Floor Scale Rental in Houston: Rent or Buy a Pallet Scale for Counts, Audits and Projects
Reviewed by MNM Scales technicians · Updated November 2, 2026 · Prices checked November 2, 2026
Short answer: a floor scale rental fits a job with an end date, such as a year-end count, an audit, a pilot run or covering for your own floor scale while it is in for repair. MNM Scales rents floor and pallet scales across Greater Houston. Tell us the heaviest pallet or load, the platform size, the readability, your dates and site, and whether the scale will be used in trade, and contact us for rental options and a written quote. For weighing that never stops, buying an NTEP floor scale such as the EH-1044, 10,000 x 2 lb ($2,199) usually makes more sense. See scale rental in Houston or call (832) 290-3120.
This guide is for warehouse, plant and project managers who need to weigh pallets, drums or heavy loads for a set period. It covers when renting a floor scale fits, what to ask for, the Texas rules if the weight sets a price, and the floor and pallet scales to buy when the job turns out to be permanent. MNM Scales has sold, calibrated and repaired scales for over 30 years from our shop in Cypress, Texas. Renting counting scales for a stockroom count instead? See our counting scale rental guide, and for hanging loads see crane scale rental in Houston.
When a floor scale rental makes sense
- Year-end and cycle counts: pallets, drums, coils and bulk bags are counted or weighed on a floor scale while the bins go to the counting scales.
- Audits and reconciliations: a second floor scale lets you check incoming or outgoing weights against paperwork for a set period.
- Short projects and pilot runs: a temporary line, a trial product or a site cleanup that needs weights for weeks, not years.
- Covering your own scale: keep shipping and receiving moving while your floor scale is in for repair or calibration.
- Seasonal peaks: extra receiving or shipping lanes during a busy season.
Floor scale rental vs buying a pallet scale
| Question | Renting fits when | Buying fits when |
|---|---|---|
| How long is the job? | It has a clear end date | Weighing is part of everyday work |
| How often will you weigh? | For a count, an audit or a project | Every shift or every shipment |
| Will the weight set a price? | Tell us, and we match an NTEP model | Buy an NTEP floor scale and have it placed in service |
| Where will it sit? | A temporary spot or a second site | A fixed spot with power, a level floor and room for ramps |
What to ask for: platform size, capacity and readability
- Platform size: a 4 x 4 ft (48 x 48 in) platform holds a standard 48 x 40 in pallet with room to spare. Measure your largest pallet, skid or container, including any overhang.
- Floor scale or pallet beams: a platform floor scale gives a fixed weigh station. Portable pallet beam scales, such as the LP7630A beam scales, roll to the load and suit sites where the scale moves.
- Capacity: add the heaviest loaded pallet to any container or pallet jack weight that rides on the scale, and choose a capacity above that total, such as 5,000 lb or 10,000 lb.
- Readability: a 5,000 lb scale commonly reads in 1 lb steps and a 10,000 lb scale in 2 lb steps. Ask for finer readability if you weigh light pallets or need tighter counts.
- Site: tell us about the floor (flat, level concrete works best), how loads get on the scale (pallet jack, forklift or ramp), and where power is.
Our floor scale buying guide goes deeper on platform sizes, capacity, construction and ramps.
What to send with your floor scale rental request
- What you are weighing and the heaviest load, including the pallet
- Largest pallet or container footprint
- The readability you need
- Dates, including setup and return, and the Houston-area address
- How loads get on the scale and whether power is nearby
- Whether you need a calibration certificate, or legal-for-trade use for any weight that sets a price
Send these through our contact form or call (832) 290-3120, and contact us for rental options. The cost depends on the scale and the length of the job, and we send it in a written quote.
Rules: NTEP and Texas when a rented floor scale is used in trade
Weighing your own stock for a count or an audit values your inventory. When a floor scale weight sets a price, such as product sold by weight, scrap or recycling bought by weight, or freight billed by weight, the scale is a commercial device and has to be legal for trade in Texas. TDA does not require an NTEP certificate for every device, but the scale must meet NIST Handbook 44 and suit its use; some scales do need one, so we recommend NTEP models and can check yours. Tell us in your rental request if any weight will be used in trade, and we will match an NTEP model and have our TDA-registered technicians place it in service. See our NTEP guide, our TDA scale certification guide and legal-for-trade scale calibration in Texas.
Floor and pallet scales to buy for longer jobs
When the job becomes permanent, these are in stock to buy. They are purchase options at live prices, separate from our rental scales.
| Floor or pallet scale (to buy) | Capacity x readability | Size | What comes with it | Legal for trade | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EH-1044 floor scale | 10,000 x 2 lb | 48 x 48 in platform | Cardinal 185 indicator included; ramps not included | NTEP, EH Series CC 15-085; 185 indicator CC 18-075A1 | $2,199 |
| EH-544 floor scale | 5,000 x 1 lb | 48 x 48 in platform | Cardinal 185 indicator included; ramps not included | NTEP, EH Series CC 15-085; 185 indicator CC 18-075A1 | $2,199 |
| LP7630A-4.7-24-2500 beam scale | 2,500 x 0.5 lb | Two 24 in beams | 2 U-beams with wheels, 4 load cells, LP7516 indicator and cable; indicator stand, printer and remote display not included | Ask us before trade use | $558 |
| LP7630A-4.7-36-5000 beam scale | 5,000 x 1 lb | Two 36 in beams | 2 U-beams with wheels, 4 load cells, LP7516 indicator and cable; indicator stand, printer and remote display not included | Ask us before trade use | $658 |
| LP7630A-4.7-48-5000 beam scale | 5,000 x 1 lb | Two 48 in beams | 2 U-beams with wheels, 4 load cells, LP7516 indicator and cable; indicator stand, printer and remote display not included | Ask us before trade use | $998 |
| LP7630A-4.7-48-10000 beam scale | 10,000 x 2 lb | Two 48 in beams | 2 U-beams with wheels, 4 load cells, LP7516 indicator and cable; indicator stand, printer and remote display not included | Ask us before trade use | $1,098 |
Calibration and rental
- Rental certificates: ask for a calibration certificate in your rental request, and we include it in the quote.
- On-site floor scale calibration: $295 + $2 per mile per visit across the Houston area, plus calibration per scale; call for a calibration quote for floor scales. See on-site calibration in Houston, industrial scale calibration in Houston and how to calibrate a floor scale.
- Keeping a floor scale in shape: see our scale maintenance program guide, and have us repair the brands we sell.
- Other rentals: we rent all types of scales, including counting scales for inventory counts and crane scales.
Need a floor scale for a set period? Send the heaviest load, the platform size, the readability, your dates and site, and whether any weight sets a price. Contact us for rental options, or ask us to quote a purchase with calibration. Shop: 21249 FM 529 Rd, Cypress, TX 77433, visits by appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer floor scale rental in Houston?
Yes. MNM Scales rents floor and pallet scales to businesses across Greater Houston. Send the heaviest load, the platform size, your dates and site, and contact us for rental options.
How much does a floor scale rental cost?
The cost depends on the scale and the length of the job. Contact us for rental options with your load, platform size and dates, and we send a written quote.
What size floor scale should I rent for pallets?
A 4 x 4 ft (48 x 48 in) platform holds a standard 48 x 40 in pallet. Choose a capacity above the heaviest loaded pallet plus anything that rides on the scale, such as 5,000 lb or 10,000 lb.
Can a rented floor scale be used for selling by weight?
Tell us in your request. When a weight sets a price, the scale has to be legal for trade in Texas, so we match an NTEP model and our TDA-registered technicians place it in service.
Should I rent or buy a floor scale?
Rent for a job with an end date, such as a count, an audit or a short project. Buy when weighing is part of everyday work; the EH-1044 and EH-544 NTEP floor scales are in stock.
Can a rental floor scale come with a calibration certificate?
Yes. Ask for a calibration certificate in your rental request, and we include it in the quote.
Do you rent counting scales and crane scales too?
Yes. MNM Scales rents all types of scales, including counting scales for inventory counts and crane scales for hanging loads. See our counting scale rental guide and crane scale rental page.