Skids for parts, fixtures and furniture
A skid is a pallet without a bottom deck: boards on top, runners underneath, and a footprint built for one product.
- Size
- Any footprint
- Build
- Runners and deck
- Grade
- New or used
- Trades
- Machinery, furniture, parts
- Towns
- Kent and Ottawa counties
What West Michigan plants mean by a skid
Many plants here say skid for what a dock might call a pallet, especially a simple one without a bottom deck. It is the same request on the same form, so say skid and move on.
When a skid is the right call
- Dense, small-footprint parts that a forklift will move one at a time
- Machinery and fixtures that sit on a frame built to their base
- Loads that will be lifted by a fork and never racked
- Shipments where a pallet is cheap and a bottom deck adds cost with no benefit
Skid or pallet: a quick table
| Feature | Skid | Pallet |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom deck | None, runners only | Usually boards on the bottom |
| Racking | Rarely | Often |
| Entry | Two sides | Two or four sides |
| Built to | The product | A standard size |
The skid versus pallet guide goes through the edge cases. If a load will go through a pallet jack from any side, a block or four-way build is likely the better call.
What to send
Send the footprint of the product, its loaded weight, and whether the skid will be lifted with forks or dragged. If the load will be stacked, say how high. The custom pallets page takes drawings and cutting lists for builds that do not fit a stock size.
Skids for export need the ISPM 15 stamp like any other wood packaging; the heat-treated page covers that.
Skid builds
| Build | How it is made | Where it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Runner skid | A deck on two or three solid runners | Machinery and crates |
| Notched-runner skid | Runners cut so forks can enter from the side | Plants with side-entry lifts |
| Block skid | Blocks instead of runners | Heavy parts that need four-way entry |
A skid carries its weight on the runners, so the runners' size and spacing decide the rating. Ask the builder for the rated load, not just the footprint.
Crates on skids
An export crate is often built on a skid so the whole box can be lifted with a fork. If the crate leaves the country, its wood has to carry the ISPM 15 mark, skid and crate boards alike. See heat-treated pallets.
Weight and runners
A runner is a solid timber that carries a load. For a heavy load, the runners must be big enough to resist bending. The skid's rating comes from the runners' cross-section and spacing, not from the deck.
A common mistake is ordering a skid with the right footprint and the wrong runner size. State the load weight and let the builder choose the runners.
A skid for a machined casting
A foundry that ships a casting weighing 900 pounds might ask for a skid with three solid runners, 4 by 4 inches in cross-section, spaced to catch the casting's feet, with deck boards across and the whole thing treated for export. It is a different request from a 48x40 for cartons, and it is sent in different words.
Cost against pallets
A skid uses less lumber than a pallet of the same footprint, so it is usually cheaper. If the load will sit on the floor, that saving is real. If it will go into a rack, a skid may not be accepted at all.
Questions to settle before ordering
Before ordering skids, settle three things: the footprint, the weight they must carry and how they will be lifted. A skid for a floor-level load can be simpler and cheaper than a pallet, but not every forklift or conveyor accepts one.
Ask whether the skid will need to be stamped for export, and whether new or used lumber is acceptable. Both change the price and the lead time.
Ready to ask? Send us the request.