Pallets are an important element of every business that transports goods. They are readily available in different materials such as plastic, wood and steel. Wood pallets, however, are cheaply available and most people prefer purchasing wood over other materials due to its economical price. Still, wood pallets can be useful as well as harmful in many cases, yet they’re famous around the globe as goods-storage containers.

Here are, at a glance, some pros and cons of using wood pallets:

Pros

Many people consider picking wood pallet for the shipment of trade goods due to the following reasons;

Cheap

Wood pallets are available at  surprisingly lower prices compared to other materials like metal and plastic. Anyone who needs low quality containers that can be reused is probably going to stick with wood pallets as they are a great option for cutting down shipment costs.

Durable and Robust

You may feel that the low price doesn’t justify quality but that’s not true. Wood pallets are robust and durable, and capable of  easily carrying heavy weights.

Easily Repaired

Usually wooden pallet tend to last 1-2 shipments, after which  then you may notice damages in the structure. But those damages can be easily repaired by hammering small nails. Above all, you don’t need any professional to do that; it can be easily done on your own and they are instantly ready for further use.

Recyclable

Wood pallets can also be used for projects other than shipping once they’re retired after a couple of shipments. You don’t need any special practice to recycle them; all it takes is a little creativity to use them as flower beds, tables and fences.

Have Advanced Friction on Surfaces

Wood pallets are less likely to slip due to high friction against all surfaces which means your products are secured in a container and won’t easily slip or move around.

Cons

Along with these many benefits come a few drawbacks of wood pallets, depending on how you use them;

Highly Vulnerable to Bacterial Growth

Wood pallets can get easily contaminated and may not be appropriate for food storage purposes if they are being reused. Some bacteria are reported to be found in wood pallets like salmonella and E. coli that can prove fatal to people who consume food products stored or transported in those pallets.

Likelihood of Fungal Development

Wood pallets cannot stand moisture at all and they’re likely to develop fungus if kept damp for a long period of time.

Difficult to Clean

The rough surfaces of wood pallets make them prone to collecting dirt and stains that are not easy to clean, especially in the corners.