Design checks: every rule, what it means and how to fix it
Summary
The designer runs geometry, Uniform Standard and practicality checks as you edit. Errors (red) mean the pallet can't be built as drawn and block a quote request. Warnings (amber) flag likely problems. Passes (green) confirm a rule is met or add a note.
Checks run on every edit. Open the Checks tab in the inspector, or click the check summary in the status bar, to see them. Each message shows its severity and its source (for example "Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets", "geometry" or "design guidance"). Fields a check refers to are outlined, and hovering over the field shows the message.
| Severity | Colour | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Error | Red | The pallet can't be built as drawn. Send request stays disabled until it is fixed. |
| Warning | Amber | A likely problem. You can still request a quote. |
| Pass | Green | A rule is met, or an informational note. |
Checks are construction rules, not a structural analysis. They don't estimate load capacity. See Pallet load capacity.
Wood stringer pallets
| Severity | Check | What it means and how to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Error | Top boards overlap | The top deckboards need more length than the pallet has. Reduce the count or the widths, or lengthen the pallet. |
| Warning | Top deck gaps over 5 in | Cartons or bags may sag between boards. Add a board or widen the interiors. See deckboard spacing. |
| Error | Stringers overlap across the width | Count × width exceeds the width inside the wings. Use fewer or narrower stringers. |
| Warning | Winged style with 0 overhang | Set Wing overhang, or choose Flush. |
| Warning | Wing over 4 in | Long overhangs bend deckboards. Shorten the wing or thicken the top deck. |
| Error | Notch radius larger than notch depth | Reduce Corner radius or deepen the notch. |
| Warning | Notch radius outside 1/2 to 1-1/2 in | The Uniform Standard calls for rounded notch corners in this range. Square notches aren't acceptable. |
| Error | Bottom lead board runs into the notch | The lead board is wider than the distance from the pallet end to the notch. Narrow the lead board or increase Start from end. |
| Warning | Less than 7 in of flat stringer between notches | Shorten the notches or move them toward the ends. |
| Warning / Pass | Fork opening under the notch | Notch depth plus bottom deck thickness should be about 2 in (within 0.3 in). Adjust Notch depth. A pass confirms the opening. |
| Warning | Less than 2 in of stringer above the notch | The notch leaves the stringer weak. Use a shallower notch or a taller stringer. |
| Error | Interior bottom boards don't fit between the notches | With Grouped layout, the boards need more room than the flat span. Use fewer or narrower boards, or choose Even. |
| Error / Pass | Nail penetration | Fastener length minus top deck thickness must be at least 1 in (deck 1/2 in or thinner) or 1-1/4 in (thicker deck). Use a longer nail. Not checked for staples or screws. |
| Warning | Single-use grade lumber | With Use set to One-way, deckboards should be at least 5/8 in thick and stringers at least 1-1/4 in wide. |
| Warning | Thin 12-1/2 ga nails on a reusable pallet | They lasted about half as many trips as 11-1/2 ga in Virginia Tech durability testing. Choose 11-1/2 ga or heavier. |
| Warning | Skid with pallet jack handling | A skid has no bottom deck. Pallet jacks work, but it is harder on floors and conveyors. |
| Warning | Sling handling on a flush pallet | Bar slings usually need a wing to hook under. Choose Single or Double wings. |
Wood block pallets
| Severity | Check | What it means and how to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Error | Top deckboards overlap | Reduce the count or the widths. |
| Warning | Stringerboards much wider than blocks | More than 1 in wider than the block width. Narrow the stringerboards or widen the blocks. |
| Error | EPAL-licensed footprint | EPAL-licensed pallets must be 1200 × 800 or 1200 × 1000 mm. Change the size or choose Euro-size. |
| Pass | EPAL licensees | Only EPAL licensees can build EPAL-marked pallets. The message names the current US licensees. |
| Pass | EPAL nail count | The EPAL drawing specifies 78 nails with EPAL-approved heads, so the designer's count is a guide. |
| Pass | Composite blocks | Composite blocks are ISPM 15 exempt, but solid-wood deckboards still need heat treatment for export. |
Plastic pallets
| Severity | Check | What it means and how to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Nestable or export style in racking | These are generally not rackable. Choose Rackable, or confirm with the supplier. |
| Warning | Food contact with recycled resin | Food contact usually needs virgin resin with an FDA letter of compliance. |
| Warning | Racked with no fire listing | Unlisted plastic in racking can raise sprinkler requirements. Consider UL 2335 or FM 4996. |
| Warning | Racked with no racking rating | Enter Racking under Ratings you need. |
| Warning | PP resin in a freezer | Homopolymer PP gets brittle in freezers. Use HDPE or PP copolymer. |
| Pass | ISPM 15 | Plastic pallets are exempt. |
Presswood, paper and slip sheets
| Severity | Check | What it means and how to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Error | Presswood in racking | Presswood isn't rated for open-beam racking. Set Racking to Not racked or choose another type. |
| Warning | Load above presswood grade | Choose a higher Load grade. |
| Pass | Presswood ISPM 15 | Presswood is exempt. |
| Warning | Paper in freezer, outdoor or washdown | Paper loses stiffness when wet. Coating resists moisture but isn't waterproof. |
| Warning | Paper load over 1,650 lb | Paper pallets are typically rated up to about 1,650 lb (750 kg). |
| Error | Slip sheet with no tab | Add at least one tab for the push-pull attachment. |
| Warning | Slip sheet tab under 3 in | Short tabs are hard to grip. |
| Warning | Heavy load on thin slip sheet | Loads over 2,500 lb usually need 0.060 to 0.125 in caliper. |
All pallet types
| Severity | Check | What it means and how to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Anything else with no description | Write at least a short description (type, size, material, use). |
| Pass | ISPM 15 exempt material | Shown when ISPM 15 is required on plastic, metal, presswood, paper or slip sheets. No heat treatment is needed. |
| Pass | PDS analysis | Shown when Certified rating is PDS report and the pallet is not racked: the quote will include a PDS analysis from a licensed partner. |
| Warning | Very long, narrow pallet | Length-to-width ratio over 4 (not slip sheets). Check forklift access and deck bending. |
Out-of-range values are not checks: number fields ignore values outside their limits, and the server rejects a request with "Some pallet fields are out of range".
Frequently asked questions
Can I request a quote with warnings?
Yes. Only errors block a quote request. If you keep a design with a warning on purpose, say why in the notes so the pricing team knows it is intended.
Do passing checks mean the pallet will carry my load?
No. The checks cover geometry and construction rules, not load capacity. The rating comes from the manufacturer that builds the pallet.
Why is there no check for my metal pallet?
Metal pallets are fabricated to order and have no type-specific rules in the designer yet. Only the cross-type checks apply.
Related
- StandardsUniform Standard for Wood Pallets (Woodpack Global, formerly NWPCA)The Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets is the North American industry standard for specifying, building and repairing wood pallets: terms, lumber quality, tolerances, fasteners, notches, repair and performance. Woodpack Global (formerly NWPCA) publishes it; it is voluntary and was revised in 2025.
- GlossaryWhat is a pallet notch?A notch is a cutout in the lower edge of a pallet stringer that lets forklift tines enter from the sides, making the pallet partial four-way. A typical 48 × 40 notch is 9 in long and 1-1/4 in deep, starting 6 in from each end.
- GuidesPallet nails and fasteners: types, sizes, MIBANT and nail countsMost wood pallets use threaded nails: helical (screw shank) for dense hardwoods, annular (ring shank) for softwoods. A typical deck nail is 2-1/4 in long with 0.112–0.120 in (11.5–11 gauge) wire. The Uniform Standard requires at least 2 nails per joint on boards up to 5-1/4 in wide and 3 on wider ones.
- GuidesDeckboard thickness and spacing: how to lay out a pallet deckPallet deckboards are usually 1/2 to 7/8 in (13 to 22 mm) thick and 3-1/2 to 6 in wide. Gaps are set by the board count: with ends flush, gap = (pallet length minus total board width) ÷ (boards minus 1). A GMA-style 48 × 40 has 7 top boards 5/8 in thick with 3-1/4 in gaps. Stiffness rises with the cube of thickness.
- DocsDesigning wood stringer palletsWood stringer pallets are modeled board by board. You set the build (pallet, skid or plastic lumber), wings, top and bottom deckboard count, thickness and widths, stringer count and size, optional 4-way notches, lumber and fasteners. Deckboards are spaced evenly with flush ends.
- DocsRequesting a quoteClick Request quote, enter your name and work email, confirm quantity and delivery, and send. We price that exact revision with vetted partner shops and reply within 2 business days. Shops never see your contact details, and you deal only with pallet.design.
More in Using the designer
- DocsGetting started with the pallet designerOpen a template, edit its properties in the inspector, clear any errors in the Checks tab, then switch to the Drawing tab for an ANSI B sheet. From there you can share a link, print, or request a quote. No account is needed and the designer is free.
- DocsPallet templates in the designerThe designer ships with 21 templates across eight pallet types: 7 wood stringer, 4 wood block, 4 plastic, 2 metal, and one each for presswood, paper, slip sheet and anything else. Each opens as a complete, valid design you can edit.
- DocsThe designer interface and keyboard shortcutsThe designer has a top bar (name, Model and Drawing tabs, Share, Print drawing, Request quote), a toolbar for views and display modes, a Browser panel listing parts and templates, a 3D viewport, an inspector with Properties, Checks and Parts tabs, and a status bar.
- DocsDesigning wood block palletsBlock pallets are modeled as 9 blocks in a 3 × 3 grid under 3 stringerboards, with a top deck and a perimeter, cruciform or 3-board bottom. You set deckboard direction, board counts and widths, block sizes and material, and whether the pallet is Euro-size or EPAL-licensed.
- DocsPlastic, metal, presswood, paper and slip sheetsBesides wood, the designer covers molded plastic (by requirements and archetype), metal, presswood (by load grade), paper and honeycomb, slip sheets (material, caliper, tabs) and an Anything else type. Plastic, presswood and Anything else are drawn as representative geometry.
- DocsUnits and dimension conventionsEvery length is stored in inches at actual size and shown in inches or millimetres. Length is the stringer or stringerboard direction and is stated first. Drawings use decimal inches or whole millimetres; parts lists use shop fractions to the nearest 1/16 in.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 1,225 words.