{"id":609,"date":"2026-10-29T12:59:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T04:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/?p=609"},"modified":"2026-10-29T12:59:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T04:59:52","slug":"how-to-store-a-finishing-crate-when-not-in-use-4f28-896213","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/29\/how-to-store-a-finishing-crate-when-not-in-use-4f28-896213\/","title":{"rendered":"How to store a finishing crate when not in use?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re like most small to medium-sized manufacturing or logistics operations, finishing crates are the unsung heroes of your day-to-day workflow. I run a supplier of these heavy-duty, precision-engineered crates, and for years I\u2019ve heard the same frustration from my customers: they\u2019ll spring for a crate that stands up to years of moving delicate finished goods\u2014custom furniture, electronic components, artisanal metal parts, even high-end textiles\u2014only to let it rot, warp, or get damaged during the months when it\u2019s sitting unused in a warehouse, garage, or loading dock. The worst part? Most people store their crates wrong without even realizing it, turning a $150\u2013$500 investment into garbage in a matter of weeks. Today, I\u2019m pulling back the curtain on what I\u2019ve learned from 10+ years of supplying crates and working with customers who swear by them (or lament their poor storage habits) to break down exactly how to store a finishing crate when it\u2019s not in use. No fluff, no AI-generated generic tips\u2014just real, tested advice that\u2019s saved my customers thousands in replacement costs. Finishing Crate<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s get one thing straight: finishing crates aren\u2019t disposable shipping boxes. They\u2019re built to protect your valuable goods, which means they\u2019re made from durable materials\u2014usually cross-laminated timber (CLT), solid hardwood, or sometimes weather-resistant composite plastic\u2014with reinforced corners, metal edging, and heavy-duty latches. Their design is functional, but that same structure makes them vulnerable when not upright and loaded with a product. The biggest mistakes I see? Stacking them haphazardly on dirt floors, leaving them exposed to rain and snow, or shoving them into tight corners where they get crushed or warped. Let\u2019s start with the foundation: where you place your crate when it\u2019s not in use. This is non-negotiable. I can\u2019t tell you how many customers have called me panicking after a winter storm flooded their back lot and turned three of their stored crates into waterlogged, moldy messes. Your storage location needs three key traits: elevation, ventilation, and protection from the elements.<\/p>\n

Elevation might sound trivial, but it\u2019s the single most impactful factor in preserving a wooden finishing crate. Wood is porous, and even pressure-treated lumber will absorb moisture from the ground. That moisture leads to rot, warping, and even pest infestations\u2014termites, carpenter ants, and roaches love the damp, dark space under a crate sitting directly on concrete or dirt. I always recommend using plastic pallets, concrete blocks, or heavy-duty plastic skids to lift the crate at least 6 inches off the ground. For extra peace of mind, if you\u2019re storing multiple crates, use skids that are at least 12 inches wide to distribute the weight evenly and prevent the bottom crate from sagging. I once had a custom furniture maker tell me he stored 12 crates under his back porch on dirt for six months, and every single one had a noticeable warp in the side panels. After he followed my advice and moved them to pallets, he didn\u2019t have a single warp in the next storage season. That\u2019s not a coincidence\u2014elevation works.<\/p>\n

Next, ventilation. Wooden crates need air flow to dry out, especially if they\u2019ve been used to ship goods that were slightly damp (like fresh-painted furniture or textiles that were stored in a humid warehouse before packing). If you seal a damp crate in a tight space, mold will start growing within a week. A few years ago, I supplied a set of crates to a medical device company that shipped sterile lab equipment. They used the crates for three months, then stored them in a locked metal shed at their facility. They didn\u2019t leave any gaps between the crates, and by the time they went to use them again, half the crates had black mold on the interior walls\u2014enough to compromise the sterility of their products. That\u2019s a costly mistake. When storing multiple crates, leave at least 2 inches of space between each crate to let air circulate. If you\u2019re storing a single crate, prop the lid slightly open with a small wooden wedge or a plastic shim (avoid metal, which can scratch the interior of the crate if you plan to use it for delicate goods). I always advise my customers to avoid covering crates with plastic sheeting for storage, too\u2014plastic traps moisture like a plastic bag, turning your crate into a breeding ground for mold. Instead, use breathable coverings like heavy-duty canvas or polypropylene fabric, which let air pass through while blocking dust and light.<\/p>\n

Now, what if you don\u2019t have a covered space? Maybe you work at a small shop with no extra warehouse, so you have to store the crate outside. I get it\u2014space is a luxury for a lot of small businesses. In that case, you need a weatherproof cover and a slightly different storage setup. First, make sure the crate is elevated at least 8 inches off the ground (more than you would indoors) and positioned under an overhang if possible\u2014like a loading dock awning or the eave of a building. If it has to be out in the open, angle the crate slightly so water runs off the lid instead of pooling on top. Pooled water is one of the fastest ways to ruin a wooden crate; even a small puddle sitting on the lid for a few days will seep into the wood, causing warping and rot. For the cover, go for a heavy-duty, UV-resistant poly cover that\u2019s made specifically for large equipment\u2014cheap plastic covers will tear in a matter of months from sun exposure and wind. I also recommend checking the cover once a month if it\u2019s sitting outside, to make sure there are no gaps or tears that let rain in.<\/p>\n

What about plastic finishing crates? I supply a smaller line of composite plastic crates for customers that ship goods in extremely humid environments or need crates that are easy to sanitize. While plastic is less porous than wood, it still needs proper storage to last. The biggest threat to plastic crates when not in use isn\u2019t moisture\u2014it\u2019s UV damage and warping from heavy weight. Never stack plastic crates more than 5 high, even if they\u2019re empty; the bottom crate will get crushed under the weight of the ones on top, especially if it\u2019s in a warm space where the plastic is softer. Store them in a shaded area if possible, and avoid placing them near heat sources like furnaces or docks that get direct sun all day\u2014excessive heat can make the plastic brittle and crack over time. I had a customer in the food processing industry who stacked 8 plastic crates outside for three months, and the bottom two crates warped so badly they wouldn\u2019t seal properly when he went to use them for produce shipping. Fixing that was as simple as capping the stack at 4 crates and moving them to a shaded corner of his facility.<\/p>\n

Another thing most people overlook: cleaning and prepping the crate before storing it. I can\u2019t stress this enough. If you toss a dirty, dusty crate back into storage, you\u2019re not only inviting pests\u2014you\u2019re speeding up the breakdown of the material. For wooden crates, wipe down the interior and exterior with a mild, non-abrasive cleaner (I like a mix of warm water and a small amount of dish soap) to get rid of any leftover dust, paint chips, or residual packaging material. If you\u2019ve been shipping food, sanitize the interior with a food-safe cleaner to prevent mold growth. Let the crate dry completely for 24\u201348 hours in a well-ventilated space before storing it\u2014putting a damp crate away is a recipe for disaster. For plastic crates, pressure wash them to remove stuck-on debris, then let them air dry fully. If you\u2019re storing crates that have metal hardware (latches, hinges, corner protectors), lightly wipe down the metal parts with a thin coat of oil (like mineral oil or linseed oil) to prevent rust. Rust not only damages the hardware, it can transfer to the interior of the crate and stain whatever you ship in it later. I once had a custom furniture maker call me complaining that his stored crates had rust stains on the new dining sets he was packing\u2014turns out he\u2019d skipped oiling the latches, and the moisture in storage had caused them to rust. A quick 5-minute prep job would have prevented that entire headache.<\/p>\n

What about long-term storage, like if you\u2019re not going to use the crate for 6 months or more? That\u2019s a different scenario than storing it for a few weeks. For long-term storage, I recommend taking a few extra steps to protect the crate. For wooden crates, if you have space, disassemble the crate if it\u2019s not needed for a specific project\u2014take off the lid, remove the side panels, and stack them flat. This reduces the amount of space each crate takes up, and it\u2019s harder for warp to set in flat panels than in upright assembled crates. If disassembling isn\u2019t an option, add a layer of cardboard or felt to the interior of the crate to prevent dust and scratches from settling on the surface. For plastic crates, if you\u2019re storing them long-term, wrap each crate in a breathable fabric cover to keep dust off, and make sure they\u2019re not stacked more than 3 high. One mistake I see often with long-term storage is rodents. Mice and rats love to nest in stored crates, especially if there\u2019s any food or debris left inside. Set a few mouse traps around the storage area, and if you\u2019re storing crates in a garage or shed, make sure there are no gaps in the walls or floors that pests can get through. I had a customer who stored a dozen crates for a year, and when he opened them up, there were mouse nests inside two of them\u2014ruining the crates and the goods he was going to ship. A few simple pest prevention steps would have avoided that entirely.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s bust a common myth: some people think leaving the crate empty for storage is okay, but the weight of the crate itself isn\u2019t a problem\u2014wrong. Wooden crates will sag over time if they\u2019re not supported properly, especially if they\u2019re large. If you have a large crate (like a 48×40 inch crate for big furniture), place a horizontal wooden beam across the inside of the crate to support the side panels when it\u2019s empty. This prevents the wood from warping under its own weight. For smaller crates, stacking them with their lids closed is fine, as long as you\u2019re not putting heavy items on top of them. Never stack anything heavy (like pallets of supplies, tools, or even other crates that are in use) on top of stored finishing crates. That\u2019s a surefire way to crack a panel or bend a metal hinge.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, storing a finishing crate correctly isn\u2019t rocket science\u2014it\u2019s a matter of being intentional, not cutting corners on prep and location, and paying attention to small details that make a big difference. As a supplier, I\u2019ve heard every horror story about ruined crates, and the ones that stick with me are the ones that could have been avoided with simple storage habits. Elevate, ventilate, protect from elements, clean and prep, avoid over-stacking, and check on your crates every few months. That\u2019s all it takes to make your investment in a quality finishing crate last for years, instead of a few shipping cycles.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re in the market for durable, high-quality finishing crates that hold up to both shipping and proper storage, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to our team to discuss your specific needs\u2014we can help you find the right crate for your products and provide additional tips tailored to your storage space and workflow.<\/p>\n

Pig Feeder<\/a> References<\/p>\n

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  1. American Wood Protection Association. (2021). Standards for the Care and Storage of Wooden Shipping Crates. AWPA Journal, 42(3), 112\u2013127.<\/li>\n
  2. Plastic Industry Association. (2019). Best Practices for Storing Industrial Plastic Containers and Crates. PIA Technical Bulletin, 17, 45\u201352.<\/li>\n
  3. National Association of Logistics Management. (2022). Warehouse Storage Guidelines for Reusable Shipping Packaging. NALM Report, 8, 78\u201385.<\/li>\n
  4. U.S. Small Business Administration. (2020). Small Business Guide to Preserving Industrial Equipment and Shipping Supplies. SBA Office of Advocacy Publication, 1\u201334.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    Qingdao Shengxin Metalware Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    Qingdao Shengxin Metalware Co., Ltd. is one of the leading finishing crate manufacturers and suppliers in China, providing the best quality finishing crate with competitive price. Welcome to contact our factory to place orders.
    Address: Wangtai Industrial Zone, Hungdao District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province
    E-mail: sale@sxequipment.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.sxequipment.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you\u2019re like most small to medium-sized manufacturing or logistics operations, finishing crates are the unsung … How to store a finishing crate when not in use?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":354,"featured_media":609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[572],"class_list":["post-609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-finishing-crate-4a07-8a0a9c"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/354"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=609"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/609\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ilicoco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}