Deck coverage (pallet)
Also called: top deck coverage, coverage percentage
Deck coverage is the percentage of a pallet deck's area that is covered by deckboards. A GMA-style 48 × 40 top deck covers about 59%; a solid deck covers 100%.
In depth: Deckboard thickness and spacing: how to lay out a pallet deck
Deck coverage tells you how much of the load footprint actually sits on wood. It is computed along the direction across the boards, because each board runs the full deck width:
coverage = sum of board widths ÷ deck length × 100%
Typical values
| Deck | Boards | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| GMA-style 48 × 40 top | 2 × 5.5 + 5 × 3.5 = 28.5 in over 48 in | 59% |
| GMA-style 48 × 40 bottom | 2 × 5.5 + 3 × 3.5 = 21.5 in over 48 in | 45% |
| EPAL 1 top | 3 × 145 + 2 × 100 = 635 mm over 1200 mm | 53% |
| Solid deck | No gaps | 100% |
These are calculated from the standard board sizes. Real pallets vary with the manufacturer's design.
Why it matters
Low coverage is fine for rigid loads such as stacked cartons with stiff bottoms, because the load bridges the gaps. It is a problem for soft bags, small or weak cartons, and drums, which sag into gaps or bear on board edges. Retailer and customer specs sometimes set a minimum. Higher coverage adds boards, weight and cost, so it is a trade-off to set per unit load. See deck spacing and bottom-deck coverage.
On a spec sheet
Coverage is not usually a field on its own. It follows from the board count, widths and spacing rule. If you need a minimum, write it as a requirement (for example "top deck coverage at least 70%") and let the manufacturer choose the boards.
Related
- GlossaryDeck spacing (pallet)Deck spacing is the gap between adjacent deckboards on a pallet deck. With the end boards flush, gap = (deck length − total board width) ÷ (boards − 1); a GMA-style 48 × 40 top deck has 3-1/4 in (83 mm) gaps.
- GlossaryBottom deck coverage (pallet)Bottom deck coverage is the percentage of a pallet's underside covered by bottom deckboards. A GMA-style 48 × 40 bottom deck covers about 45%, less than the top deck, to leave room for notches and pallet-jack wheels.
- GlossaryTop deck (pallet)The top deck is the load-carrying upper surface of a pallet, made of deckboards or a panel fastened across the stringers, stringerboards or blocks.
- 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.
- GuidesUnit load design: designing the pallet, packaging and load togetherUnit load design treats the pallet, packaging, stacking pattern and stabilization (wrap, straps) as one system instead of designing each separately. A stiffer pallet lets boxes keep more compression strength; a rigid load helps a pallet carry more in racking. Designing them together often saves material on both.
More in Components and construction
- GlossaryActual dimension (pallet and lumber)An actual dimension is the measured size of a pallet or component at manufacture. Pallet spec sheets state component sizes as actual dimensions, for example a 5/8 × 3-1/2 × 40 in deckboard.
- GlossaryBlock (pallet)A block is a rectangular, square or cylindrical spacer between the decks of a block pallet. Most block pallets have 9 blocks in a 3 × 3 grid, and the block height sets the fork entry height.
- GlossaryBottom deck (pallet)The bottom deck is the lower layer of deckboards (or a perimeter, runner or panel base) on a double-face pallet. It spreads the load onto the floor, rack or conveyor and stabilizes the stringers or blocks.
- GlossaryCenter block (block pallet)The center block is the middle block in the 3 × 3 grid of a nine-block pallet. It supports the middle of the deck and, on EPAL pallets, carries the producer, date and treatment marks.
- GlossaryChamfer (pallet)A chamfer is a bevel cut along the edge of a bottom deckboard, usually a lead board, so pallet-jack wheels can ride up and over it instead of hitting a square edge.
- GlossaryCorner block (block pallet)A corner block is one of the four blocks at the corners of a block pallet. Corner blocks take the most fork and pallet-jack impact, so the Uniform Standard requires more fasteners there than at interior blocks.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 270 words.