Flush pallet: deckboards flush with the stringers
A flush pallet is a pallet whose deckboards end exactly at the outside faces of the outer stringers or stringerboards, with no overhang. Almost all standard pallets, including GMA and EUR pallets, are flush. The alternative is a winged pallet, whose deckboards extend past the stringers.
"Flush" answers one question about a pallet's edges: do the deckboards stop at the stringers, or do they overhang? The flush pallet is the default, and the term mostly appears on spec sheets to rule out wings.
What is a flush pallet?
A flush pallet has deckboards whose ends line up with the outside faces of the outer stringers (on a stringer pallet) or the outer blocks and stringerboards (on a block pallet). Nothing overhangs. PDS spec sheets record this as a wing overhang of 0.00. The opposite is a winged pallet.
Pallet classifications, including PDS spec sheets, use three wing styles:
| Wing style | Top deck | Bottom deck |
|---|---|---|
| Flush | No overhang | No overhang |
| Single-wing | Overhangs | Flush |
| Double-wing | Overhangs | Overhangs |
How is a flush pallet built?
A flush 48 × 40 in stringer pallet has 40 in deckboards on three 48 in stringers, with the outer stringers set flush to each edge.
| Component | Typical size | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Deckboard length | 40 in (equals pallet width) | 1016 mm |
| Outer stringer position | Outside face at the deck edge | same |
| Deckboard ends | Flush with stringer faces | same |
| Lead boards | Flush with stringer ends | same |
The GMA pallet and EUR pallet are both flush in both directions: lead boards flush with the stringer ends, deckboard ends flush with the outer stringers.
Where are flush pallets used?
Almost everywhere: retail and grocery freight, racking, conveyors, trailers and containers. Flush edges fit rack uprights and conveyor guides predictably, and the footprint is the same at the deck and at the base.
Flush ends and flush sides
"Flush" can apply in two directions, and a spec sheet should be clear about both:
- Flush sides: the deckboard ends stop at the outer faces of the outer stringers. This is what "flush" means in the wing classification.
- Flush ends: the lead deckboards sit flush with the stringer ends, so no stringer sticks out past the deck and no board hangs past the stringer. The Uniform Standard allows lead boards to be placed within ±1/4 in (±6 mm) of their specified position.
Some designs deliberately inset the lead boards a little from the stringer ends, or set the outer stringers in from the deck edge, which creates a small wing. If your pallet must sit tight against a wall, a rack stop or another pallet, state "flush all four sides" on the RFQ.
When a flush pallet is not the right choice
Choose wings instead when:
- The load is bagged (cement, fertiliser, feed) and you want a slightly larger deck than base
- The unit load will be lifted by bar slings or a crane, not only forks
- Straps or stretch film need an edge to grip
See winged pallet for those cases.
Flush vs winged: pros and limits
| Flush | Winged | |
|---|---|---|
| Deck edges | Supported by stringers | Unsupported overhang |
| Edge damage | Deckboard ends backed by wood | Overhangs can snap if struck |
| Load area | Equal to the base | Larger than the base |
| Sling lifting | Not possible under the deck | Bar slings hook under the wings |
| Conveyors and racks | Predictable | Needs checking |
Capacity and weight
Being flush does not set capacity by itself. It does mean every deckboard end is supported by a stringer, which protects boards from splitting when forks or other pallets hit them. Weight for a flush 48 × 40 in wooden pallet is typically 30–70 lb (14–32 kg). The manufacturer's rating for your support condition is authoritative. See pallet load capacity.
ISPM 15
Flush wooden pallets need heat treatment and an ISPM 15 mark for most export.
What drives the cost?
Flush construction is the baseline. Costs come from the rest of the design: lumber volume, species, entry style, heat treatment, volume and freight.
Specifying a flush pallet for a quote
- Footprint and height
- Wing: flush (no overhang) on all sides
- Deckboards, stringers or blocks, bottom deck
- Load, support conditions
- ISPM 15 HT
- Quantity and delivery location
If you want the load to overhang the pallet, that is a separate question from wings; see pallet overhang. Related: winged pallet, stringer pallet. The GMA template is flush; open it in the designer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a flush and a winged pallet?
On a flush pallet the deckboard ends line up with the outer stringers. On a winged pallet the deckboards overhang the outer stringers, typically by 1 to 4 in, to give a wider deck or room for lifting slings.
Are most pallets flush?
Yes. GMA, EUR, CP and pooled block pallets are all flush. Wings are a specialty feature for bagged goods and sling handling.
Does flush affect the pallet's dimensions?
On a flush pallet the deck footprint and the stringer footprint are the same, so the stated size is the size everywhere. On a winged pallet the stringer frame is smaller than the deck.
Related
- TypesWinged pallet: single-wing and double-wing constructionA winged pallet is a stringer pallet whose deckboards extend past the outer stringers, typically by 1 to 4 in (25–100 mm). On a single-wing pallet only the top deck overhangs; on a double-wing pallet both decks do. Wings give a larger deck, a grip edge for straps and room for bar slings to lift the load.
- GlossaryFlush (pallet)Flush describes a pallet whose deckboards end even with the outside faces of the stringers or blocks, so no part of either deck overhangs. Most pallets are flush.
- GlossaryWing (winged pallet)A wing is the part of a pallet deck that overhangs the outer stringers or stringerboards. A single-wing pallet has only the top deck overhanging; a double-wing pallet has both decks overhanging.
- 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.
- 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.
- GlossaryFootprint (pallet)A pallet's footprint is its plan size, length × width, such as 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) or 1200 × 800 mm. It sets how many pallets fit in a trailer, container or rack bay.
- GuidesPallet overhang: why loads should not hang past the pallet edgePallet overhang is any part of the load that extends past the pallet edge. It leaves the bottom edges of boxes unsupported, cuts their stacking strength, exposes them to damage, and enlarges the billed freight dimensions. Most receivers want zero overhang: keep the load flush with or just inside the pallet edges.
More in Construction styles
- TypesTwo-way pallet: what it is and when it is the right choiceA two-way pallet is a pallet that forklifts and pallet jacks can enter from only two opposite sides. Most are stringer pallets with solid (unnotched) stringers, so the forks go in between the stringers at the ends. They are cheaper and keep full stringer strength, but they cost handling flexibility.
- TypesFour-way pallet: partial vs true 4-way entry explainedA four-way pallet can be entered from all four sides. A partial 4-way pallet is a stringer pallet with notched stringers: forklifts enter all four sides, but pallet jacks only the two ends. A true (full) 4-way pallet is usually a block pallet, which forklifts and pallet jacks can enter from every side.
- TypesSingle-face pallet: construction, uses and limitsA single-face pallet has only one deck: deckboards on top of the stringers or runners and nothing underneath. It is lighter and cheaper than a double-face pallet and suits one-way loads, machinery and crate bases, but it spreads load poorly onto the floor or the pallet below and is weak in racking across its width.
- TypesDouble-face pallet: construction, reversible vs non-reversibleA double-face pallet has a top deck and a bottom deck. Most are non-reversible: the bottom deck has fewer boards and only the top carries product. A reversible double-face pallet has two identical load-bearing decks. The bottom deck spreads load onto the floor or the load below and stiffens the pallet in racking.
- TypesReversible pallet: two identical decks, uses and trade-offsA reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose top and bottom decks are identical, so it can be loaded on either side. Flipping it spreads wear over two decks and removes the need to orient it. The trade-off is weight, cost and poor pallet-jack access, because the full bottom deck leaves no room for jack wheels.
- TypesSkid: what it is, how it differs from a pallet, and how to spec oneStrictly, a skid is a pallet with no bottom deck: a top deck fastened to runners, often 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in (a nominal 4 × 4). Skids carry machinery, crates and heavy loads that are dragged or bolted down. In everyday freight speech, especially in Canada and LTL shipping, skid often just means pallet.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 762 words.