Roll chocks: wedges and stoppers for reels and rolls
In briefA roll chock is a block with a sloping face placed on both sides of a reel lying with its axis horizontal, so that it cannot roll on the pallet, the floor or the trailer bed. You need two per reel; size and material depend on diameter, weight and how often you reuse them.
What a roll chock is for
A reel lying with its axis horizontal is a cylinder: one hard brake on the lorry or one nudge from a forklift is enough to set it rolling. A roll chock is a block with a sloping face that slides under the circumference on both sides and holds the reel in place. In the warehouse it is also called a wedge, stop or stopper. The ROLL catalogue uses chock and wedge as synonyms [1].
A word on searching: type "chocks" on its own and you get wheel chocks for cars, motorhomes and trailers. They are a different product, shaped for a tyre. For industrial rolls, always search for roll chocks or reel chocks.
When you need them
- In transport, with reels on a flat pallet, on a trailer bed or in a container: chocks stop the reel moving under braking and cornering. They are also used together with strapping, which on its own will not hold a reel on a smooth deck.
- In storage, with reels on the floor or on shelves waiting to be processed, especially near forklift routes.
- On conveyors and at the end of the line, with reels waiting to be loaded. Here the chock acts as a temporary stop and is reused many times.
A reel pallet with a built-in saddle or cradle does not need chocks: its shape does the job [10]. Chocks are needed when the reel sits on a flat pallet or directly on the trailer bed. The comparison is in the guide to reel pallets.
How to position them
The standard set-up is two chocks per reel, one on each side [2][4]. The sloping face goes against the circumference, as close as possible to the point where the reel touches the deck. The chock must sit on a flat, clean surface [1].
On wide or heavy reels, use a longer chock that covers the full width, or two pairs spread along the axis. On ROLL's 260 mm chocks the grip comes from friction teeth on the base, which bite into soft surfaces under load, with no nails or tools [2]. A wooden chock nailed to the pallet leaves holes and splinters and often has to be cut to size on the spot.
For reels heavier or larger than the data-sheet values, ROLL asks to agree the configuration together [2].
Sizes by diameter and weight
The length of the chock tells you how much of the reel it covers along the axis. The diameter range depends on height and slope. All ROLL chocks have a 150×50 mm section [2][4][5].
| Chock | Length | Rated reel Ø | Max reel weight | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KU10 | 260 mm | 160-1,200 mm | 1,500 kg | shipping, one-way, recycled PP [2] |
| KU10-2S | 260 mm | 160-1,200 mm | 1,500 kg | as KU10, with rubber pads for plastic pallets [3] |
| KU10-ST | 2 chocks of 260 mm + 800 mm expanded PE strip | 160-1,200 mm | 1,500 kg | shipping kit with adjustable fixing [6] |
| KU04-570 | 570 mm | 160-1,100 mm | 2,500 kg | reusable, PE with rubber pads [4] |
| KU04-1143 | 1,143 mm | 160-1,100 mm | 2,500 kg | reusable, wide reels or several reels side by side [5] |
| SB01 | kit on an 800×1200 pallet | 150-1,100 mm | 2,000 kg | 8 mm rubber mat + 2 KU04-570 chocks [7] |
Some data sheets give a maximum diameter of "over 600 mm" elsewhere: this is a summary value, to be confirmed with ROLL before you order. The full range is in the ROLL roll chocks collection.
Plastic or wood
A wooden chock is cheap and easy to find, but with reels it has three limits: export, fixing and cleaning.
The first is export. ISPM 15 applies to all solid wood packaging in international trade. A wooden chock travelling to a country outside the EU must be treated (HT or DH) and marked, even if the pallet underneath is plastic [8]. Within the EU the requirements come from Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 and do not apply to intra-EU trade [9]. A plastic chock is outside the scope of the standard, like a plastic pallet: ROLL states this in the FAQ on all its chock data sheets [2][4]. The full picture is in export pallets and ISPM 15.
The second is fixing. Wood gets nailed, and nails and splinters are exactly what damage the edge of a film or paper reel.
The third is cleaning. A plastic chock can be washed; ROLL gives the KU10 an internal hygiene rating of 5/5 [2]. Methods and temperatures are in the guide to plastic pallet washing.
Anti-slip: when you need rubber
On rough wooden pallets the chock's teeth grip on their own. On plastic pallets, smooth trailer beds or resin floors the chock tends to slide. For these surfaces there are chocks with rubber pads: the KU10-2S in the one-way version, the KU04 in the reusable one [3][4]. The SB01 kit adds an 8 mm rubber mat under the whole reel, laid on an 800×1200 pallet without screws [7]. For friction between pallet, load and trailer bed, see load securing on plastic pallets.
One-way or reusable
One-way chocks are designed for a single trip. According to ROLL, the KU10 lasts 2-3 cycles with light handling [2]. They cost little per piece, at the low end of the chock range, and are sold by the carton: the current price is on the ROLL product sheet [2].
Reusable chocks are heavier, 1.1 kg for the KU04-570 against about 0.2 kg for the KU10, and have rubber inserts [4][2]. They make sense in internal loops, where the chock comes back. Closed loops follow the same reasoning as reusable pallets.
Coloured chocks to keep loops separate
The KU10C and KU10C-2S are the same chocks in orange [1]. The colour helps you keep in-house chocks apart from one-way ones, or tell apart the loops of different customers.
Frequently asked questions
How many chocks do you need to secure a reel?
The standard set-up is two chocks per reel, one on each side, resting against the circumference. For very heavy or large-diameter reels, use longer chocks or a kit with an anti-slip mat. If the load exceeds the data-sheet values, ask the manufacturer for the right configuration.
Are roll chocks, wedges and stoppers the same thing?
In the reel trade, chock, wedge and stopper all mean the same sloping block that stops the roll from rolling. Wedge is more common in warehouse speech, chock and stopper in catalogues. Wheel chocks for cars and motorhomes are a different product, with other shapes and other standards.
Do wooden roll chocks need ISPM 15 treatment?
Wooden chocks must be treated and marked to ISPM 15 if they travel to countries outside the EU. ISPM 15 applies to all solid wood packaging, even when the pallet underneath is plastic. A plastic chock is outside the scope of the standard and needs no treatment or mark.
What size of chock do I need for my reel diameter?
ROLL's 260 mm chocks are rated for reels from Ø 160 to 1,200 mm and up to 1,500 kg; the 570 and 1,143 mm chocks for reels from Ø 160 to 1,100 mm and up to 2,500 kg. The extra length covers several reels side by side or long reels, and widens the gripping surface.
Can a plastic chock be reused?
Yes, but it depends on the series. One-way chocks, designed for shipping, last 2-3 cycles with light handling, according to ROLL. For repeated in-house use there are PE chocks with rubber inserts designed for many cycles.
Sources
- ROLL, roll chocks and wedges collection
- ROLL KU10, one-way plastic roll chock (product sheet and FAQ)
- ROLL KU10-2S, chock with rubber pads for plastic pallets (product sheet)
- ROLL KU04-570, reusable PE chock with rubber inserts (product sheet and FAQ)
- ROLL KU04-1143, reusable 1143 mm PE chock (product sheet)
- ROLL KU10-ST, kit of 2 chocks and 800 mm expanded PE strip (product sheet)
- ROLL SB01, roll chock kit for 800×1200 pallets with rubber mat (product sheet)
- IPPC/FAO, ISPM 15 Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (rev. 2018)
- European Commission, requirements for wood packaging material and dunnage (Reg. (EU) 2016/2031)
- ROLL, cradle pallets for rolls collection
Tell us the diameter, weight and destination, and we will point you to the right solution.
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