Plastic pallet types and when to use them

Updated on 19 October 2026 · ROLL technical team

In briefChoose the pallet type from its most demanding use: if it goes into pallet racking you need a pallet with runners and a stated racking load; if it travels empty, a nestable pallet on feet makes sense; if it touches food, you need a solid deck that is easy to wash. Every other feature comes second.

Plastic pallet types differ in how they stack, in what they have underneath (feet or runners), in how many sides the forks can enter from and in the deck. Here you will find each type with the right use for it and the use to avoid.

Diagram of plastic pallet types: nestable, stackable, rackable, on feet, with runners, solid deck — Choose from the most demanding use: racking needs runners, empty return trips suit a nestable pallet on feet, food contact needs a solid deck.

The right type at a glance

Type	How it is built	Where it is used	Avoid for
Nestable	Hollow, tapered feet; nests 'inside' the next one when empty	One-way shipments, export, empty returns	Racking, heavy loads in handling
Stackable	Bottom deck or runners that rest on the load below	Block stacking on the floor	Loads that cannot bear the weight above
Rackable	Runners, often with steel profiles	Warehouses with pallet racking	Users who need a light pallet
On feet (9 feet)	Stands on separate points	Pallet trucks from 4 sides, distribution	Roller conveyors, racking beams
3 runners	Three parallel bearers	Racking + pallet truck from the open side	Cross-direction roller conveyors
5 runners or perimeter base	Runners on more sides	Roller conveyors, belts, automated systems	Pallet trucks on some sides
Solid deck	Continuous smooth surface	Food, pharma, small loads	Users who need to save weight
Open (grid) deck	Open surface	General use, drainage	Strict hygiene, small cartons
With edge	Raised rim around the deck	Loads that tend to slide	Loads that overhang the pallet
One-piece	Moulded in a single piece	Frequent washing, hygiene	Users who want to repair by replacing parts

The sections below explain each entry. The load capacities of each type are in the guide to plastic pallet load capacity.

Nestable

The feet are hollow and slightly tapered. When empty, the pallets fit into one another and the stack becomes much shorter: less space on the return truck and in the warehouse.

This is the lightest type. A 1200×800 nestable pallet weighs 5.2-8.9 kg and states 1,500-2,500 kg static and 650-1,000 kg dynamic; almost no model states a racking load ^[1]. That is why it is the typical pallet for one-way shipments and export: being plastic, it falls outside the ISPM 15 standard, which applies only to wood packaging ^[6].

Stackable

A stackable pallet has a bottom deck or runners underneath, which rest on the load of the pallet below without damaging it. It is used to build block stacks on the floor with the goods on top.

Here what counts is the static load capacity of the bottom pallet, which carries the weight of the whole stack ^[1]. A stackable pallet, which is stacked with its load, is not the same as a nestable one, which stacks only when empty.

Rackable

Only pallets designed for pallet racking state a racking load ^[3]. In a rack the pallet spans two beams and the deck works like a bridge: that is why the racking load is the lowest of the three ratings. On a solid shelf or on the floor, by contrast, the pallet rests on a surface and the static load (stationary) and dynamic load (in handling) apply ^[3].

Rackable pallets have runners that cross the beams at 90°: for a 1200×800, the 800 side faces the aisle and the 1200 side runs back into the rack ^[10]. They often have steel reinforcing profiles set into the deck or the runners.

ROLL PP69 800×1200 reinforced plastic pallet, loaded, on the beams of pallet racking — Rackable: runners at 90° across the beams and often steel bars, as in the ROLL PP69 with a 1,200 kg racking load. Without a stated racking load, the pallet must not go on the beams.

The reinforcement makes the difference: in a 1200×800 model with runners it raises the racking load from 1,000 to 1,400 kg, according to the manufacturer's data sheet ^[2]; in a heavy-duty euro pallet with steel it reaches about 1,750 kg ^[4]. The price is weight: reinforced models range from 16 kg ^[7] to about 25 kg ^[2], as much as a wooden pallet (usually about 10-20 kg) or more. How to read the racking load and what changes in drive-in racking is covered in the guide to plastic pallets for racking.

Feet or runners

Three upturned plastic pallets: with nine feet, three runners and five perimeter runners — From below: 9 feet for pallet trucks from 4 sides; 3 runners for racking; 5 runners or a perimeter base for roller conveyors and automated systems.

A pallet on feet usually has 9 of them, arranged 3×3. A pallet truck can enter from all four sides. It works well for distribution and handling at floor level. It must not go on the bare beams of a rack, where the feet can slip (it needs a solid shelf), or on roller conveyors, where the feet drop between the rollers.

Runners are continuous bearers under the deck. They spread the load, rest on the beams and run on roller conveyors and belts. The most common models have 3 or 5 ^[2].

With 3 runners the pallet is lighter, and a pallet truck can enter from the side where the runners are parallel to the forks.
With 5 runners or a perimeter base, support is continuous on more sides, which suits automated systems; a pallet truck can enter only from the open sides.

In one manufacturer's data sheets, the 3-runner and the 5-runner versions have the same stated load capacities; what changes is the weight, 20-23.5 kg against 21.5-25 kg ^[2].

Two-way or four-way entry

'Way' refers to the number of sides the forks can enter from. A two-way pallet can be picked up only from two opposite sides; a four-way pallet from all four.

Top-view diagram of a two-way pallet and a four-way pallet with the fork entry directions — Two-way: forks enter from two opposite sides. Four-way: from all four. With a pallet truck on a pallet with runners, the open sides are what count.

Most plastic pallets are four-way for forklifts. With a pallet truck things change, because the wheels have to come down to the floor between the supports: on a pallet with runners, a pallet truck can enter only from the sides where it finds a clear space. Before you buy, check what equipment will pick up the pallet at the critical points: loading dock, production line, customer. Fork dimensions and the requirements of pallet trucks, forklifts and AGVs are in the guide to pallets for AGVs, pallet trucks and forklifts.

Solid deck or open deck

Plastic pallet with a smooth solid deck and pallet with an open grid deck side by side, seen from above — Solid deck: washes well and supports small cartons, the choice for food and pharma. Open deck: lighter and cheaper, for packaged loads.

A solid deck is a continuous, smooth surface. It washes well, does not trap residues and also supports small cartons. For food it is the natural choice: hygiene rules require containers and equipment that can be cleaned and disinfected ^[5]. More detail in the guide to hygienic and food-grade pallets.

An open deck weighs less, costs less and lets water and air drain through. It suits most packaged loads.

With an edge

A perimeter edge raised by a few millimetres keeps the load in position during handling. Some manufacturers offer it at 5 mm, for example, together with anti-slip strips on the deck ^[2]. On the truck, friction matters too: we explain it in plastic pallet load securing. The edge is useless, or gets in the way, if the load overhangs the pallet.

One-piece or assembled

A one-piece pallet is moulded in a single piece, or in two halves welded together. It has no joints where dirt can build up and is the choice for frequent washing.

An assembled pallet has deck and runners joined with snap fits or screws. In some data sheets, for example, the runners are listed as not welded ^[2]: ask the manufacturer whether they can be replaced, because a repairable pallet does not go for scrap at the first breakage. If you work in a reuse loop, that is a real advantage, as we explain in the guide to reusable pallets and the PPWR.

Three types, three pallets offered by ROLL

ROLL does not sell every type on this page and does not make flat pallets: it offers three, each for a specific use:

Type you need	ROLL option	In brief
Rackable	PP69 800×1200	runners and 3 steel bars, 16 kg, 1,200 kg racking load ^[7]
Hygienic, with closed runners	PPH1 800×1200	H1 type, no steel bars, washable, 19 kg; recycled material, not for direct food contact ^[8]
Flat deck on 9 feet, four-way	PP08 800×1200	for floor-level handling with a pallet truck, 19 kg; not for racking ^[9]

For nestable export pallets or other types, the table at the top applies to any manufacturer. If you would rather not buy pallets, see plastic pallet rental.

What about reels?

None of these types is designed for reels. A reel on a flat pallet rolls, and puts its weight on a line instead of across the whole deck. For reels and rolls you use pallets with saddles or cradles shaped to the diameter, or standard pallets with roll chocks. All the options are in the guide to reel pallets.

The three flat pallets offered by ROLL

ROLL does not sell generic plastic pallets. Among flat pallets it offers only these three, each for a specific use.

ROLL PP69 reinforced plastic pallet with steel bars spanning two beams of a pallet rack, runners at 90° to the beams

For pallet racking ROLL PP69 1200×800 with 3 steel bars, 16 kg; 1,200 kg racking load according to the manufacturer’s datasheet. Designed for rack storage, with the pallet spanning two beams.

ROLL PPH1 hygienic pallet with closed runners in a clean warehouse with sealed boxes

For hygienic environments ROLL PPH1 H1 type with closed runners, no steel bars, washable. Made from recycled material: not for direct food contact.

ROLL PP08 flat-deck plastic pallet with four-way entry lifted by a pallet truck

For floor handling ROLL PP08 Closed flat deck, 4-way entry, 9 feet: for moving pallets on the floor with a pallet truck. Not designed for racking.

Frequently asked questions

What is a nestable plastic pallet?

It is a pallet with hollow, tapered feet: when empty, the feet of one pallet fit into those of the pallet below, so the stack takes up a fraction of the space. It is the lightest type, about 5-9 kg in the 1200×800 size, and suits one-way shipments and export. It generally has no stated racking load, so it must not go on the beams of pallet racking, and it carries less when handled.

What is the difference between a pallet on feet and a pallet with runners?

A pallet on feet (usually 9) stands on separate points and can be picked up from all four sides, including with a pallet truck. A pallet with runners has 3 or 5 continuous bearers under the deck: it spreads the load better and sits on the beams of pallet racking and on roller conveyors, but it restricts pallet truck entry on some sides. For racking you need runners, laid at 90° to the beams.

Is a pallet with 3 runners or 5 runners better?

With 3 runners the pallet is lighter and a pallet truck can enter from the open side. With 5 runners, or perimeter runners, it sits better on roller conveyors, belts and uneven floors. Load capacities can be identical: in one manufacturer's data sheets, the 3-runner and 5-runner models state the same 5,000-7,500 kg static and 1,000-1,400 kg racking load.

What does four-way entry mean?

It means the forks of a forklift can enter from all four sides. A two-way pallet can be picked up only from two opposite sides. Most plastic pallets are four-way for forklifts; with a pallet truck, however, entry from every side applies only to pallets on feet.

Solid deck or open deck?

A solid deck washes better, does not trap dirt and supports small loads better: it is the choice for food and pharma. An open (grid) deck is lighter, lets water and air through and costs less. A raised perimeter edge helps keep the load in place during handling.

Sources

Do you have reels or unusual loads to handle?

Tell us the diameter, weight and destination, and we will point you to the right solution.

Found a mistake or an outdated figure? Write to us at info@roll-packaging.com