How to Wrap a Pallet by Hand

Load containment is a crucial aspect of protecting your products and ensuring safe shipping. If products can move during transit, they could fall, break or even tip over. This is a risk to your product and to the safety of people handling them!

This short guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of wrapping your pallet by hand to ensure your products arrive at their destination in pristine condition.

Tools you will need

• A roll of stretch wrap suitable for your needs
• A manual stretch film applicator (this is optional but highly recommended)
• A pair of safety gloves
• A loaded pallet on a stable surface

Step by step guide to wrapping a pallet manually

Step 1 - Consider the products being wrapped

Examine your product type, load weight and load profile. Hand wrapping is most suitable for smaller or sporadic stretch film wrapping requirements.

Step 2 - Attach the film to the base of your pallet

Begin by attaching the film to the bottom of your pallet and ensure you apply a few coats around its base before moving on. This will help to reinforce the load.

Step 3 - Wrap the pallet from bottom to top

Start wrapping your pallet from the bottom and move upwards toward the top. Keep the film tight as you work your way up, maintaining a distance of about 300mm from the pallet as you walk around.

Step 4 - Ensure each wrap is overlapped

Make sure you overlap your layers by up to 50% to improve load stability and maximise product protection.

Step 5 - Cover the height of the pallet

Once you reach the top of your pallet, add a few extra layers to secure your load and cut the film, leaving about 30cm from the corner of the pallet. Exercise caution when wrapping around the corners, as this area experiences the greatest stress.

Step 6 - Secure the end of the film

Finish by tying the end of the film to the corner of the pallet with a simple knot or pressing it firmly against the load for adhesion.

Step 7 - Final check & transportation

Conduct a final check to ensure your products are wrapped securely and are ready for transport.

Top tips for hand wrapping a pallet

• Always place the outside of the film to the pallet surface
• Secure film to the pallet before wrapping by tying it to the pallet base
• Ensure stretch wrap covers the base of the pallet and the bottom layer of the load
• Overlap film by 30 – 50%
• Depending on the weight of the load, consider wrapping the pallet twice
• To maximise strength, use the film horizontally to create a ‘strap’

Different load types

Pallet loads come in different shapes, weights and dimensions and typically fall under one of the load profiles below. The nature of your load will influence how straightforward it is to wrap and what type of wrap film will be required.

Load A – this is the most common type of load that is the easiest to wrap. It consists of uniform boxes of the same dimensions that cover the base of the pallet with no protrusions. A lower gauge stretch film is usually sufficient to use with this type of load though this may vary, depending on your specific load and requirements.

Load B – this load type features an irregular arrangement that may not fully cover the base of your pallet. It may contain various corners and sharp edges that could potentially puncture your film; therefore, you may require a stretch film of a higher gauge or multiple layers to secure your load.

Load C – this is the least uniform load type, making it the hardest to wrap. You will need a robust, high-quality film with excellent puncture and tear resistance to offer the best protection for your shipment.

Not sure what stretch film you need?

With so many different stretch wrap film available on the market, it might be difficult to choose the one that is the most suitable for your products and application. Our expert team at Macfarlane Packaging are here to help you decide on the best stretch film solution to meet your budget and requirements.