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Paper

The heavy loads involved in paper making require strong pallets and so timber pallets are widely used. However, moisture uptake by paper can be a problem and wood pallets have to be dried before use. In Northern Europe a pallet supplied at 'normal' moisture content is typically 20-25% but this is too wet for the paper industry. Anything over 14 or 15% is considered wet in the paper industry and is likely to cause paper damage.

Air-dried timber is common in the timber industry which is about 16-18% moisture content but even this would be likely to produce paper damage or encourage paper mites during storage. Wood, kiln-dried to a low moisture content (level agreed with the customer) is essential for success in the paper industry. PalletLink have frequent enquiries arising from undried pallets being used in the paper industry. 

The use of a good moisture meter by the pallet maker is essential and can quickly measure moisture levels down to as low as 10%, we have more on this on the MEASURING MOISTURE page.

If paper goods are shrink-wrapped to the pallet a waterproof sheet between goods and wet pallet is often not enough to avoid moisture damage. Humidity will quickly rise within the pack to over 70% RH and this will start to cause damage. Shrink wrapped paper needs a pallet deck and blocks as low as 13% but because of the high cost of kilning a paper user might compromise and ask for kiln-dried boards around 16% and composite (moisture free) blocks. It would then be necessary to use a moisture impermeable membrane between paper and deck and shrink wrap with breathing gaps. After drying, pallets for paper use need keeping under cover, heating is not needed but good overhead cover is. Note that if polythene is used between deck and paper it is not impermeable, it transmits a small amount of water and may still cause damage. Our datasheets on moisture in EXPORT CASES page give further advice.

The use of wood chipboard sheet is common to ensure dry paper pallet decks. This is because wood chipboard (also called composite or particleboard) is manufactured at around 2% moisture content and when delivered to a customer (in good condition) is rarely more than 6% moisture content. This can be cheaper than drying softwood timber deckboards but note that wood chipboard is less than half as strong as sawn timber (thickness for thickness) so ensure it will support the payload on the pallet.

For Downloading...

76b Preventing book lice and paper mites in paper stored on timber pallets (PDF 43kb)
77e Moisture meters for wood pallet and packaging manufacturers (PDF 57kb)