Frequently Asked Questions
The pallets
Are these new pallets or used ones? Both, and every listing says which. Our new pallets we manufacture ourselves in our Portsmouth workshop from fresh softwood. Our reclaimed pallets are bought in, de-nailed, inspected and graded at our yard, and we sell Grade A only — structurally sound, clean, dry, no broken or replaced boards, no protruding nails. Minor scuffs, stains and colour variation are normal on reclaimed stock and are described on the listing.
What does Grade A mean? It is the top reuse grade. A Grade A pallet is structurally sound and ready for immediate reuse: all boards present and unbroken, nothing split or replaced, no protruding nails, dry and clean. It has been used before, so expect scuffs, staining and colour variation. Anything below that grade we do not sell.
What timber do you use? New softwood - kiln-dried or air-dried, sawn to size. Untreated: no chemical preservative, no paint, no coating.
What sizes do you make? Everything listed on the site is a stock size and is held in the yard: 1200 × 1000 mm (the UK standard), 1200 × 800 mm (Euro footprint), 1200 × 1200 mm heavy duty, 1100 × 1100 mm square, 800 × 600 mm half pallet and 600 × 400 mm quarter pallet. We also cut to any size you need — email us your dimensions and we will quote.
How much weight will a pallet carry? It depends on the specification. As a general guide: light duty around 500 kg, standard around 1,000 kg, heavy duty 1,500 kg and above, on an evenly distributed static load. Tell us what you are carrying and we will tell you what you need.
Are your pallets heat-treated or ISPM 15 stamped? No. Our pallets are made for UK domestic use only and are not certified for international export. Anything crossing a border needs ISPM 15 heat-treated and stamped packaging. Please do not buy our pallets for export shipping - they will be rejected.
Are they safe for food, or for a child's furniture? The timber is new and untreated, with no chemicals applied, which is why people prefer it to second-hand pallets. But it is a raw industrial product, not a finished furniture component: it is not certified for food contact and it has not been sanded. If you are building furniture, sand the surfaces and edges and finish the timber yourself.
Will the wood look identical on every pallet? No, and no timber does. Colour, grain, knot pattern and moisture content vary naturally between boards, and softwood can show resin spots or fine surface cracks as it dries. This is normal and not a fault. What we do guarantee is that the dimensions are consistent, which is what matters when you are building.
Can I see one before ordering a lot of them? Yes. Visit the yard by prior appointment, or order a single pallet first. We would much rather you checked.
Ordering
Is there a minimum order? No minimum for collection. For delivery, the cost per pallet drops sharply with quantity - see the Shipping Policy.
Do you do trade pricing? Yes, for regular and bulk orders. Email support@lakesidepallets.co.uk with your quantities and we will quote.
Is everything on the site in stock? Yes. Every size listed on the site is held in stock in our yard. Custom sizes are not listed on the site — they are made to order, so email us with your dimensions for a price and a lead time.
Payment
What payment methods do you accept? Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express and Discover — credit and debit cards — plus PayPal. See our Payment Policy.
Do you charge VAT? No. Lakeside Pallets Limited is not VAT registered, so the price shown is the price you pay, and we cannot issue a VAT invoice.
When am I charged? In full when you place the order.
Delivery and collection
Where do you deliver? We deliver to supported postcodes in Great Britain. This includes England, Wales and Scotland where the postcode is accepted at checkout. We do not currently deliver to Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or destinations outside Great Britain.
How much does delivery cost? Standard delivery is advertised at £9.99 where available. Highland, island, remote, large-volume, full-load, custom-size and other special deliveries may require a separate quotation. The applicable delivery charge and postcode eligibility will be confirmed before payment.
How long does delivery take?
Every size listed on the site is held in stock and delivered in 3–7 working days. Custom-made sizes, which are not listed on the site, take 7–14 working days from the day we confirm your specification.
How is it delivered? Locally around Portsmouth and the south coast, on our own vehicle. Further afield, by haulier to eligible addresses in Great Britain. Delivery is kerbside — see the Shipping Policy for what that means and what you need to have ready.
Can I collect instead? Yes, free of charge, from Unit 8–9 Claybank Road, Portsmouth, PO3 5NQ. Collection is available Monday to Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm, and Saturday, 8:00am–12:00pm, by prior appointment only. Please contact us and receive confirmation before travelling to the premises. A single 1200 × 1000 pallet weighs roughly 20–25 kg and will not fit in a normal car — bring a van, a trailer, or roof bars and straps.
How do I track my order?
See our Track Order page.
Returns
Can I return pallets? Yes. You have 14 days from delivery to tell us you are cancelling and a further 14 days to return them. Custom-size pallets made to your specification are excluded see the Refund Policy.
Who pays return carriage? You do, if you have simply changed your mind. Pallets are bulky and return carriage is expensive, so please check your measurements before ordering. If the pallets are faulty, damaged or not what you ordered, we cover the cost.
What if a pallet arrives broken? Photograph it and email us within 48 hours of delivery. We will replace it or refund it, at no cost to you.
Other
Do you buy pallets back, or take old ones away? We manufacture new pallets and also buy, inspect, repair and grade reclaimed pallets. We do not collect unwanted pallets from customers.
Are you a real UK manufacturer? Yes. Lakeside Pallets Limited.
Company number: 11071322
Registered in England and Wales since 20 November 2017, registered activity SIC 16240 — Manufacture of wooden containers.
Our workshop is at Unit 8–9 Claybank Road, Portsmouth, PO3 5NQ, and you are welcome to visit by prior appointment. You can verify us on the Companies House register.