Outdoor pavers are usually packed a few pieces to a strong carton, stacked on heavy-duty pallets or in wooden crates, and protected at the corners and edges. They ship mostly in 20 ft containers, which fill by weight long before they fill by volume.
Pavers are heavy and their edges chip easily. Packing has to carry the weight and stop pieces moving against each other. Weak packing is one of the main causes of damage claims.
Cartons
A 20 mm paver weighs roughly 45 kg per square metre, so each carton holds only a few pieces. The number depends on size: large formats may be one or two per carton. Ask the factory for its packing list showing pieces, square metres and weight per carton.
Cartons for pavers should be double-wall or reinforced board, with the size, design, grade, shade, calibre and batch printed on the outside. Some factories add foam or cardboard separators between pieces to protect the faces.
Pallets and crates
Cartons are stacked on pallets made for the weight, then strapped and stretch-wrapped. Some factories use wooden crates instead, especially for large formats, steps and copings. A crate holds the pieces upright or flat in a closed frame.
- Corner and edge protectors stop straps from cutting into cartons.
- Straps should run in both directions and be tensioned evenly.
- Pallet weight should stay within what the forklift and the floor at destination can handle.
- All solid wood in pallets and crates must be treated and marked to ISPM 15 for most export markets.
Our article on ISPM 15 pallets for tiles explains the marking. Many countries reject or fumigate untreated wood at the port.
Loading the container
Because pavers are dense, a 20 ft container reaches its weight limit with floor space left over. The load must be spread evenly over the floor and secured so it cannot slide. Loaders use wooden bracing, airbags or blocking to fill gaps between pallets.
A 40 ft container does not help much for heavy goods. Its payload limit is not much higher than a 20 ft container's, so it carries more empty space rather than more pavers. Road weight limits at destination can also cap the load. See the maximum payload for a tile container.
What to agree with the factory
- A packing list per item: pieces, square metres and gross weight per carton and per pallet.
- A loading plan showing pallet positions, total gross weight and bracing.
- The carton grade and whether separators are used between pieces.
- ISPM 15 treatment and marking for every wooden part.
- Photos of loading, including the bracing and the closed doors with the seal number.
Insist on seeing the loading, or have it supervised. Most damage starts with a loose pallet or a gap that lets the load shift at sea. Our article on preventing tile breakage in containers covers the checks.
Next step
We agree packing and loading plans with the factory and supervise loading on the day. To plan a paver shipment, book a free sourcing review.