Core pallet
Also called: core, pallet cores, used core
A core is a used pallet, usually a standard 48 × 40 in stringer pallet, that a pallet recycler buys or collects as raw material to sort, repair and resell. Cores that cannot be repaired are dismantled for parts or ground.
In depth: Who buys pallets? How to sell used pallets and what they are worth
"Core" is recycler vocabulary. When a business sells its used pallets to a recycler, the recycler is buying cores.
Where cores go
| Condition after sorting | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Sound, standard size | Resold as grade A or grade B |
| Repairable | Repaired, then sold by grade |
| Damaged beyond repair | Dismantled; good parts used for remanufactured or combo pallets |
| Scrap | Ground into mulch, animal bedding or fuel |
Standard 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) stringer cores are usually worth the most because the resale market for them is largest. Odd sizes and custom pallets are often worth little as cores. Snap-on's buyer specification also uses "Core" as the lowest condition class in its grade list.
Why it matters
The value of your used pallets depends on whether they are cores someone wants. A custom size may cost you disposal fees at the end of its life, while a standard size can be sold. That is a real input when choosing between a standard and a custom footprint.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
Cores rarely appear on a new-pallet spec. They matter in a pallet management contract, where a recycler buys your cores and sells you recycled pallets. State sizes, volumes per week and pickup frequency. The selling used pallets guide covers the process.
Common confusions
A core is not a pallet grade you order for use. Buying "cores" gets you unsorted used pallets.
Related
- GlossaryRecycled palletA recycled pallet is a used pallet that has been collected, sorted, repaired if needed and put back into service, or a pallet rebuilt from reclaimed components. In the US it is usually a 48 × 40 in GMA-style stringer pallet sold by grade, such as grade A or grade B.
- GlossaryWhat is a grade A pallet?A grade A (#1) pallet is a used pallet, usually a 48 × 40 in GMA-style stringer pallet, in the best common condition grade: sound, with few or no visible repairs and no repaired stringers. There is no single standard definition, so each supplier's grade rules apply.
- GlossaryGrade B palletA grade B (#2) pallet is a used pallet, usually a 48 × 40 in GMA-style stringer pallet, that has been repaired more than a grade A: it may have companion stringers, metal plates or replaced deckboards. It is functional but less uniform, and definitions vary by supplier.
- GuidesWho buys pallets? How to sell used pallets and what they are worthPallet recyclers are the main buyers of used pallets. In 2026 they typically pay about $4–8 for a Grade A 48 × 40 in pallet, $2–5 for Grade B and under $2 for damaged ones, usually by the trailer load. End users pay more. Never sell blue CHEP, red PECO or iGPS pallets: they are rented property.
- GuidesPallet recycling: how used pallets are repaired, rebuilt and groundUsed wood pallets are widely recycled in the US. Recyclers collect them, sort by size and grade, repair the good ones for resale, dismantle damaged ones for parts to build remanufactured pallets, and grind the rest into mulch, animal bedding or biomass fuel. Businesses usually get free pickup or payment for full loads.
More in Commercial and lifecycle
- GlossaryClosed loopA closed loop is a supply chain in which pallets travel between a fixed set of sites and are returned to the owner for reuse, for example between a parts supplier and an assembly plant. Because the pallets come back, higher-cost custom, plastic or metal pallets can pay for themselves.
- GlossaryCombo palletA combo pallet is a wood pallet built from a mix of new and recycled components, commonly new stringers with reclaimed deckboards or the reverse. It sits between new and fully recycled pallets in cost and consistency.
- GlossaryMOQ (minimum order quantity)MOQ (minimum order quantity) is the smallest quantity a supplier will produce or sell in one order. For pallets it depends on the material and process: wood pallets need little setup, while custom molded plastic pallets need a mold and very large runs.
- GlossaryOne-way palletA one-way pallet is a pallet designed to make one trip and not come back, such as export pallets or shipments to customers who keep or discard the pallet. It is usually built lighter and from lower-grade material than a reusable pallet.
- GlossaryPallet exchangePallet exchange is an arrangement where a receiver hands back an equal number of empty pallets of the same type and quality for the loaded pallets it receives, so the shipper does not lose pallets with each delivery.
- GlossaryPallet poolingPallet pooling is a rental system in which a pool operator owns the pallets, issues them to shippers, collects them from receivers, and inspects and repairs them for reuse. Shippers pay fees per pallet instead of buying pallets.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 251 words.