How to Perfectly Prepare Your Pallet for Delivery
Successful pallet delivery starts with careful preparation.
Updated: 15/07/2025
Preparing Your Pallet for Delivery
We deliver millions of pallets a year to commercial and residential addresses across the UK, so we know a thing or two about getting your goods ready for delivery. Correct stacking, wrapping, and labelling all play a part in your goods not only reaching their destination, but arriving in the same condition as you sent them.
Following best practice procedures minimises the risk of damage and injury, keeping our drivers, warehouse staff and customers safe throughout the delivery process.
So, whether you’re new to pallet deliveries or just want to make sure you’re protecting your freight as well as possible, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to take you through the steps you need to follow to get your goods delivery ready.
In this article, we’ll explore:
Health and Safety Tips
To keep yourself and others safe and free from injury, it is essential that you follow the correct health and safety guidelines when getting your pallets ready for delivery.
-
Wear the correct PPE for the environment you are in – this may include a hi-vis jacket, a hard hat, gloves and steel-toe cap boots.
-
Clear the working area so it is free of any hazards.
-
Assess the size and weight of the object to determine if you need any help. Do not try to lift large or heavy items alone.
-
Lift with your legs by bending your knees rather than leaning forward.
-
We always recommend using an automatic pallet wrapping machine, but if this is not an option, using a pallet wrap dispenser will make for faster and more consistent wrapping and reduce the risk of strains and injuries.
-
If you are preparing several pallets at once, take regular breaks to avoid strain or rotate the task between workers if possible.
Getting Started
Before you begin, it’s important to make sure you have the right materials to safely package your freight. You will need:
-
Durable pallet: The pallet you choose for your freight needs to be in good condition – this means no protruding nails that could cause damage or injury, and no missing or damaged slats that could cause instability.
-
Stretch wrap: This helps secure the goods to the pallet and keeps your freight stable while in transit.
-
Cardboard spacers: These are used to line the pallet before loading your freight onto it and between layers to prevent movement during transport.
-
Adhesive tape: For sealing and anchoring goods.
-
Cardboard corners: To cover and protect the edges and corners of fragile goods.
Specialist goods may require different materials.
Choosing the Right Pallet
There are several aspects to consider when choosing the right pallet for your freight: size, weight capacity, and material.
When selecting the right pallet base, it is important to consider where your goods are heading. In the UK, the standard pallet base size is 1.2 m x 1.2 m, but in the EU, the standard size is 0.8m x 1.2m.
We have a range of pallet sizes, both on standard and euro bases, with different height and weight limits so you can choose the most suitable option for your goods.
It is important that you choose a suitable pallet to hold the weight of your goods, with no weak points or damage, to keep your goods safe and secure throughout the delivery. We recommend good quality wooden pallets with four-way entry for forklifts, which helps to speed up the delivery process and prevent damage to your goods.
Stacking
Now you’ve sourced a suitable pallet, it’s time to start stacking your goods. Start by lining the pallet with a cardboard spacer to prevent deformation and protect your goods from forklift forks.
If you’re stacking various items of different sizes and weights, you should always load the largest, heaviest items onto the pallet first to create a stable base and prevent tipping. Make sure to evenly distribute the weight across the pallet base and stack your items close together to minimise movement.
For goods packaged in goods or boxes, use cardboard spacers between each layer to improve stability. It is also essential that your goods don’t overhang the edges of the pallet, as this makes your items more susceptible to damage.
Wrapping
With your items now loaded onto the pallet, you now need to wrap them in stretch film (also known as stretch wrap or pallet wrap). This secures your goods to the pallet, keeps them stable and helps prevent damage or loss throughout the delivery process.
If your goods are fragile, make sure to protect the edges and corners with polystyrene/bubble wrap before wrapping in stretch film.
Start by securing your stretch film to the base of the pallet and slowly move backwards around the pallet, keeping it taut as you go. As you move around the pallet, gradually work upwards, overlapping the layers before covering the top of your freight. If you have any particularly heavy or unstable items on your pallet, you can always add extra security with pallet straps.
Labelling
Next, you need to place your labels. These contain all the information needed to get your freight to its final destination, and the barcode links to our tracking platform so you can view the whereabouts of your freight on its journey.
You should apply two labels to the either end of your goods, making sure these are on flat surfaces and are clearly visible, not wrapped around any corners or covered by anything.
For fragile goods, make sure to mark these with ‘fragile’ signs on each side to alert forklift operators to handle with extra care.
We also recommend applying adhesive tape around the base to secure the stretch film and prevent it from coming off during handling.
Specialist Goods
Certain types of goods require packaging in different ways. We have specialist guidelines available for:
-
goods in sacks,
-
liquid goods,
-
electronics and appliances,
-
industrial and thermal equipment,
-
photovoltaic panels,
-
goods in buckets,
-
tiles and slabs,
-
tyres,
-
automotive goods,
-
sanitary products,
-
barrels with liquids,
-
sharp or edged products,
-
coils and rolls.
Find Your Local Pall-Ex Depot
Now that your freight is safely and securely packaged on the pallet, it's time to send it on its way. Our network members collect and deliver freight in every UK postcode, so get in touch with us to find out who your local Pall-Ex depot is.
