Static, dynamic and racking ratings
A plastic pallet carries three ratings that are easy to confuse: static is the weight at rest, dynamic is the weight in motion, and racking is the weight across an open rack span. Static is highest, dynamic is lower, and racking is often lowest.
- Static
- At rest, or the bottom of a stack
- Dynamic
- On a forklift, jack or conveyor
- Racking
- Across an open rack span
- Assumed
- An evenly distributed load
The three ratings
| Rating | Meaning | Where it limits you |
|---|---|---|
| Static | Weight at rest, or what the bottom pallet carries in a stack | Stack height |
| Dynamic | Weight while moving on a forklift, pallet jack or conveyor | Handling loads |
| Racking | Weight carried bridging an open span in unsupported racking | Rack storage |
| Edge rack | Resting on beams by the edges only, no support in the middle | Narrow rack contact |
Examples from makers
| Pallet | Static | Dynamic | Racking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard-duty nestable, 48 x 40 | 10,000 lb | 3,000 lb | None listed |
| Rackable, 48 x 40 | 10,000 lb | 4,000 lb | 2,000 lb edge rack |
| Nestable, stackable, rackable | 10,500 lb | 3,100 lb | 2,700 lb |
| One-piece HDPE, 6.3 in tall | 30,000 lb | 5,000 lb | 2,200 lb |
| 48 x 48 stackable STK 207 | 30,000 lb | 4,000 lb | Not listed |
| 45 x 45 stackable STK 754 | 6,300 lb | 3,100 lb | Not listed |
Rules of thumb that hold
Capacities are issued by the manufacturer from calculation and lab or field tests, and they assume an evenly distributed load. Static is the highest rating, racking is often the lowest, dynamic is always lower than static. Only pallets designed for unsupported racking carry a racking rating.
On a used pallet, ask for the rating that matches the job and the source of it. If the plate is unreadable, the rating is unknown, and we say so.
- No rating on the plate: no rack promise from us
- A weld changes the design the rating assumed
- Freezing can reduce performance in some materials
Where a rating comes from
A rating is issued by the maker, who bases it on calculation and on laboratory or field tests, and it assumes a load spread evenly. There are three common ones. Static is the weight a pallet holds at rest on a floor, dynamic is the weight it holds while being moved, and racking is the weight it holds when it rests on rack beams, often the lowest of the three.
Read the plate on the pallet when there is one. Where there is none, ask the maker, name the model, and do not borrow a figure from another pallet.
Reading a plate
A deck plate or moulded label usually names the maker, a model number and the loads the pallet was rated for. Photograph the plate on a few pallets in a lot and compare them: identical plates suggest one model, while different model numbers in one stack mean the lot is mixed. A plate that has been scraped off is itself information. Ask the seller why, and treat the pallet as unrated until the maker confirms what it is.
Temperature and humidity
A rating is usually stated for ordinary room conditions. Heat reduces the load a plastic pallet carries, and cold can make it brittle. Ask the maker how the rating changes at the temperatures you work in, and avoid assuming that a figure from a datasheet holds in a freezer or a hot loading yard.
Yard storage and weather
- Rain does little harm to plastic, but standing water in the ribs adds weight and breeds odours.
- Freezing weather makes some resins brittle, so avoid dropping or hard-forking cold pallets.
- Hot sun softens decks under load, which is how a stack ends up bowed.
- Wind can topple tall unstrapped stacks, so strap them or keep them short.
- Mud and grit on runners wear floors and conveyors, so brush them off before indoor use.
Labelling stacks
- Put a card on each stack with footprint, grade and the date it was sorted.
- Use one colour of tape for repaired pallets and another for held ones.
- Keep labels at fork-truck eye level, not on the lowest pallet.
- Update the card when a pallet is removed, so the count stays true.
- Retire old cards instead of writing over them.
Walk-around checklist
The same four stops for every lot, in order. Tick each as you go.
- 1Deck: plate readable and in-date
- 2Corners: corners whole for rack contact
- 3Runners: runners whole
- 4Fork pockets: pockets whole
- Static, dynamic and racking each sourced
Words used on this page
- Nestable
- Empty pallets stack inside one another, cutting empty storage space by up to 75 percent.
- HDPE
- High-density polyethylene, resin code 2. The most common resin in plastic pallets; tough and moisture resistant.
- Dynamic load
- Weight a pallet carries while moving on a forklift, pallet jack or conveyor.
- Racking load
- Weight a pallet carries bridging an open span in unsupported racking. Often the lowest rating.
- Fork pocket
- Opening in the pallet where the forks go.
What the sources say
- Static capacity is the highest of the three ratings; racking is often the lowest; dynamic is always lower than static. nelsoncompany.com
- Pallet capacities are issued by the manufacturer from calculation and lab or field tests, and assume an evenly distributed load. nelsoncompany.com
- Freezing can make some pallet materials brittle and reduce performance. nelsoncompany.com
- Rehrig Pacific's 40 x 48 rackable pallet weighs 44.2 lb with a dynamic rating of 4,000 lb, static 10,000 lb and edge rack 2,000 lb. rehrigpacific.com
How a request works
- Pick the footprint, then the grade you can live with.
- Say what the pallets will carry and how many you need.
- Read the written lot description that comes back.
- Agree the lot before anything moves.
The four grades, in a line each
- Like new. A few trips only. Clean, no cracks, no missing parts, deck and runners flat.
- Used and clean. Many trips, scuffs and colour variation, but whole and usable for general-purpose or closed-loop work.
- Repaired. A cracked or chipped part welded or swapped. Some designs use snap-lock parts for repair.
- Mixed lot. Mixed makers, colours and sizes sold by the truckload, sorted by footprint.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between static, dynamic and racking capacity?
Static is weight at rest, dynamic is weight while moving, racking is weight on unsupported rack beams. Ratings assume an evenly spread load.
Which rating is highest?
Static. Dynamic is always lower and racking is often the lowest.
Where do I find the rating?
On the deck plate or the maker's page.
Ask for a lot
Pick a footprint and a grade. The reply describes a matched lot in writing.