Block pallet: construction, dimensions and uses
A block pallet is a wooden pallet whose deck sits on blocks, usually nine arranged 3 × 3, joined by stringerboards. The gaps between blocks give full 4-way entry for both forklifts and pallet jacks. EUR/EPAL, CP and the pooled 48 × 40 in pallets of CHEP and PECO are all block pallets.
- Type
- Wood block
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Height
- 5.50 in
- Lumber
- 15.5 bd ft
- Est. weight
- 68 lb (31 kg)
- Fasteners
- 92
Every dimension is editable. Get the drawing free, or request a quote.
Block pallets carry most of Europe's freight and nearly all pooled pallets in North America. They cost more to build than stringer pallets, but they handle better: pallet jacks can enter from any side, and the bottom deck gives a stable base for conveyors, racking and automated storage.
What is a block pallet?
A block pallet is a pallet in which the top deck is supported by blocks rather than continuous stringers. The blocks sit under stringerboards, full-length boards that tie them together. Because there is open space between every pair of blocks, forks and pallet jacks can enter from all four sides. This is called full 4-way entry.
How is a block pallet built?
A block pallet has five component groups: top deckboards, top stringerboards, blocks, bottom deck (boards or stringerboards) and fasteners. The blocks are usually nine, laid out 3 × 3.
| Component | pallet.design 48 × 40 template | EUR/EPAL 1 (1200 × 800 mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Top deckboards | 7, 5/8 in (16 mm) thick | 5, 22 mm thick |
| Stringerboards | 3, 3/4 × 3-1/2 in (19 × 89 mm) | 3, 22 × 145 mm |
| Blocks | 9, 5-1/2 × 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in (140 × 89 × 89 mm) | 9, 78 mm high (145 × 100 and 145 × 145 mm) |
| Bottom deck | Perimeter, 5/8 in (16 mm) | 3 boards, one direction, 22 mm |
| Overall height | about 5-1/2 in (140 mm) | 144 mm (5.7 in) |
Block pallets are often built in two stages. The top deckboards and stringerboards are nailed together into a "deck mat", with short clinched mat nails. The mat is then nailed through into the blocks, and the bottom deck is nailed on from below. A common North American build uses about 3 in annular nails through the stringerboard into the block and shorter nails for the mat and bottom deck.
Bottom deck styles
The bottom deck defines how a block pallet behaves on conveyors and in racking.
| Bottom style | Layout | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unidirectional | Bottom boards run one way only | EUR/EPAL, CP1–CP5. Conveys well in one direction |
| Perimeter | Boards form a picture frame | Pooled 48 × 40 pallets, UK 1200 × 1000. Rides conveyors both ways |
| Cruciform | Perimeter plus a cross through the centre | Stiffer, heavier |
| Overlap / flush overlap | Bottom boards plus bottom stringerboards, sometimes with filler boards | CP9 style |
Where are block pallets used?
- Pooling: CHEP (blue) and PECO (red) 48 × 40 in pallets are block pallets. See pallet pooling.
- Europe: the Euro pallet and most 1200 × 1000 mm pallets.
- Chemicals and plastics: the nine CP pallets.
- Automated warehouses: a flat, continuous bottom deck suits roller conveyors, AS/RS and pallet shuttles. See pallets for automation.
- Export: block pallets are common on 1200 × 1000 mm and 1140 × 1140 mm container footprints.
Pros and limits
| Pros | Limits |
|---|---|
| Full 4-way entry for forklifts and pallet jacks | More parts and labour, so a higher price than stringer |
| Stable in racking and on conveyors | Heavier than a comparable stringer pallet |
| Resists racking in both directions when the bottom deck is designed for it | Blocks can split or twist if nailing is poor |
| Easy to repair (replace a block or board) | Harder to build in one-off custom sizes on standard lines |
Weight and capacity
Block pallets are usually heavier than stringer pallets of the same footprint. An EPAL 1 weighs about 25 kg (55 lb). A 48 × 40 in block pallet commonly falls somewhere in the 45–70 lb (20–32 kg) range, as an estimate, depending on species, block material and moisture.
EPAL publishes a safe working load of 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) for the EPAL 1, with up to 5,500 kg (12,125 lb) on the bottom pallet of a stack on a flat, solid surface. Those figures belong to that licensed design only. For any other block pallet, the rating depends on the support condition (floor, forks, rack across length or width) and comes from the manufacturer's PDS analysis or physical testing under ASTM D1185 or ISO 8611. See pallet load capacity.
ISPM 15
Solid-wood block pallets need heat treatment and an ISPM 15 mark for most export. Composite blocks are exempt as processed wood, but the lumber boards on the same pallet are not, so the pallet as a whole still needs treating.
What drives the cost?
- More components than a stringer pallet (9 blocks and 3 stringerboards) and a two-stage assembly
- Block material: solid, laminated or composite
- Bottom deck style (perimeter and cruciform use more lumber than unidirectional)
- Heat treatment and kiln drying
- Licensing, for EPAL-marked pallets
- Volume and freight
Specifying a block pallet for a quote
- Length × width (stringerboard length first) and overall height
- Top deck: board count, thickness, widths, direction
- Stringerboards: count, thickness × width
- Blocks: count, size (W × L × H), material (solid, laminated, composite)
- Bottom style: unidirectional, perimeter, cruciform, overlap; board sizes
- Chamfers on bottom boards for pallet-jack wheels, if needed
- Species, grade, moisture condition
- Fasteners per connection type (mat, top-to-block, bottom-to-block)
- Load, support conditions, stacking height, automation constraints
- ISPM 15 HT, EPAL licence or "Euro-size OK"
- Quantity, annual volume, delivery location
Related: block vs stringer, stringer pallet. Templates: 48 × 40 block, UK 1200 × 1000, EPAL 1. You can open the 48 × 40 block template in the designer.
Drawing and parts listEdit in the design app
48×40 block (perimeter) template, generated from the model. Every dimension is editable.
Pallet
- Type
- Wood block
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Overall height
- 5.50 in
- Classification
- 48.00 x 40.00, Block-Class, Double-Face Non-Reversible, Perimeter Base, Full 4-Way, Reusable, New Manufacture
Construction
- Top deck
- 7 boards × 0.625 in (5/8); leads 5.50 in (5-1/2), interior 3.50 in (3-1/2); run along width
- Stringerboards
- 3 × 3.50 in (3-1/2) wide × 0.75 in (3/4)
- Blocks
- 9 × 5.50 in (5-1/2) × 3.50 in (3-1/2) × 3.50 in (3-1/2); solid
- Bottom
- Perimeter; 0.625 in (5/8) boards, outer 5.50 in (5-1/2), centre 5.50 in (5-1/2)
- EUR / EPAL
- No
- Lumber
- Mixed Hardwood, Standard Btr, green, new
- Fasteners
- 92 × 2.25 in (2-1/4) helical
Requirements
- Load
- 2,000 lb, uniform
- Handling
- forklift, pallet jack
- Racking
- Not racked
- Floor stack
- 1 high
- Use
- Reusable / multi-trip
- Environment
- Standard
- ISPM-15
- Domestic only
- Certified rating
- Not required
- Food contact / fire
- No / no listing
Order
- Quantity
- Not specified
- Ship to
- —
- Needed by
- —
Frequently asked questions
How many blocks does a block pallet have?
Nine is standard: four corner blocks, four edge blocks and one centre block. Some large or heavy-duty designs use more, and some lightweight designs use fewer.
Are block pallets stronger than stringer pallets?
They often rack and stack better because load is spread through stringerboards and a bottom deck in both directions, but it depends on the design. Compare ratings for the same support condition, not the class name.
Why do pooled pallets use block construction?
Pooled pallets are handled many times by many users. Full 4-way entry for pallet jacks and forklifts, a stable bottom deck for conveyors and racking, and easy block and board replacement suit that life.
What are block pallet blocks made of?
Solid lumber, laminated lumber, or composite (presswood) blocks made from wood fibre and resin. Composite blocks are processed wood and do not need ISPM 15 treatment on their own, but the solid-wood boards still do.
Sources and references
Related
- TypesStringer pallet: construction, dimensions and when to use oneA stringer pallet is a wooden pallet whose deckboards are nailed across two or more continuous beams called stringers, usually three on a 48 × 40 in pallet. It is 2-way entry, or partial 4-way when the stringers are notched. It is the most common and cheapest pallet design in North America.
- ComparisonsBlock vs stringer pallets: differences and when to use eachChoose a stringer pallet when you want the lowest cost, one-way or closed-loop use and mostly 2-way handling. Choose a block pallet when you need true 4-way entry for forklifts and pallet jacks, heavy reuse, pooling, automation or the European 1200 × 800 footprint.
- TypesPerimeter-base pallet: picture-frame bottom block pallets explainedA perimeter-base pallet is a block pallet whose bottom deckboards form a closed frame around the edges, often with a centre board. The frame gives full 4-way entry, rides roller conveyors in either direction and spreads load in stacks. Pooled 48 × 40 in and UK 1200 × 1000 mm pallets use it.
- TypesEuro pallet (EUR / EPAL 1): dimensions, weight and constructionThe Euro pallet (EUR or EPAL 1) is a licensed European block pallet measuring 1200 × 800 × 144 mm (47.2 × 31.5 × 5.7 in). It weighs about 25 kg (55 lb), has 11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 nails, and carries a safe working load of 1,500 kg (3,307 lb). Only EPAL licensees may build and mark it.
- TypesCP pallets (CP1 to CP9): dimensions, construction and usesCP pallets are nine standardised wooden block pallets (CP1 to CP9) designed for the European chemical and plastics industry. They range from 760 × 1140 mm to 1300 × 1100 mm. CP1 to CP5 are 138 mm (5.4 in) high with bottom boards in one direction; CP6 to CP9 are 156 mm (6.1 in) high with perimeter or full-frame bottoms.
- GlossaryBlock (pallet)A block is a rectangular, square or cylindrical spacer between the decks of a block pallet. Most block pallets have 9 blocks in a 3 × 3 grid, and the block height sets the fork entry height.
- GlossaryStringerboard (block pallet)A stringerboard is a continuous board on a block pallet that runs the full pallet length between the deckboards and the blocks, tying the blocks together. EPAL 1 uses three stringerboards of 22 × 145 × 800 mm.
- GuidesPallet pooling: how CHEP, PECO and iGPS rental worksPallet pooling is renting pallets instead of buying them. A pooler such as CHEP (blue), PECO (red) or iGPS (plastic) owns standard 48 × 40 in pallets, issues them to shippers, collects them from receivers, then inspects, repairs and reissues them. You pay fees per use, not a purchase price.
More in Wood pallets
- TypesWooden pallets: types, construction, sizes and how to specify themA wooden pallet is a flat transport platform built from lumber deckboards fastened to stringers or blocks. In North America most are 48 × 40 in stringer pallets weighing about 30–70 lb (14–32 kg); in Europe the 1200 × 800 mm EPAL block pallet dominates. Wood must be ISPM 15 treated for most export.
- TypesGMA pallet: 48 × 40 in dimensions, construction, weight and gradesA GMA pallet is a 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) wooden stringer pallet built to the grocery industry's standard: three notched stringers for partial 4-way entry, seven top and five bottom deckboards, and an overall height of about 4-3/4 in (121 mm) in the standard build. It is the most common pallet in the United States.
- TypesRecycled pallets: grades, remanufacturing, cost and how to buy themA recycled pallet is a used wooden pallet that has been sorted, repaired or rebuilt and resold. Used 48 × 40 in pallets are sold as Grade A (few or no repairs) or Grade B (repaired). They cost less than new, but grade definitions vary by supplier and any repair voids an existing ISPM 15 mark.
- TypesWhite wood pallets: what the term means and when to use themIn North American logistics, a white wood pallet is an unpainted wooden pallet that the shipper buys and owns, as opposed to a rented pooled pallet painted blue (CHEP) or red (PECO). Most are 48 × 40 in stringer pallets, new or recycled. In Europe, "whitewood" also names the spruce and fir lumber used for pallets.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 963 words.