A lower deck may help when
- loads are block-stacked;
- conveyors need continuous or predictable base contact;
- the pallet must stay square through repeated handling;
- a named rack rating depends on lower members.
Field guide 04 · Bottom construction
Pallet vs skid
In everyday North American shipping, a skid usually has no bottom deck. A pallet normally has a top and bottom deck. The vocabulary is not universal, so order from the drawing—not the noun.
What the bottom deck changes
| Question | Pallet | Skid |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom | Usually includes bottom boards, runners or a perimeter base | Commonly no conventional bottom deck |
| Stacking contact | Lower deck can spread contact over the load below | Runners concentrate contact in fewer lines |
| Dragging | Bottom members can catch or add friction | Runners may suit controlled dragging in some applications |
| Racking | Possible only when the design and stated rating match the rack support | Must be engineered for the exact support; the name gives no rack rating |
| Height and tare | Lower deck adds material and can add height and weight | May be lower or lighter, but dimensions remain design-specific |
Neither word is a capacity rating. A pallet is not automatically rackable, and a skid is not automatically disposable. Obtain the rating for the actual design and support condition.
Is there a standard skid size?
No universal skid footprint exists. A skid may be built around machinery, a crate, a one-way export load or the receiver’s handling system. Some skids use the common 48 × 40 inch North American footprint, but that size alone does not make the platform a pallet or a skid.
Record length, width and empty height, then document runner direction and spacing. If a receiver asks for a “standard skid,” ask which footprint, entry sides and bottom configuration it accepts.
When each construction is useful
A skid may help when
- the platform is built for one machine or crate;
- low material use or a simple one-way base matters;
- controlled dragging on runners is expected;
- the receiver specifically accepts the runner layout.
These are selection considerations, not promises. Product support, fasteners, lumber, moisture, impact, rack span and concentrated loads still control performance.
What to put on the order
- Outside dimensions and tolerances. Include the loaded footprint when product or wrap can overhang.
- Overall empty height. Measure from the floor to the highest point of the empty platform.
- Top and bottom drawing. Show every runner, stringer, board, foot or perimeter member.
- Entry directions. State forklift and pallet-jack access separately.
- Support and load case. Name floor, fork, conveyor or rack support and ask for the matching rating.
- Material and treatment. Include destination requirements for international shipments.
Sources
- U.S. Forest Products Laboratory, Unitizing Goods on Pallets and Slipsheets — identifies single-face pallets as sometimes called skids.
- ISO 445:2013 public scope — vocabulary for pallets for materials handling. The full standard is paywalled.
Checked November 14, 2026. Terminology varies; the physical drawing controls.
Plan from the actual measurements
Enter the footprint and empty height shown on the supplier drawing or measured at receiving.