Grade B pallet
Also called: #2 pallet, grade 2 pallet, B grade pallet
A 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.
In depth: Pallet grades: Grade A, Grade B, remanufactured and combo pallets
Grade B is the working grade of the used pallet market. The pallet is structurally usable but shows its repairs.
What grade B usually means
| Feature | Typical grade B |
|---|---|
| Stringers | May have a companion stringer (a second stringer fastened alongside a damaged one) or metal plates |
| Deckboards | Replacements common; may be mixed species or thickness |
| Appearance | Visibly repaired, stained |
| Construction | Usually the common 48 × 40 in partial four-way stringer design |
Rules vary. Some suppliers allow more repairs than others, and some split the grade further.
Why it matters
Grade B costs less than grade A and suits one-way shipments, internal moves and loads that do not go through automation. Companion stringers can block notches and change fork entry, and mixed deckboards make the deck less flat, which matters on conveyors and in pallet flow racks.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
Write down which repairs are acceptable (companion stringers, plates, replaced lead boards), whether notches must stay clear, and any cleanliness requirement. State whether ISPM 15 compliance is needed; repaired pallets need their new components treated and marked, or the whole unit re-treated.
Common confusions
Grade B is not a lumber grade and says nothing about new-wood quality. It also does not mean a pallet is unsafe; it means repaired.
Related
- 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.
- GuidesPallet grades: Grade A, Grade B, remanufactured and combo palletsUsed pallets are sold by grade. Grade A (#1) pallets are clean and sound with few or no repairs; Grade B (#2) pallets are sound but repaired, often with companion stringers. Remanufactured and combo pallets are rebuilt from used and new parts. Definitions vary by vendor, so write yours down.
- 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.
- GlossaryCore palletA 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.
- GuidesPallet repair: methods, standards and when a pallet is not worth fixingPallets are repaired by replacing broken deckboards, reinforcing cracked stringers with a companion stringer, plug or metal plate, and replacing damaged blocks, following ISO 18613 and the Uniform Standard. Repaired pallets are weaker than new, need re-treatment for export, and some retailers refuse them.
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. 231 words.