Parts list, board feet, weight and fastener counts

For wood pallets the designer lists every component, totals the lumber in board feet, estimates the weight and counts the fasteners. These numbers appear in the Parts tab, the drawing's parts list and the status bar.

#The parts list

The Parts tab shows one row per distinct cut: parts in the same group with the same size share a row. Columns are #, Part, Qty, T×W×L (Size for non-wood types) and bf. A Fasteners row gives the total count, and a Total lumber row gives the total board feet. Click a row to highlight those parts in the model.

For the 48 × 40 GMA template:

#How board feet are computed

Each wood part contributes thickness × width × length ÷ 144, with all three dimensions in actual inches. The designer sums this over every wood part.

• Dimensions are actual, not nominal.
• Notches are not deducted. A notched stringer counts as its full rectangular size.
• Board feet measure the finished parts, not the lumber purchased. Kerf, trim and rejected pieces are extra.
• Composite blocks, plastic lumber and non-wood parts count as 0 board feet.

Check a single part with the board feet calculator.

#How weight is estimated

Estimated weight = total board feet × a pounds-per-board-foot factor for the chosen Species and Moisture. The factors include fasteners.

Values are lb per board foot. The mixed hardwood and SPF factors are calibrated against published PDS spec sheets. The others come from species density tables. Any available uses the mixed hardwood factor.

Composite (presswood) blocks add about 40 lb per cubic foot of block volume. The result is rounded to the nearest pound and shown in the status bar with ≈.

For the GMA template, 13.49 bd ft of green mixed hardwood × 4.37 gives about 59 lb. The same pallet in kiln-dried SPF at 12% would be 13.49 × 2.16, or about 29 lb. Species and moisture both move the estimate a lot. See Pallet lumber moisture and Pallet weight.

Weight is not estimated for plastic lumber or for non-wood pallet types.

#How fasteners are counted

With Per joint set to Standard, each deckboard gets a minimum number of fasteners at every joint with a stringer or stringerboard, by board width, following the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets:

Setting Per joint to 2, 3 or 4 uses that number at every joint instead.

Stringer pallets. Top count = for each top deckboard, fasteners per joint × number of stringers. The bottom deck is counted the same way. On the GMA: top (2 leads × 3 + 5 interiors × 2) × 3 stringers = 48; bottom (2 × 3 + 3 × 2) × 3 = 36; total 84. For a panel top deck, the count is an estimate: per stringer, 6 at the ends plus about one every 10 in along the interior.

Block pallets. The count has two parts. Deck nails: for each top deckboard, fasteners per joint × 3 stringerboards. Block nails: 3 at each corner block and 2 at each other block, once for the top and once for the bottom (22 + 22 = 44 for 9 blocks). The 48 × 40 block template totals 92. For EUR / EPAL pallets the EPAL drawing governs (78 nails), so treat the designer's count as a guide.

Fastener positions are drawn as dots on the top view of the drawing.

#What these numbers are for

Board feet drive lumber cost, which is the largest part of a wood pallet's price, so they are the first number a shop checks when quoting. Weight matters for freight and handling. The fastener count and type feed the nailing schedule. All three are estimates for design and comparison. The shop that builds the pallet confirms them.