How it Works: Heat Treating Pallets

What is Heat Treating Pallets?

Heat treating pallets means that after a pallet gets nailed together, it has to go through a heat chamber before it’s ready for sale. A heat chamber, or dry kiln, is a special room that reaches temperatures around 140⁰ Fahrenheit to ensure the wood is sufficiently heated before being sold.

Why it’s Important

Heat treating wood products is important because it kills insects and larvae that could be present in the wood. This is an important process for both domestic and international wood sales, since it prevents different species of insects from accidentally traveling from one location to another.

Our hardwood pallets are built from raw lumber, meaning the wood hasn’t been treated before it is made into a pallet. Since pallets get reused all over the world, we do our part to ensure they are safe and free of pests before selling them. In order to accomplish this, we use a heat treat process to eliminate any pests potentially living in the wood.

How it Works

A heat chamber is an insulated room with multiple heat probes to measure the air temperature. International lumber standards set by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) require the temperature inside a heat chamber for pallets to reach a minimum of 133⁰ Fahrenheit (56⁰ Celsius). The chamber has to maintain a minimum temperature of 133⁰F for at least 30 minutes. We use software to track the progress of each load to ensure it reaches the correct temperature for the correct amount of time. If a load ever fails, then we see it on the report, correct the issue, and run it through again so the lumber reaches at least 133⁰F for at least 30 minutes.

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If you’re looking for a pallet/wood packaging product supplier, feel free to contact us on our Contact Form or by emailing us at [email protected].