Nine-leg pallet
Also called: 9-leg, nine-foot, 9 feet
A nine-leg pallet stands on nine separate feet in a 3 × 3 grid with no bottom deck. Most nine-leg pallets are nestable plastic or presswood pallets that stack inside each other when empty.
In depth: Nestable plastic pallet: light, cheap and not for racks
Nine legs are the minimum layout that supports a pallet at the corners, the edge centers and the middle while leaving openings on all four sides. With no bottom deck, the pallet is four-way entry for forklifts and pallet jacks.
Where it is used
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Nestable plastic pallet | Tapered hollow legs nest into the pallet below; nest ratios up to about 4:1 are published |
| Presswood pallet | Molded wood-fiber, nestable, 9 dish-shaped feet |
| Wood block skid | 9 blocks under a top deck, no bottom boards |
| Export plastic pallets | Light, one-way, 9 feet |
Why it matters
Nine-leg pallets are light and cheap, and nesting cuts the space empty pallets take on the return trip. The cost is that they cannot span rack beams: manufacturers mark nestable nine-leg models as not rackable, and some catalogs list their racking capacity as "not applicable". Feet also concentrate load on the floor and on the pallet below when stacked, and they do not run well on roller conveyors. Adding snap-on runners solves some of this. See nestable vs rackable.
On a spec sheet
Plastic catalogs list the base as "9 feet" or "9 legs", with static and dynamic ratings. Check that racking is not assumed.
Related
- TypesNestable plastic pallet: light, cheap and not for racksA nestable plastic pallet has legs or feet, usually nine, that fit into the pallet below when empty, so stacked empties take little space. It is the lightest and cheapest plastic pallet, about 14–30 lb (6–14 kg) in 48 × 40 in, with 4-way entry. It is not rackable.
- TypesPresswood pallet: molded wood-fibre, nestable and ISPM 15 exemptA presswood pallet is a one-piece pallet molded from wood fibre and resin under heat and pressure. It has no nails, nests about 2.5:1 to 4:1, weighs roughly 25–35 lb (11–16 kg) in 48 × 40 class sizes and is ISPM 15 exempt as processed wood. It comes in fixed sizes and is not rackable.
- GlossaryRunner (pallet and skid)A runner is a continuous member along the bottom of a pallet or skid that rests on the floor. On skids it is the heavy stringer; on block and plastic pallets it is a bottom board or rail joining the blocks or feet in one direction.
- ComparisonsNestable vs rackable plastic pallets: differences and when to use eachChoose a nestable plastic pallet for floor stacking, one-way export and closed loops where cheap return freight matters, since empties nest into each other. Choose a rackable plastic pallet, with runners or a perimeter base and often steel reinforcement, when loaded pallets sit on open rack beams.
- GlossarySingle-face palletA single-face pallet has only one deck, the top deck, fastened to stringers or blocks, with no bottom deckboards. A skid is a single-face pallet.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 219 words.