Sooner or later, every person will need to ship their belongings either for moving purposes or something else entirely. It does not matter whether you decide to drive your goods by yourself, ship them by a plane or by boat or entrust them in with someone else – you will need to use a shipping container.
Even though this might seem simple enough, there is still one other decision ahead of you – will you opt for wooden or plastic crates? This decision could make all the difference in this shipment you have planned, so be very careful. To decide between wooden vs. plastic crates is no easy thing, as they both have their pros and cons. A simple overview of both advantages and disadvantages is coming right up!
Wooden crates – the pros
There is a very good reason why wooden crates are usually the first containers of choice. They are loaded with positive things that you will get when using them. In fact, they might be the best option for your long distance move and you are about to see why.
- The design of wooden crates is so well-made, that handling them will be easy and effortless. One point in the battle of wooden vs. plastic crates goes to the former one.
- Wooden crates are easily stackable. You can create rows of crates, and you do not have to worry about the weight. Wooden pallets are very endurable
- As you can imagine, wooden pallets are naturally made, which can only be an advantage. Plus, they do not require any extra resources, unlike some other materials that have to use glue and additives.
- It will not be a hassle obtaining these crates. They are very popular, so you can find them anywhere on the market. Besides, if you opt for this option, you will hardly be left broke, since these pallets are rather cheap.
Wooden crates – the cons
Like all things in life, wooden crates are far from perfect. They do have their fair share of flaws, so it is up to you to decide whether the advantages or the disadvantages will prevail.
- Sometimes, wooden pallets are custom-made so that they will be able to fit certain objects. This type of crates will hardly ever be reusable again.
- Wooden crates can be large, which means that they will take up a lot of space. Normally, you will not have all that extra space anywhere in your house, so you will have to look for storage solutions. This could add up a considerable amount of money to your final costs, money that you may not be able to pay. So, whatever you do, you should calculate the costs in advance when opting for wooden crates. You wouldn`t like for any surprises to happen.
- Bacteria and fungi are not unusual for these crates. Since they are made from natural materials, you should not be surprised if bacteria and fungi form if you leave your crates moist for some time.
- Finally, it will be difficult to maintain wooden crates, since you cannot just wipe or dust them.
Plastic crates – the pros
Now, we switch to something else entirely. Your first association of plastic containers may be supermarkets and the fruit packed and delivered in these types or crates, but don`t let that fool you. These containers are used for many other things, and they come packed with positive sides.
- The biggest advantage of plastic containers is that they are reusable. They are sturdy, durable, and safe, so you can feel free to transport any type of goods you want.
- No type of weather can hurt or destroy plastic, which means your items will be safe, no matter the weather conditions. Any long-standing professional in the freight forwarding business knows how important the safety of your items is.
- When empty, it should be easy to store plastic crates, as you can fit one into the other. This is a great solution for small apartments!
- In the end, these containers are very cheap and easily accessible. Getting them will not break the bank.
Plastic crates – the cons
If you think you have made your decision, you need to wait for a few more minutes. Plastic crates are not as perfect as they seem, as there are some negative sides to using them.
- The biggest disadvantage of plastic is that they are not environmentally friendly. Even the process of creating plastic creates a lot of pollution and toxic materials that later endanger the Earth.
- Plastic contains a lot of chemicals that can cause all types of different problems.
- Over time, plastic degrades if being affected by excessive light, scratching, dents, etc. If you leave your heavy items in a container for too long, the plastic may start to lose its shape.
Wooden vs. plastic crates – is there a winner?
As you were able to see, both wooden and plastic crates come with a lot of good and negative sides attached to them. It would be impossible to say which one is a clear winner. Just like when choosing between boxes and bags, you look at what your needs are and then you from your decision, the same goes for this other choice that is ahead of you. Therefore, onlinedrifts.com suggests you get familiar with your needs and then decide which option might be more beneficial for you. This is really the only way to decide between these two options.
However, if you are an environmentalist, choosing between wooden vs. plastic crates is no problem for you, is it? Wood is a natural material, which means that wooden crates don`t contribute to the deterioration of our planet. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about plastic crates, as they are filled with chemicals. Whatever you choose, as long as you are careful, your items should be safely shipped to another location, be it to the next city, country or even continent.