19 guides

Timber & Lumber

Wood species, moisture, drying, grading, defects, sawmilling, certification and timber markets.

Softwood vs Hardwood for Pallets: Strength, Weight and Cost

Compare softwood and hardwood pallet lumber: definitions, typical density, nail holding, weight, durability and regional use in Europe and the US.

Wood Species Used for Pallets Worldwide

Which woods pallets are made from: spruce, pine, fir, poplar, birch, beech, oak, eucalyptus, rubberwood and acacia, with density ranges and regional supply.

Radiata Pine: The Plantation Timber of the Southern Hemisphere

Radiata pine (Pinus radiata) is the main plantation softwood of New Zealand, Chile and Australia. Supply, wood properties and use in pallets and packaging.

Southern Yellow Pine in Pallet and Packaging Production

Southern yellow pine is a group of four US softwoods graded under SPIB rules. Its range, properties, grades and role in pallet lumber in the US South.

Spruce and Fir: Europe's Pallet Timber

Norway spruce and silver fir are Europe's main pallet timbers. Their properties, Nordic and Central European supply, bark beetle salvage wood and pallet uses.

Poplar and Birch for Pallets and Packaging

Poplar is a light, fast-growing plantation wood for pallets and crates in Italy, Türkiye and China; birch serves Russia and the Baltics. Properties and uses.

Moisture Content in Pallet Wood: Why It Matters

How wood moisture content is defined and measured, why the 20% threshold matters for mould, shrinkage and nail holding, and how to control MC in pallet stock.

Kiln Drying Lumber: Methods and Schedules

How lumber is kiln dried for pallets: conventional, dehumidification, vacuum and solar kilns, drying schedules, energy use and common drying defects.

Air Drying Lumber: Stacking, Stickers and Timelines

How to air dry lumber for pallets: yard layout, stickers, pile size, drying times by species and season, achievable moisture content, and pairing with kilns.

Mould and Blue Stain on Pallets: Causes and Prevention

Why wooden pallets develop mould and blue stain, how the fungi differ, the moisture levels that trigger them and proven prevention steps for food and pharma.

Lumber Grading for Pallet Stock

How lumber is graded for pallet stock: appearance grades such as EN 1611-1, strength grades under EN 14081, NHLA hardwood rules, SPIB grades and defects.

Timber Defects: Knots, Wane, Splits, Bark and Rot

Definitions of the main defects in pallet wood: knots, wane, splits, bark, rot and warp, with their effect on strength and how pallet specs limit them.

How a Sawmill Works: From Log to Pallet Board

How a sawmill turns logs into pallet boards: debarking, headrig breakdown, canter and bandsaw lines, edging, trimming, resawing, grading, drying and yield.

Log Yield, Cutting Patterns and Cants for Pallet Stock

How sawmills raise lumber recovery from logs: kerf, cant sawing, side boards, small-diameter logs, sawing accuracy and scanner optimization for pallet stock.

What Drives Timber and Pallet Lumber Prices?

Why sawn timber prices swing: housing demand, forest pests, sanctions, energy, freight and seasons. A practical guide to what moves pallet lumber costs.

FSC and PEFC Certification for Pallets Explained

How FSC and PEFC chain-of-custody certification works for pallet makers: why buyers ask for it, label types, control systems and the steps to certify.

EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and Wood Packaging Explained

How the EUDR (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115) treats pallets and wood packaging, the 2026–2027 application dates, the packaging exemption and due diligence steps.

Wood Density and Strength Table for Pallet Species

Reference table of density, bending strength (MOR) and stiffness (MOE) for common pallet woods from the USDA Wood Handbook, with notes on using the numbers.

Plywood, OSB and LVL in Packaging: Properties and Uses

How plywood, OSB and LVL are used in crates, pallets and cases: properties, the ISPM 15 exemption for processed wood, standards, and cost versus solid wood.