Display pallets: half (48 × 20) and quarter (24 × 20) pallets
A display pallet is a small pallet that carries product straight onto a store floor as a ready-made display. North American sizes are the 48 × 20 in (1219 × 508 mm) half pallet and 24 × 20 in (610 × 508 mm) quarter pallet; in Europe, the 800 × 600 mm EPAL 6. Retailers set their own rules.
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 20.00 in
- Height
- 4.75 in
- Lumber
- 7.5 bd ft
- Est. weight
- 33 lb (15 kg)
- Fasteners
- 56
Every dimension is editable. Get the drawing free, or request a quote.
Display pallets move product from the manufacturer to the sales floor without re-handling. The product is built into a display at the packer, shipped on the pallet, and wheeled into the aisle. Clubs, mass merchants and grocers all run programs for them.
What is a display pallet?
A display pallet is a half-size or quarter-size pallet designed to sit on a retail floor as part of a point-of-sale display. The two North American sizes divide the standard 48 × 40 in footprint:
| Name | Size (in) | Size (mm) | Share of a 48 × 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half pallet | 48 × 20 | 1219 × 508 | 1/2 |
| Quarter pallet | 24 × 20 | 610 × 508 | 1/4 |
| EPAL 6 half pallet | 31.5 × 23.6 | 800 × 600 | 1/2 of a Euro pallet |
| European quarter | 23.6 × 15.7 | 600 × 400 | 1/4 of a Euro pallet |
Because the sizes divide 48 × 40 in or 1200 × 800 mm exactly, mixed loads of display pallets fill a full pallet position in racks and trailers.
How is a display pallet built?
Wooden half pallet
The pallet.design half template is a 48 × 20 in stringer pallet:
| Component | Template value | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Stringers | 2, 1-3/8 × 3-1/2 × 48 in | 35 × 89 × 1219 mm |
| Top deckboards | 7, 5/8 in thick, 20 in long | 16 mm thick, 508 mm long |
| Bottom deckboards | 5 | 5 |
| Overall height | about 4-3/4 in | about 121 mm |
With two stringers, forks enter from the 20 in ends between the stringers. Some wooden half pallets use three narrow stringers or blocks for side entry.
Plastic display pallets
Plastic half and quarter pallets are usually injection-molded with a solid or near-solid deck, often with nine feet or a perimeter base so pallet jacks can enter from more than one side. Some retail programs specify plastic for cleanliness and consistent height.
EPAL 6
EPAL's 800 × 600 × 144 mm half pallet has 13 boards, 9 blocks and 69 nails, weighs about 9.5 kg (21 lb) and carries a safe working load of 750 kg (1,653 lb). The bottom pallet in a stack may carry up to 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) on a flat, solid surface.
Where are display pallets used?
- Club stores and mass merchants (floor displays of beverages, snacks, seasonal goods)
- Grocery end caps and promotional displays
- European retail on EPAL 6 and 600 × 400 mm bases
- Any shipper building PDQ (pretty darn quick) displays at the packing line
Retailers publish rules on footprint, maximum unit height, material and labelling. A summary by one display maker lists a 52 in maximum unit height for Walmart quarter-pallet displays, for example. Always use the retailer's current vendor guide; see Walmart pallet requirements and Costco pallet requirements.
Pros and limits
| Pros | Limits |
|---|---|
| Product goes to the floor without restacking | Low capacity per pallet |
| Two halves or four quarters fill one pallet position | Narrow base: tall displays can tip |
| Easy to move by pallet jack in aisles | Retailer rules change and differ |
| Reduces store labour | Plastic programs may require specific models |
Capacity and weight
A wooden 48 × 20 in half pallet weighs roughly half of a comparable 48 × 40 in pallet. Plastic display pallets are usually lighter. Capacity is lower than full-size pallets, and stability often limits the load before strength does: a tall display on a 20 in wide base needs a low centre of gravity and good stretch wrap. The manufacturer's rating is authoritative. See pallet load capacity.
ISPM 15
Wooden display pallets need heat treatment and an ISPM 15 mark if exported. Plastic display pallets are exempt.
What drives the cost?
- Material: wood (lower price) or plastic (higher price, longer life)
- Retailer-specified model or colour
- Quantity: display programs are often seasonal
- For wood, lumber volume and heat treatment
Specifying a display pallet for a quote
- Footprint: 48 × 20, 24 × 20, 800 × 600, 600 × 400 mm or other
- Retailer program and vendor-guide version
- Material: wood, plastic, or either
- Entry: 2-way or 4-way; pallet jack access from which sides
- Maximum pallet height
- Load weight and display height
- ISPM 15 HT if wood and exported
- Quantity, program dates, delivery location
Related: half pallet sizes, quarter pallet sizes, plastic pallets. The half-pallet template has the full drawing; open it in the designer.
Drawing and parts listEdit in the design app
48×20 half display template, generated from the model. Every dimension is editable.
Pallet
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 20.00 in
- Overall height
- 4.75 in
- Classification
- 48.00 x 20.00, Stringer-Class, Double-Face Non-Reversible, Flush, Partial 4-Way, Reusable, New Manufacture
Construction
- Build
- Wood stringer pallet
- Wings
- Flush
- Top deck
- 7 boards × 0.625 in (5/8); leads 5.50 in (5-1/2), interior 3.50 in (3-1/2)
- Bottom deck
- 5 boards × 0.625 in (5/8); interior grouped between notches
- Stringers
- 2 × 1.375 in (1-3/8) wide × 3.50 in (3-1/2) tall
- Notches
- Partial 4-way: 1.25 in (1-1/4) deep × 9.00 in (9) long, 6.00 in (6) from each end, R 0.75 in (3/4)
- Lumber
- Mixed Hardwood, Standard & Btr, green, new
- Fasteners
- 56 × 2.25 in (2-1/4) helical, 0.112 in wire, per Uniform Standard Table 5
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
What size is a half pallet?
In the US, 48 × 20 in (1219 × 508 mm): half of a 48 × 40 in pallet. In Europe the half pallet is the 800 × 600 mm EPAL 6, half of a 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet.
What size is a quarter pallet?
In the US, 24 × 20 in (610 × 508 mm), a quarter of a 48 × 40 in pallet. In Europe, 600 × 400 mm is the common quarter footprint.
Are display pallets wood or plastic?
Both. Many retail display programs use plastic half and quarter pallets because they are clean, light and consistent, but wooden 48 × 20 in stringer pallets are also common. Follow the retailer's current vendor guide.
How do you move a half pallet?
Usually with a pallet jack from the 20 in end, or a forklift. Two half pallets side by side occupy the footprint of one 48 × 40 in pallet in a trailer.
How much can a half pallet hold?
Less than a full pallet. EPAL rates its 800 × 600 mm EPAL 6 at a 750 kg (1,653 lb) safe working load. For US half and quarter pallets, the rating depends on the design and comes from the manufacturer.
Sources and references
Related
- SizesHalf pallet: dimensions and uses (48 × 20 and 800 × 600)A half pallet is half of a region's standard pallet. In North America it is 48 × 20 in (1219 × 508 mm), half of a 48 × 40. In Europe it is 800 × 600 mm (31.5 × 23.6 in), half of a 1200 × 800 Euro pallet, made by EPAL as the EPAL 6 and EPAL 7. Half pallets are used mainly for retail floor displays.
- SizesQuarter pallet: dimensions and uses (24 × 20 and 600 × 400)A quarter pallet is a quarter of a region's standard pallet. In North America it is 24 × 20 in (610 × 508 mm), a quarter of a 48 × 40. In Europe it is 600 × 400 mm (23.6 × 15.7 in), a quarter of a 1200 × 800 Euro pallet. Most are plastic display pallets for retail floors.
- Sizes48 × 20 half pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 48 × 20 in pallet (1219 × 508 mm) is the North American half pallet: half of a 48 × 40 split along its length. It is used mainly for retail floor displays in club and mass-merchant stores. Wood versions have 2 stringers and weigh roughly 16 to 33 lb; plastic versions are common.
- Sizes24 × 20 quarter pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 24 × 20 in pallet (610 × 508 mm) is the North American quarter pallet: one quarter of a 48 × 40. It is used for small retail floor displays that sit on the sales floor. Most are molded plastic; wood versions exist and weigh roughly 9 to 18 lb.
- Sizes800 × 600 pallet (half Euro pallet): dimensions, weight and specsAn 800 × 600 mm pallet (31.5 × 23.6 in) is the half Euro pallet, half of a 1200 × 800. EPAL makes two versions: the EPAL 6 (144 mm tall, 750 kg safe working load) and the EPAL 7 (163 mm tall, 500 kg), both about 9.5 kg. It is used for retail display and small loads.
- GuidesWalmart pallet requirements: supplier DCs and Walmart Fulfillment ServicesWalmart's supplier standards require 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) four-way Grade A pallets: stringer pallets with 7 top and 5 bottom boards on 3 stringers (2,100 lb loaded), 9-block pallets (2,800 lb) or approved pooled pallets. Loads max 96 in (244 cm), no overhang. WFS has its own rules.
- GuidesCostco pallet requirements: pooled block pallets and purpose-built exceptionsCostco requires iGPS, PECO or CHEP block pallets throughout North America and refuses GMA/Grade A stringer, CHEP stringer, CHEP Euro and corrugated pallets. Purpose-built pallets need advance approval per item; Costco's published supplement requires them to be designed with PDS.
- TypesPlastic pallets: types, materials, load ratings and how to buy themA plastic pallet is a molded or fabricated pallet made from HDPE or polypropylene. Types range from light nestable pallets (about 14–30 lb) to reinforced rackable pallets (about 35–70 lb). They are washable, ISPM 15 exempt and long-lived, cost several times more than wood, and carry three separate load ratings.
More in Special purpose
- TypesDrum pallet: 48 × 48 pallets for four 55-gallon drumsA drum pallet is a heavy-duty pallet sized to carry 55-gallon (208 L) drums, most often a 48 × 48 in (1219 × 1219 mm) square pallet holding four drums. It needs tight deckboard gaps so drum chimes cannot drop between boards, and extra stringers because four filled drums can weigh about 2,000 lb (900 kg) or more.
- TypesSpill pallet: sump capacity, drum counts and EPA containment rulesA spill pallet is a platform with a grated deck over a sump that catches leaks from drums or IBCs stored on it. Common four-drum models hold about 66 gal (250 L) and carry about 5,000–6,000 lb; IBC models hold about 385–400 gal. Sump size follows rules such as EPA 40 CFR 264.175.
- TypesExport pallets: ISPM 15, container sizes and material choicesAn export pallet must meet ISPM 15 (heat-treated and marked wood, or an exempt material such as plastic, presswood, paper or metal), fit the container and the consignee's equipment, and usually be cheap enough to lose. Common choices are HT wood, 45 × 45 in or 1200 × 1000 mm footprints, and nestable plastic.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 799 words.