Skid vs pallet: what is a skid in shipping?
A skid is a platform with one top deck resting on runners, and no bottom boards. A pallet has a top deck and a bottom deck. On freight paperwork the two words are often used for the same thing, so here is what each one really is, and what “skid” means when a carrier or a bill of lading uses it.
What is a skid?
Packaging maker Conner Industries describes a skid as a single-deck pallet, or a platform on runners. The deck sits on the runners (also called stringers), and the runners sit straight on the floor, like a sled. With nothing underneath, a skid can be pulled or slid into position, which is why skids are often used as a permanent base for machinery that has to be moved now and then.
The missing bottom deck is also the skid's weak point. Bottom boards spread the load and help a pallet handle the twisting force of a forklift; without them a skid is less stable, especially when stacked. Some platforms that everyone calls pallets, such as plastic ones standing on legs, are technically skids for the same reason.
Skid vs pallet at a glance
| Skid | Pallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | One top deck on runners (stringers) or feet | Top deck and bottom deck |
| Stands on | Its runners, like a sled | Its bottom deck boards |
| Moving it | Forks go in between the runners, or it is dragged into place | Forklift or pallet jack |
| Stability | Less stable; no bottom boards to spread the load | More stable, better for stacking |
| Typical use | Permanent base for machinery and heavy single items | General freight, storage and racking |
| Cost | Usually cheaper (less wood) | Usually more |
What “skid” means on a bill of lading
In LTL freight, “skid” is everyday shorthand for the platform under your goods, whether it is technically a skid or a pallet. Carriers treat it as a handling unit on the bill of lading. XPO's rules tariff says a pallet, platform, rack or skid under the freight is part of the shipping package and counts in its density, and FedEx Freight's tariff counts stacked skids when it checks handling units against its capacity-load rule.
In practice that means three things. Write the number of skids or pallets you hand over, not the number of boxes. Measure the full height from the floor, skid included. And weigh the whole unit, because the skid's weight counts toward the freight class, just as a pallet's does.
Where skids and pallets came from
Skids are the older of the two: simple platforms on runners go back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The first US patent for a lift-truck skid was granted in 1924, for Howard T. Hallowell's “Lift Truck Platform”. Pallets with a bottom deck spread in the late 1930s along with the forklift; George G. Raymond and William C. House filed a patent in 1937 for a pallet made to work with a pallet jack. World War II supply lines then made the pallet the standard way to move goods.
Which should you use?
Choose a skid when one heavy item will live on it, such as a machine that is dragged into place, bolted down and moved only now and then. Choose a pallet for general freight that will be stacked, stored in racks or handled by forklifts and pallet jacks from several sides. For pallet sizes and weights, see standard pallet sizes and how much a pallet weighs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a skid in shipping?
Strictly, a skid is a platform with a single top deck resting on runners, with no bottom boards. On a bill of lading, though, carriers often use "skid" loosely for any pallet or platform under the freight, and count each one as a handling unit.
Is a skid the same as a pallet?
Not exactly. A pallet has a bottom deck as well as a top one; a skid does not. People and carriers often use the words for the same thing, and Wikipedia even notes that legged plastic platforms called pallets are technically skids.
What is a standard skid size?
Skids have no separate standard; they are usually built to fit the item they carry. When "skid" is used loosely for a pallet on freight paperwork, the size meant is usually the standard 48 × 40 in pallet.
Can I ship LTL freight on a skid?
Yes. The skid counts as part of the shipping unit, so include its weight and its height when you measure. XPO's rules tariff, for example, counts a pallet, platform, rack or skid in the density of the shipment.
Is a skid cheaper than a pallet?
Usually, because it has no bottom deck and uses less wood. The trade-off is stability: without bottom boards a skid spreads the load less well and is harder to stack or rack.