How to Palletize Freight for LTL Shipping

A pallet is not just a platform under the product. It is the handling unit a carrier will move through docks, terminals, forklifts, and trucks. Build it so the load stays stable, protected, and measurable.

Start with a sound handling base

Use a pallet, skid, or other base that is appropriate for the load and can be handled by the equipment expected at the pickup and delivery. Carrier-specific requirements vary. FedEx's current LTL guidance, for example, encourages palletization and describes forklift- and pallet-jack-accessible handling bases; UPS freight packaging guidance similarly emphasizes sound pallets and forklift access.

Keep the load inside the footprint

Whenever practical, keep cartons and components inside the pallet perimeter. Overhang can expose edges to impact, reduce stability, and change the actual dimensions you need to report. If the item genuinely requires an oversized or elongated base, treat that as part of the shipment's physical description rather than pretending it fits a standard pallet.

Distribute the weight

Keep the center of gravity as stable as the product allows. Heavy pieces should not create an obviously unstable tower, and the load should not extend beyond the pallet simply because the pallet is convenient. For cartons, stable stacking patterns can improve compression strength; the correct pattern depends on the carton and product.

Prevent shifting

Use stretch wrap, banding, blocking, bracing, corner or edge protection, or a crate when the product requires it. The right method depends on the freight. Heavy machinery, long items, fragile pieces, drums, and irregular shapes need more than a generic “wrap it” instruction. FedEx's current packaging guidance specifically discusses blocking, bracing, banding, and protective packaging for different freight types.

Protect the product, not just the pallet

Packaging should account for ordinary LTL handling: forklifts, dock handling, vibration, compression, and multiple transfers. Protect exposed corners and surfaces, prevent pieces from rubbing against each other, and use a container or crate when the product cannot withstand normal handling while exposed.

Make the shipment identifiable

Put the required shipping labels and documentation where the carrier can actually use them. Your bill of lading should match the physical shipment: handling-unit count and type, description, weight, dimensions when required, classification information when applicable, and requested services should not contradict what is on the dock.

Then measure it again

After palletizing, measure the finished handling unit. Do not reuse the product's catalog dimensions. Record the greatest length, width, and height, including the pallet and relevant projections, and weigh the complete unit. Those are the numbers Rate Farm uses for density estimation.

A practical pre-pickup check

• Pallet or base is sound and appropriate for the load.
• Load is stable and protected from ordinary handling.
• Nothing important is loose or likely to shift.
• Overhang or unusual dimensions are known and recorded.
• Handling-unit weight is measured rather than guessed.
• Pickup and delivery equipment requirements are known.
• BOL and quote assumptions describe the shipment that will actually be tendered.

Sources: FedEx freight packaging guidance and UPS freight/palletized shipment packaging guidance. Carrier requirements vary by service; verify the current rules for the carrier you use.