Hand pallet wrap vs machine pallet wrap is a question of who does the stretching. Hand pallet wrap is a short, light roll that a person carries round the load and pulls tight, and machine pallet wrap is a long, heavy roll that sits on a wrapping machine, which stretches the film far more than an arm can. If you wrap by hand, buy hand rolls. If you run a machine wrapper, buy machine film made for that machine. We sell hand pallet wrap only. We do not stock machine film or pallet wrapping machines.
This guide explains what differs between the two rolls, why you should not swap one for the other, and how to work out whether your pallet count justifies a machine, using your own numbers. Most of it is about the hand side, because that is what most small warehouses, trade counters and removal firms use: how to choose a hand roll by micron, width and core, when black film is worth it, and how many rolls to keep on the shelf.
In This Guide
- Quick picks for wrapping pallets by hand
- What is the difference between hand pallet wrap and machine pallet wrap?
- Can you use hand wrap on a machine wrapper, or machine wrap by hand?
- How many pallets a day justify a machine wrapper?
- How do you choose a hand stretch wrap roll by micron, width and core?
- When should you use black pallet wrap or a mini handy roll instead?
- How many pallets does one roll of hand pallet wrap do?
- How should you buy hand pallet wrap: quantities, cost per roll and delivery?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick picks for wrapping pallets by hand
If you already know you wrap by hand, these three rolls cover full pallets, hidden loads and small bundles.
Best for everyday pallets
Clear Pallet Wrap
Clear hand stretch film, so labels and barcodes stay readable through the wrap.
- 400mm and 500mm widths
- 20 or 23 micron
- Standard or extended core, sold per roll
From £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for loads you want hidden
Black Pallet Wrap
Opaque black hand stretch film that keeps the contents of the pallet out of sight.
- Three rolls, 120m to 250m
- 20 or 23 micron
- 400mm x 200m roll has an extended core
From £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for bundles, not pallets
Mini Handy Pallet Wrap 100mm x 150m
A narrow 100mm roll for bundling boxes, pipes and furniture parts.
- 100mm x 150m, 17 micron
- Clear or black
- Fits the HW38 handy wrap dispenser
From £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productWhat is the difference between hand pallet wrap and machine pallet wrap?
The difference is in the roll, and it follows from how the film gets stretched. Hand stretch film is made to be pulled tight by a person walking round the pallet, so the roll is light enough to carry and short enough to finish before your arms give up. Machine film is made to be stretched by powered rollers on a wrapping machine, so the roll is far longer and heavier and the film is designed to stretch much further before it goes on the load.
Both are stretch film, which clings to itself and holds a load by tension, with no heat involved. If you are not sure whether you need stretch film at all, our guide to shrink wrap vs stretch wrap sorts that out first.
| Hand pallet wrap | Machine pallet wrap | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is applied | A person carries the roll round the pallet and pulls the film tight | The roll sits on a machine carriage. The pallet turns, or an arm travels round it |
| Roll weight | Light enough to hold. Our rolls weigh 750g to 1.8kg | Much heavier. The roll is lifted onto the machine and left there |
| Roll length | Our rolls are 120m, 200m or 250m | Far longer, so the machine runs for many pallets between changes |
| Width | Usually 400mm or 500mm | Depends on the machine. Check its manual |
| Core | Standard core for a dispenser, or an extended core you grip by hand | A core sized to the machine's carriage |
| Stretch | As much as your arm can pull | Set on the machine, and much higher than hand wrapping |
| Do we stock it? | Yes, in clear and black | No |
A third type sits between the two: mini or handy wrap. It is hand film on a narrow 100mm roll, used for bundling, and it is too narrow to wrap a full pallet in any sensible time. We cover it further down.
What we stock. Every pallet wrap roll we sell is hand stretch film. We do not sell machine film, pallet wrapping machines or full width pallet wrap dispensers.
Can you use hand wrap on a machine wrapper, or machine wrap by hand?
No, not as a working method. A hand roll on a machine wrapper runs out after a few pallets, may not fit the carriage, and the film is not made for the stretch the machine applies, so it can snap. A machine roll used by hand is too heavy to carry round a pallet all day, and film that is designed to be stretched by a machine does not hold as intended when it goes on with arm tension alone.
If you run a machine, the film specification comes from the machine: the width it takes, the core it takes, the roll weight the carriage is rated for and the stretch setting you use. Take those from the machine's manual or its supplier and buy film to match. We cannot supply that film. Our product page says the same thing: these are hand stretch film rolls, and if you run a stretch wrap machine you should call us on 0161 706 1246 before you order so we can tell you whether anything we stock is suitable.
The one sensible crossover is keeping a few hand rolls next to a machine. Machines break down, odd shaped loads do not always sit on a turntable, and a part pallet at the end of a shift is often quicker to do by hand. A couple of rolls of clear pallet wrap on the shelf, from £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT) per roll, covers those jobs.
How many pallets a day justify a machine wrapper?
There is no single number of pallets a day that justifies a machine wrapper, because the answer depends on your labour cost, your film use and your floor space. A fixed threshold quoted by someone else is a guess at your figures. You can run the sum with your own numbers, and it takes about a week of counting.
We do not sell machines, so we have no reason to push you either way, and this is the method we would use.
- Count your pallets. Record how many pallets you wrap each day for a week or two, and note the busiest day as well as the average. A machine has to pay for its floor space on ordinary days as well as busy ones.
- Time the hand wrap. Time a few pallets from picking up the roll to pressing the tail down. Include fetching a new roll. Use the average.
- Work out labour per day. Pallets per day x minutes per pallet gives minutes of wrapping per day. Multiply by what that person's time costs you per minute.
- Work out film per pallet. Count how many pallets one roll does, then divide the roll price by that count. That is your hand film cost per pallet.
- Get the machine side from a machine supplier. Ask for the purchase or lease cost, servicing, the film cost per pallet at the stretch setting they recommend, and the wrap time per pallet. Ask them to show how they reached the film figure.
- Compare over a year. Hand cost is labour plus film. Machine cost is the machine, servicing, film and the labour that is still needed to load the pallet and start the cycle. The gap between the two, set against the price of the machine, tells you how long it takes to pay back.
Cost is only part of the decision, and these questions settle a lot of cases before the sum does:
- Are your pallets the same shape? Machines suit uniform, square loads. Mixed, overhanging or unstable loads often still need a person.
- Do you have the floor space and power? A machine needs a fixed spot with room to bring a pallet truck or forklift in and out.
- Is wrapping a strain problem? Bending and walking backwards round pallets all day is hard on backs. If staff are struggling, that matters as well as the cost.
- Is wrap quality causing damage? A machine puts film on at the same tension every time. If loads shift in transit because hand wrapping varies between people, that is a point in the machine's favour.
- Is the volume steady? A seasonal peak of a few weeks may be cheaper to cover with extra hands and extra rolls.
Try the cheap fix first. If hand wrapping feels slow, check the technique and the roll before pricing a machine. A wider roll or an extended core roll can take time off each pallet for the price of a roll. Our guide to how to wrap a pallet step by step covers the method.
How do you choose a hand stretch wrap roll by micron, width and core?
Choose a hand stretch wrap roll in three steps: micron for the load, width for the pallet height, and core for how you hold the roll. Our full pallet rolls come in 20 or 23 micron, 400mm or 500mm wide, on a standard or an extended core.
Micron is the thickness of the film. Thicker film takes more punishment from corners and edges. In our range the 20 micron rolls suit lighter, regular shaped loads, removals and occasional use, and the 23 micron rolls are the ones for regular pallet wrapping. For more on thickness, pallet wrap grades and gauges are covered in their own guide.
Width decides how much height each turn covers. A 500mm roll covers a quarter more height per turn than a 400mm roll, so a tall pallet needs fewer trips round. A 400mm roll is lighter in the hand and easier to control on short loads and furniture.
Core is the cardboard tube in the middle. A standard core is flush with the film and fits a dispenser. On an extended core the tube sticks out past the film at each end, which gives you two handles, so you can wrap without a dispenser and without the roll spinning against your palms.
| Roll | Micron | Core | Roll weight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear 400mm x 120m | 20 | Standard | 750g | Removals, bundling a few boxes, occasional pallets |
| Clear 400mm x 200m | 23 | Standard | 1.5kg | Regular pallet wrapping |
| Clear 400mm x 250m | 23 | Extended | 1.5kg | Regular wrapping by hand with no dispenser |
| Clear 500mm x 250m | 23 | Standard | 1.75kg | Tall or large loads, fewer turns per pallet |
| Black 400mm x 120m | 20 | Standard | 750g | Occasional hidden loads, removals |
| Black 400mm x 200m | 20 | Extended | 1.4kg | Hidden loads wrapped by hand with no dispenser |
| Black 500mm x 250m | 23 | Standard | 1.8kg | Valuable stock on full pallets |
Sizes are film width x roll length, and the weights are the listed roll weights. For wrapping pallets by hand most days with no dispenser, the clear 400mm x 250m, 23 micron extended core roll is the one we would start with. The product description calls it the easiest to wrap by hand, and it carries more film than the 200m roll.
Best all-round hand roll
Clear Pallet Wrap
Clear hand stretch film that clings to itself, so the load stays tight with no tape or heat.
- 400mm x 120m, 200m and 250m, and 500mm x 250m
- 20 micron on the 120m roll, 23 micron on the rest
- Minimum order one roll, price per roll falls with quantity
From £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productFor the other types of film you may see quoted elsewhere, such as pre-stretched and coloured films, see 5 types of stretch film for pallets. We stock standard hand film in clear and black.
When should you use black pallet wrap or a mini handy roll instead?
Use black pallet wrap when you do not want people to see what is on the pallet, and use a mini handy roll when the job is a bundle and not a pallet. Clear film is the default for everything else, because labels, barcodes and the stock itself stay visible through it.
Black pallet wrap is opaque hand stretch film. It comes in three rolls: 400mm x 120m and 400mm x 200m in 20 micron, and 500mm x 250m in 23 micron, from £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT) per roll. It suits high value, confidential or easily recognised stock in storage or transit, where hiding the load adds a little security. Black film does not lock anything, and you will need the pallet label on the outside of the film because nothing can be read through it.
Mini handy pallet wrap is a 100mm x 150m roll of 17 micron film in clear or black, from £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT) per roll. It is for holding two or three cartons together, bundling pipes, tubes and cables, and keeping drawers and doors shut on small furniture. The HW38 handy wrap dispenser, £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT), is a hand-held holder for those mini rolls. The roll spins on the handle so your hands stay off the film.
The HW38 is for mini rolls only. It does not take full width 400mm or 500mm pallet wrap, and we do not sell a dispenser for full width rolls. For full pallets without a dispenser, pick an extended core roll.
If most of your wrapping is bundles and parcels, read handy wrap and mini pallet wrap for bundling, which goes through those jobs one by one. And if a bundle of two boxes is all you ever wrap, a few bands of packing tape may do the job with nothing extra to buy.
Best for bundling with mini rolls
HW38 Handy Wrap Dispenser
A hand-held holder for mini handy stretch wrap rolls. The film is sold separately.
- Takes 100mm mini handy wrap rolls
- Roll spins on the handle, hands stay off the film
- Sold per piece
From £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productHow many pallets does one roll of hand pallet wrap do?
One roll of hand pallet wrap does as many pallets as its length divided by the film you use on each pallet, and you can work that out with a tape measure and a count. We will not quote a pallets per roll figure, because it changes with the height of the load, the number of layers you put on and how hard you pull.
The method:
- Measure once round the load. Add up the four sides. A 1200 x 1000mm pallet footprint, for example, is 1.2 + 1.0 + 1.2 + 1.0 = 4.4m round.
- Count the turns. Wrap one typical pallet the way you normally do and count every full turn, including the extra turns at the base and the top.
- Multiply. Distance round x turns is the film path for that pallet. If you counted 12 turns, that is 4.4 x 12 = 52.8m.
- Divide the roll length by that figure. A 250m roll divided by 52.8m is about 4.7, so allow at least four pallets per roll at that count. A 200m roll gives about 3.8 and a 120m roll about 2.3.
The 12 turns are only an example to show the sum. Use your own count. The result is also on the cautious side, because film stretches as you pull it, so a metre off the roll covers more than a metre of load. A simpler test is to start a new roll, tally the pallets until it runs out, and use that number when you order.
Once you know pallets per roll, cost per pallet is the roll price divided by that number. That is the figure to put into the machine comparison above, and it is also how you compare a 120m roll with a 250m roll fairly. If film cost per pallet is the thing you want to bring down, our guide on how to use less film per pallet has the detail.
Keep a knife with the film. Tearing stretch film by hand leaves a long ragged tail, and a utility knife gives a clean cut that presses down flat.
How should you buy hand pallet wrap: quantities, cost per roll and delivery?
Buy hand pallet wrap by the roll, in a quantity that matches your pallet count, and check the volume tiers before you choose a number. Every roll we sell is priced on its own with a minimum order of one, and the price per roll falls as the quantity rises. The tiers are shown on each product page.
- Clear pallet wrap: from £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT) per roll, four sizes.
- Black pallet wrap: from £4.00 ex VAT (£4.80 inc VAT) per roll, three sizes.
- Mini handy pallet wrap 100mm x 150m: from £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT) per roll, clear or black.
- HW38 handy wrap dispenser: from £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT) per piece.
To set a quantity, take your pallets per week and divide by your pallets per roll. Add a roll or two as a buffer, because running out of film stops a despatch. If one roll lasts you a month, buy one or two. If you get through several a week, look at where the next price tier starts and order to that if you have somewhere dry to keep the rolls.
Royal Mail Tracked 48 delivery is free on every order with no minimum. Orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday leave our Manchester unit the same working day. Click and collect from Cheetham Hill is free and usually ready within 2 hours, and we run same-day van delivery within 10 miles of Cheetham Hill. A VAT invoice comes with every order.
If you buy film every month, a trade account is worth setting up. For bigger orders across boxes, tape and film, see our guide to bulk and pallet orders by van. And if you run a machine and are not sure what you need, call 0161 706 1246 or use the contact page. Machine film has to come from a machine film supplier, but we can help with the hand rolls you keep as backup.
Choose a clear pallet wrap roll
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use hand pallet wrap on a pallet wrapping machine?
Hand pallet wrap is made for wrapping by hand and is not the right film for a pallet wrapping machine. A hand roll is short, may not fit the machine's carriage, and the film is not designed for the stretch a machine applies. Buy machine film that matches your machine's manual. Pack Solution sells hand pallet wrap only and does not stock machine film.
Is machine pallet wrap cheaper than hand pallet wrap?
Machine pallet wrap can cost less in film per pallet because a machine stretches the film much further than a person can, but the saving depends on the machine, its settings and the film. The machine itself, servicing and floor space have to be set against that saving. Work out your hand film cost per pallet first by dividing the roll price by the pallets one roll wraps, then ask a machine supplier for the same figure.
What micron is hand stretch film?
Hand stretch film at Pack Solution is 20 or 23 micron on full width pallet rolls and 17 micron on the 100mm mini handy roll. Micron is the thickness of the film. The 23 micron rolls are the ones to use for regular pallet wrapping, and the 20 micron rolls suit lighter loads, removals and occasional use.
What does extended core mean on hand pallet wrap?
An extended core on hand pallet wrap means the cardboard core sticks out past the film at each end of the roll. Those ends work as handles, so you can wrap a pallet without a dispenser. At Pack Solution the clear 400mm x 250m roll and the black 400mm x 200m roll have extended cores.
Do you sell machine pallet wrap or pallet wrapping machines?
No. Pack Solution sells hand pallet wrap only: clear pallet wrap, black pallet wrap and the mini handy pallet wrap 100mm x 150m with its HW38 dispenser. Pack Solution does not sell machine film or pallet wrapping machines. If you run a stretch wrap machine, call 0161 706 1246 before ordering and we will tell you whether anything in the range is suitable.
How many pallets a day do I need to wrap before buying a machine wrapper?
There is no fixed number of pallets a day that justifies a machine wrapper. Count your pallets for a week, time how long each one takes to wrap by hand, and work out your labour and film cost per pallet. Then compare that yearly cost with a machine supplier's figures for the machine, servicing and film. Load shape, floor space and strain on staff matter as much as the pallet count.
