Slip sheets for gaylords

What a slip sheet does

A partial flap bottom has flaps that reach the middle without overlapping. Between them is a gap. A slip sheet is a thin sheet of solid fiber laid on the pallet before the box goes on. It closes the gap. It also keeps pallet nails and slat edges from pressing through the base into the load, and gives the box a flat floor to sit on.

The used 48 x 45 x 40 in listing we cite was five-ply with partial bottom flaps and slip sheets, which is a typical pairing: a heavy box with a partial bottom, closed by a slip sheet.

Slip sheet or solid pallet

Used slip sheets

• Dry. A damp sheet is a weak sheet.
• Flat. A curled sheet leaves gaps.
• Unpunctured. Look for nail holes.
• The right size. It should match the box footprint.

A slip sheet is not a lid. A lid goes on top and a liner goes inside. See lids and liners. And a slip sheet does not turn a partial bottom into a full one for dense loads. For castings and small dense parts, ask for the full flap. See bottom styles.

What to ask us for

If you order a partial-bottom gaylord, say whether you have slip sheets. If you do not, say so in the request. If you are selling used slip sheets, say how many and what condition they are in. A pile of clean ones is worth listing. Send the footprint and the count on the request page.

Facts and figures

• Virginia Tech research found effective box compression strength decreases as pallet overhang increases, with overhang magnitude, box perimeter and board type the significant predictors. (vtechworks.lib.vt.edu, retrieved 2026-11-11.)

Terms

• slip sheet: A thin solid-fiber sheet laid under a partial-bottom box to close the base and keep pallet nails off the load.
• partial flap bottom: Bottom flaps that reach the middle without overlapping, so the box rests on a slip sheet or pallet; common for resin and produce.
• full flap bottom: Bottom flaps that overlap to make a complete base; best for heavy loads, powders and small parts.
• tray bottom: A shallow corrugated base that a sleeve sits in.
• pallet footprint: The box's length and width matched to a pallet, most often 48 x 40 in.

When a slip sheet is the wrong answer

• A load with no clamp or push-pull equipment at the receiving end: ask for a pallet instead.
• Dense parts that need a full flap bottom, which closes the base without a sheet.
• A damp floor, where a sheet slides and the board softens.

Sheet details to specify

• Material: fibre, plastic or laminate, and its thickness.
• Tabs: one, two or four, and their width for the attachment.
• Size: the sheet should match the box footprint, with tabs beyond it.

Handling note

Keep slip sheets flat and dry, and do not mix sheets of different tab widths in one stack.