Mixed hardwood (pallet lumber)
Also called: mixed hardwoods, MHW, hardwood mix
Mixed hardwood is pallet lumber made from several hardwood species that are not sorted by species, sold and specified as one mix. Spec sheets state it as percentages of density classes, such as 50% high, 25% medium and 25% low density.
In depth: Pallet wood species: hardwood vs softwood, and which to specify
Pallet sawmills cut whatever eastern hardwood logs and cants they receive, so a load of pallet stock contains oak, maple, poplar, gum and more. Sorting by species costs money, so the stock is sold as a mix, and the pallet design has to be rated for the mix.
How a mix is written
PDS allows up to 5 species-class, grade and percentage rows in a "lumber mix". A published PDS example reads:
| Species class | Grade | Share |
|---|---|---|
| High-density eastern hardwoods | Standard & Better | 50% |
| Medium-density eastern hardwoods | Standard & Better | 25% |
| Low-density eastern hardwoods | Standard & Better | 25% |
Moisture content: green.
Why it matters
Strength and weight depend on the mix, not the name. A pallet rated with 50% high-density wood can be weaker if the supplier's actual mix is mostly low-density species such as aspen or cottonwood. The same PDS example 48 × 40 weighed 59 lb (27 kg) green and 37 lb (17 kg) at 12% moisture content. Density also affects fastener choice: helically threaded nails suit the denser species.
On a spec sheet
Ask for the species-class percentages and grade, not just "mixed hardwood". If your customer bans certain classes (some retailer programs restrict low-density classes), state that on the RFQ.
Related
- GlossaryHardwood (pallet lumber)Hardwood is lumber from broadleaf (deciduous) trees such as oak, maple, ash and yellow poplar. Most eastern US pallets are built from mixed hardwood cut stock, which is dense, strong and holds nails well.
- GlossaryLumber grade (pallet lumber)A lumber grade is a quality class that limits defects such as knots, wane, splits and decay in pallet parts. PDS uses Select, Premium, Standard, Utility and Economy, often as '&BTR' mixes such as Standard & Better.
- GlossaryCant (pallet lumber)A cant is a log that has been sawn flat on two or four sides. In the pallet industry it usually means the low-grade center of a hardwood log, left after grade lumber is cut from the outside, which is resawn into pallet parts.
- GuidesPallet wood species: hardwood vs softwood, and which to specifyMost North American pallets are made from mixed Eastern hardwoods (oak, maple, poplar and others) or softwoods such as Southern yellow pine and SPF. Density drives strength, stiffness, nail holding and weight. Specify a species class or group plus a grade rather than a single species.
- GuidesHow to read a pallet spec sheet: every field explainedA pallet spec sheet has four parts: identification and classification (size, class, deck style, entry, use), component tables (count and actual size of every board, stringer or block), materials (lumber species, grade, moisture, fasteners), and often an analysis of safe load and deflection by support condition.
More in Materials
- GlossaryBark (on pallet lumber)Bark is the outer layer of a tree trunk. ISPM 15 requires wood packaging to be made from debarked wood, allowing only small remnants: pieces under 3 cm wide of any length, or wider pieces with a surface area under 50 cm².
- GlossaryComposite block (pallet)A composite block is a pallet block made from wood chips, particles or fibers bonded with resin under heat and pressure. It does not split like solid wood and, as processed wood, is exempt from ISPM 15 on its own.
- GlossaryCorrugated fiberboard (pallets and slip sheets)Corrugated fiberboard is a board made of a fluted paper medium glued between flat paper liners. It is used for boxes, and in pallet work for corrugated paper pallets, slip sheets, tier sheets and pallet runners.
- GlossaryCut stock (pallet components)Cut stock is lumber already sawn to the finished thickness, width and length of pallet parts, such as 5/8 × 3-1/2 × 40 in deckboards, ready for nailing. It is also called pallet stock or shook.
- GlossaryDouglas-fir (pallet lumber)Douglas-fir is a dense, strong softwood from western North America, also grown in Europe. It is species class 11 (Douglas-fir–larch) in the Uniform Standard and PDS, and class 33 in the European species list.
- GlossaryGalvanizing (steel pallets and fasteners)Galvanizing is coating steel with zinc to protect it from corrosion. Steel pallets are often hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, and galvanized nails, staples and hinges are used where wood pallets or collars see moisture.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 223 words.