Pallet guide
The Complete Pallet Guide: Sizes, ISPM15 & Load Capacity
Everything a buyer needs in plain English — standard pallet sizes, ISPM15 export rules, how much weight a pallet holds, how many fit in a container, and a full glossary.
Sourcing pallets for the first time, or just want to check a spec? This guide covers the questions we're asked most by buyers across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Lothian Pallets supplies ISPM15 export pallets and Euro (EPAL) pallets in bulk — but the facts below apply to wooden pallets anywhere.
What are the standard pallet sizes?
There is no single "standard" pallet worldwide, but two sizes dominate in the UK: the 1200 × 1000 mm UK pallet and the 1200 × 800 mm Euro (EPAL) pallet. Here are the common sizes you'll encounter:
| Pallet type | Dimensions (mm) | Dimensions (in) | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK standard | 1200 × 1000 | 47.2 × 39.4 | General UK distribution, FMCG |
| Euro / EPAL (EUR 1) | 1200 × 800 | 47.2 × 31.5 | Pooled & European supply |
| Euro half (EUR 6) | 800 × 600 | 31.5 × 23.6 | Retail display, smaller loads |
| Industrial ("Asia") | 1100 × 1100 | 43.3 × 43.3 | Drums, some shipping sectors |
| North American (GMA) | 1219 × 1016 | 48 × 40 | US import/export |
We supply the first two as standard. Need another size for a specific route? Ask us.
What is an ISPM15 pallet, and do I need one?
An ISPM15 pallet is a wooden pallet that has been heat-treated to a core temperature of 56°C for at least 30 minutes and stamped with the IPPC mark. ISPM15 (International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15) exists to stop timber pests spreading between countries. If you export goods outside the UK on solid-wood packaging, that packaging almost always has to be ISPM15-compliant, or your shipment can be held or refused at the border.
The IPPC stamp tells inspectors the pallet is compliant. It shows four things:
- IPPC symbol — the wheat/globe logo that identifies the scheme.
- Country code — e.g. GB for the United Kingdom.
- Producer number — the registered facility that treated the wood.
- Treatment code — HT for heat treatment (the method we use).
ISPM15 vs Euro (EPAL): what's the difference?
This is the question we hear most. The simplest way to remember it: ISPM15 is about compliance; EPAL is about size. ISPM15 is a treatment that makes any wooden pallet legal for export. A Euro (EPAL) pallet is a specific 1200 × 800 mm pallet — and it can also be ISPM15-treated when it needs to travel outside the UK. See the full side-by-side on our pallet range page.
How much weight can a pallet hold?
Capacity depends on how the load sits. The three ratings buyers ask about are static, dynamic and racking load. As a general guide for a standard timber pallet:
| Load type | What it means | Typical capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Static | Resting on a solid floor | up to ~4,000 kg |
| Dynamic | Being moved by forklift or pallet truck | up to ~1,000–1,500 kg |
| Racking | Supported only at the edges in beam racking | ~1,000–1,250 kg |
Figures are typical industry guidance — the exact rating depends on timber, board thickness and construction. Tell us your load and we'll spec the right pallet.
How many pallets fit in a lorry or container?
A useful planning rule for single-stacked, floor-loaded pallets:
| Transport | UK standard (1200×1000) | Euro (1200×800) |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft container | ~10–11 | ~11 |
| 40ft container | ~20–21 | ~23–24 |
| 13.6 m curtain-side trailer | ~26 | ~33 |
Double-stacking increases these numbers wherever the load and its fragility allow.
Pallets and export for Edinburgh & Lothian businesses
The Lothians are home to a lot of exporters — food and drink producers, Scotch whisky and spirits, and the precision manufacturing and life-sciences firms clustered around Edinburgh, Livingston and West Lothian. Almost anything leaving the UK on a wooden pallet has to travel on ISPM15-treated timber, whether it goes out through the Forth ports at Grangemouth, Rosyth or Leith or is trunked south to a deep-sea container terminal. If you export at all, it's simplest to order ISPM15 export pallets as your standard stock so a plant-health check never holds up a shipment. Trading mainly with mainland Europe or running standardised racking? Euro (EPAL) pallets are usually the better fit.
What are pallets made from?
Most transport pallets are softwood (typically pine or spruce), which is strong, light and cost-effective; hardwood is used where extra durability is needed. Timber is the material of choice because it's repairable, recyclable and easy to treat for export. Board thickness, the number of bearers and the moisture content of the wood all affect strength and weight.
How are pallets recycled?
The wooden pallet is one of the most genuinely circular items in any supply chain. At end of life a pallet is inspected: sound ones are repaired and returned to service, and those beyond repair are dismantled for parts or chipped for reuse — very little goes to landfill. We run a buy-back and collection service so surplus and damaged pallets stay in circulation and cut your waste costs.
How do I order pallets in bulk?
Ordering with us takes five steps:
Choose your type
ISPM15 export or Euro (EPAL).
Confirm volume
From around 50 pallets up.
Give a postcode
Your delivery point in the Lothians.
Get a quote
Firm trade price, usually same day.
Pallet glossary
| ISPM15 | International standard requiring export wood packaging to be heat-treated and IPPC-stamped. |
|---|---|
| IPPC mark | The stamp proving ISPM15 compliance (symbol, country code, producer number, treatment code). |
| EPAL / EUR | The European Pallet Association standard; the Euro pallet is 1200 × 800 mm. |
| Heat treatment (HT) | Heating timber to 56°C core for 30+ minutes to meet ISPM15. |
| Dynamic load | Weight a pallet carries while being moved. |
| Static load | Weight a pallet holds resting on the floor. |
| Four-way entry | A pallet a forklift can enter from all four sides. |
| Block pallet | A pallet built on solid blocks giving true four-way entry (e.g. the Euro pallet). |
| Stringer pallet | A pallet built on timber stringers, usually two-way entry. |
Quick answers
What is the most common pallet size in the UK?
The most common pallet size in the UK is 1200 × 1000 mm. The Euro (EPAL) pallet at 1200 × 800 mm is next, especially for goods moving to and from mainland Europe.
How much does a pallet weigh?
A standard UK 1200 × 1000 mm timber pallet weighs roughly 20–30 kg, and a Euro (EPAL) pallet weighs about 22–25 kg, depending on timber, moisture and board thickness.
Does ISPM15 treatment expire?
No. Once a pallet is heat-treated and IPPC-stamped it stays ISPM15-compliant, as long as the stamp is legible and it hasn't been repaired with untreated wood.
Ready to Order Pallets in Bulk?
Tell us your pallet type, volume and delivery postcode and we'll send a firm trade quote — usually the same working day.