Winter weather is hard on wood pallets

If your goal is to make your pallets last, winter weather is your biggest enemy. In Northeast Ohio, rain, snow, and ice are common occurrences and wood does not do well in any of these conditions.

The average lifespan of a wood pallet is three to five years. Whether yours ends up on the short end or the long end of this span depends in part on how well it was made, but a bigger factor is how it is stored. If your only option is to store them outside, they will likely take a beating.

Cold weather and wood pallets

The wood used to build pallets (even if it’s kiln-dried) contains a significant amount of moisture – anywhere from 7% to 19%. Store your pallets in temperatures of 32 degrees or lower, and that water will freeze, expand, and burst the wood slats and frames.

Even if temperatures stay a bit above the freezing mark, frost can cause the pallets to stick together, leading to cracking and peeling when they are moved or shifted. The damp conditions that come with winter weather will also cause mold and mildew growth, making your pallets unusable.

At Tri-County Pallet, our goal is to help you keep your pallets in the best condition possible and ensure when you need them, we have clean, strong, pallets that will serve you well. A few cold weather tips can make a big difference in extending the life of your wood pallets.

What you can do to protect your wood pallets

• Storing your pallets indoors is the best way to ensure they stay clean, dry, and undamaged. If you don’t have space to store them under cover all year round, at least make accommodations during the winter months.

• Have a 32-degree rule for pallet storage. If freezing temperatures are forecast, bring your pallets inside.

• Invest in pallet covers and cargo blankets to protect pallets that must be stored outside to minimize dirt and prevent snow and ice buildup.

• Check your pallets regularly for dampness and mold growth. Wet pallets or those exposed to frost or freezing temperatures should be wiped down and placed in a warm, dry environment to dry thoroughly before use.

Maintaining the integrity of your wood pallets is good for business and good for the environment. At Tri-County Pallet, we are in the business of recycling pallets by rotating quality pallets back into use and recycling the materials from damaged and aging pallets. Call our team to sell or buy pallets and to keep your recyclable waste out of our landfills.

We’re here to answer your questions. Call us today!