this wood?' question that used pallets cannot.
New is not always better. For plain freight, Grade A or B is lighter on cost and does the job.
Custom pallets and skids are built to the product instead of to a stock size, which is what a tool, a panel or a machine usually needs. The request needs the product's footprint, weight and how it will be lifted.
A pallet that is too big wastes truck space; one that is too small lets the load overhang and get damaged. Pallets should pack tightly inside intermodal containers and vans to avoid shipping air, and a footprint cut to the product does that. Equipment makers in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale ship tools whose bases are not 48 by 40, and a skid that matches the base is safer than a pallet that nearly fits.
| Detail | What to give |
|---|---|
| Footprint | Length and width in inches, of the product and of the base |
| Weight | Total load and whether it is concentrated |
| Lift | Forklift from two sides, four sides, or a crane point |
| Height | Maximum overall height with the load |
| Export | Whether the wood must carry the ISPM 15 mark |
| Count | One-off or repeated, and how often |
Counts matter. A single skid is a carpentry job; fifty a month is a repeat order, and the two are handled differently.
Before a custom build, check whether an existing size fits. Standard pallets carry 2,000 to 2,800 pounds under dynamic loading, and the sizes hub lists footprints from 42x42 to 48x48. If the load is odd because it was received that way, the pallets and crates may be reusable. See odd sizes and crates.
Only if specified. Ask for ISPM 15 treatment on any export load.
Send the footprint, entry type, load weight and treatment. Include a sketch as dimensions in inches.
A custom build starts from a request with the footprint, weight and lift. Lead time and price depend on the order and are agreed after a request.
Measure the base, not the machine, and send the dimensions in inches.
Sources, last reviewed 12 November 2026