Shop Now

How to Wrap a Pallet by Hand

Date: 24-07-2025 Posted in Product Education

The Dangers of Ineffective Pallet Wrapping

Pallet loads are exposed to a world of risk as they move through your warehouse and beyond. Some of the most common risks include being bumped into shelves and movement around the back of a delivery truck, to damage from moisture and other contaminants. Proper pallet wrapping ensures load stability and creates a water and dust-resistant layer, minimising risk of cargo damage and associated costs – both financial and reputational.

Wrapping Pallets Without a Pallet Wrapping Machine

For smaller businesses wrapping up to 10 pallets per day, hand wrapping is a practical and cost-effective solution that doesn’t require automated machinery. It offers flexibility for lower-volume operations and helps maintain productivity without the need for complex equipment.

Larger operations often rely on pallet wrapping machines, but it's still wise to keep a few rolls of hand wrap around as a back up. It’s ideal for occasional use or small/irregular loads that don’t suit machine wrapping. Plus, if your machine goes offline or needs servicing, knowing how to wrap a pallet by hand is essential for keeping operations on track.

Pick the Right Materials and Tools for the Job

Before you start wrapping, make sure you’ve got the right packaging supplies for the task as the first order of business. Azapak offers several options of cling wrap and other accessories that make the job easy and effective.

Already have the gear and just want a walk-through on how to wrap your pallet?

Skip ahead to our step-by-step instructions.

Choosing the Right Pallet Wrap for Your Load

Not all shrink wrap is created equal. It’s important to consider the nature of the goods you’re wrapping and other factors, including:

Colour and transparency qualities
Film gauge (thickness) and strength
Self-adhesive (cling) properties
Breathability (important for food and produce)

Let’s explore these in more depth.

Cast vs Blown Stretch Wrap

There are two main categories of stretch wrap:

Cast Stretch Wrap

Cast film refers to stretch wrap manufactured by extruding melted resin through a flat die and cooling it quickly.

Attributes:

Excellent Clarity: High transparency makes labels and contents easy to see, especially important when using barcode scanners that need to read through the wrapping layer.
Low Noise: Quieter to unwind than alternatives due to its lower tackiness.
Lighter Loads: Suitable for lightweight cargo with smooth surfaces.
Affordable: Typically cheaper due to the simpler manufacturing process.

Check out our IMPAK Saver Stretch Clear Cast Hand Pallet Wrap as a great budget-friendly cast stretch wrap option.

Blown Stretch Wrap

Manufactured by extruding melted resin through a circular die to form a bubble. It is then flattened and cooled, resulting in a thicker product with high tack and durability.

Attributes:

Lower Translucency: Blown films are typically duller than cast ones, so they’re not ideal for scan-through use.
Higher Stick, Higher Noise: This variety puts the ‘cling’ in cling film, meaning they can make quite a bit of noise when you unwind from the roll.
Excellent Durability and Load Retention: Blown films are ideal for higher-weight loads or sharp edges. They have excellent abrasion and tear resistance, higher film memory and super strong cling.

Wrapping a heavy or challenging pallet load? Check out our ROAR WRAP Blown Clear Stretch Wrap for a strong solution that sticks.

Coloured or Clear Pallet Wrap

Clear Pallet Wrap: Like kitchen cling film, pallet wrap is often see-through. Clear film is also known as natural pallet wrap. It’s perfect for when stock visibility or barcode scanning is required. Check out our Securewrap Cast Film Clear Stretchwrap.
Black Pallet Wrap: Many product lines are available in black, offering discretion for valuable or sensitive pallet loads. Check out our ROAR Wrap Blown Black Stretch Wrap.
White Stretch Film: This less common opaque option delivers the same privacy benefits as black. Check out our ROAR WRAP Blown White Stretch Wrap.
Assorted Colours: Our Grip Film - Coloured Stretch Wraps come in novel tints like blue, red, green and yellow. Great for product ID, visual stock rotations and customised branding.

Hybrid Hand Pallet Wrap

Hybrid stretch wrap is designed to offer the strength of traditional films with far less material. It’s a popular choice for businesses looking to reduce plastic usage without sacrificing performance.

Key Benefits

Thinner but Just as Strong: Up to 40% thinner than conventional film, while still delivering reliable load containment.
Less Waste: Reduced film usage means less plastic waste, helping to lower your environmental impact.
Lightweight Rolls: Easier to handle and apply, reducing fatigue for operators during repetitive wrapping tasks.

Hybrid wrap is a great middle ground between eco-conscious packaging and dependable stretch strength. See our IMPAK Innovare Hybrid Hand Pallet Wrap range.

Film Gauge and Roll Size

Once you’ve landed the right type and colour of film, it’s also important to consider the finer dimensions. These include:

Core Diameter: Most hand pallet wrap has a 76mm wide core, but some brands use a smaller 50mm core.
Film Gauge (Thickness): Measured in microns (µm), thicker film means stronger wrap. Most products come in a range of thickness options.
Roll Length: Hand rolls typically range from 360m to 500m. Thinner films often come in longer rolls.
Roll Width: Most rolls are 500mm wide, but some – like our IMPAK Saver Stretch Clear Cast Hand Pallet Wrap rolls – are slightly narrower at 450mm.

Use an Applicator for Less Strain and More Efficiency

Most hand rolls come with plastic inserts that slot into the cardboard tube core. This means that you can technically operate them with your hands alone by simply holding the inserts and allowing the rolls to spool out. Investing in a dedicated manual tool delivers better results and prevents an overly labour-intensive process. Our Heavy-Duty Pallet Wrap Dispenser allows the operator to apply film comfortably and consistently. A removable spacer unit enables use with either a 450mm or 500mm large roll.

Start Wrapping: Step-by-Step Instructions for How to Wrap a Pallet

Once you’ve prepped your load and selected your stretch wrap, follow these steps:

1. Secure the Wrap to the Pallet Base

Start by tying or tucking the plastic wrap around one of the bottom corners of the pallet. Wrap around the base 2–3 times to secure the load and anchor the film.

2. Wrap the Bottom Layer First

Begin with the lower cartons. Wrap around the pallet, steadily working your way up. Keep tension consistent to wrap tightly while being careful not to cause splitting.

3. Spiral Upwards with Overlap

As you move up the pallet, overlap each wrap by about 50%. This creates two complete layers of pallet wrap, improving load stability and helping the wrap stick to itself.

4. Reinforce the Top Layer

Once you reach the top, wrap around 2–3 times. If the stack is uneven or unstable, consider applying a complete layer horizontally across the top as well.

5. Spiral Down Again (Optional)

For extra security, reverse direction and wrap downwards, especially when wrapping multiple pallets for extended storage or long-distance transport.

6. Tear and Tuck

When finished, rip the film and tie or tuck the end securely under the last wrap layer. This prevents the wrap from coming undone in transit.

Wrapping Up

Wrapping pallets by hand isn’t difficult when you have the right materials, tools, and a few basic techniques. Choosing the correct stretch wrap, using a quality dispenser, and applying it properly ensures a tight wrapping that keeps everything in place. Manual wrapping is slower than using a pallet wrapping machine, but with the right technique and packaging materials, you can achieve professional results.

Premium Packaging Supplies, Expert Advice and Fast Delivery

Azapak helps businesses of all sizes with their pallet wrapping and general warehousing needs. Need help selecting the right hand pallet wrap, accessories, or want to upgrade to an automated pallet wrapping machine? Our valued customers get expert advice on our range of hand pallet stretch wrap, plus local warranty support on all our industrial packaging equipment.

Interested in finding out more? Call 1300 255 725 or email sales@azapak.com.au.

Shopping Cart

Search