Pallet Covers & Liners

Pallet covers and liners are polyethylene bags or sheets that protect a stacked load from dust, moisture, UV, and warehouse handling. Which one you want depends on where the pallet sits: indoor rack, truck, outdoor yard, or inside a bulk bin. This collection includes black covers, clear covers, top sheets, gaylord and bin liners, drum liners, and poly sheeting in 48 x 40 and oversized formats. Indoor hand-load covers run 1.5–3 mil. Outdoor staging steps up to 4–6 mil with UV stabilization. Covers are not stretch wrap. Stretch wrap holds the load to the pallet under tension; the cover goes over the wrapped load to block dust, water, and sun. Most warehouses use both. Estimate per-pallet protection cost with the packaging cost calculator.

Pallet covers and liners by type

Frequently asked

What size pallet cover fits a 48 x 40 pallet?

For a 48 x 40 base, size the bag so width and depth match the footprint with 1–2 inches of clearance. The third dimension is the stacked load height. Measure the loaded pallet from the deck up before ordering. Filter this collection by size, or use the box size calculator if you also need a corrugated solution.

When should I use black covers instead of clear?

Go black for outdoor staging, UV-sensitive goods (paper, some chemicals, plastics), or when you do not want the load visible in transit. Go clear indoors so pickers can read what is on the pallet without pulling the cover. Both come in similar mil ranges. The difference is opacity, not strength.

Are pallet covers the same as gaylord liners?

No. A pallet cover goes over a stacked load on a wood or plastic pallet. A gaylord liner goes inside a bulk bin to keep product off the walls and ease cleanout. Many warehouses use both on one shipment: a liner inside the gaylord, a top sheet or cover over it.

What mil thickness should I choose?

Indoor racks: 1.5–3 mil. Outdoor staging or flatbed transit: 4–6 mil with UV stabilization, especially if the load sits in sun for more than a couple of days. Sharp edges, heavy stacks, or rough handling step up another mil. The poly bag thickness selector applies the same logic to bag-format coverings.

Can a pallet cover replace stretch wrap?

No, not for most loads. Stretch wrap holds product to the pallet under tension. A cover does not. Wrap the load first, then drop the cover over it for a dust, moisture, and UV barrier. The stretch film gauge guide covers wrap selection.

Related

Stretch film and strapping · Bags and liners · Corrugated boxes buying guide · Poly bags buying guide

Pallet cover terminology — same product, different names

Buyers and warehouses call this product family by half a dozen names. The product is the same poly bag or sheet; the terminology depends on industry and region. Most queries below land in this collection.

More buyer questions

What is a pallet hood?

A pallet hood is a bag-format poly cover that drops over a stacked, stretch-wrapped load from the top. It is the same product as a pallet cover bag and is usually 1.5–3 mil for indoor work and 4–6 mil for outdoor staging. Hoods come in black for outdoor and UV-sensitive loads or clear for indoor visibility.

What is a pallet sleeve?

A pallet sleeve is a poly cover that wraps the side walls of a stacked pallet without covering the top. Sleeves are useful when a forklift, crane, or top-pick station needs unobstructed top access but the load still needs side-wall dust and moisture protection. Many warehouses pair a pallet sleeve with a separate top sheet.

What is a pallet lid or pallet top sheet?

A pallet lid — usually called a pallet top sheet — is a poly sheet that covers only the top of a stacked load. Use it when the load is stretch-wrapped tight and the only exposure is dust, drip, or overhead spray from above. A 1.5–3 mil top sheet is enough for most indoor staging.

What about gusseted pallet covers?

A gusseted pallet cover has a side fold (gusset) that opens up to fit taller loads without ballooning the bag width. Gusseted covers are useful for narrow, tall pallets — pharma totes, narrow rack pallets, double-stack consolidations — where a flat bag would either be too wide at the base or too short at the top.

What is a pallet tarp or pallet tarpaulin?

A pallet tarp is a heavy outdoor sheet, typically 4–6 mil black UV-stabilized poly, used to cover loads staged outdoors against rain, snow, and sun. Most modern warehouses use pre-sized pallet covers in bag format instead of cut tarps because the bag form fits and is faster to apply.

What is a pallet base wrap?

A pallet base wrap is a poly sheet placed on the pallet deck before the load is built. It blocks moisture wicking up from a wet floor or yard surface into the bottom layer of cartons or product. Use it under any load that sits on a damp warehouse floor, dock, or outdoor staging slab. Pair with a top cover for full enclosure.

What is a pallet runner?

Pallet runners are not pallet covers — they are the wood or composite slats that form the base of a pallet itself. If you are searching for pallet runners as a load protection product, you are likely looking for either a pallet base wrap (moisture barrier) or pallet edge protectors (corner damage protection).

How is a pallet cover priced compared to stretch wrap?

Stretch wrap is sold by the roll and applied by hand or by a stretch wrap machine. Pallet covers are sold per cover. For a typical 48 x 40 indoor load, a 3-mil clear pallet cover costs roughly the same as a few rotations of standard hand stretch film. The economic case for adding a cover is usually about dust, water, or UV exposure that wrap alone does not block, not about wrap replacement.

Related deep dives

Pallet protection for 3PLs · Warehouse and distribution packaging · Stretch film gauge guide · Dimensional weight calculator