Oak (pallet lumber)
Also called: red oak, white oak, eastern oak
Oak is a dense eastern US hardwood, grouped as species class 21 (red and white oak) in the Uniform Standard and PDS. It makes strong, stiff pallet parts but is heavy, especially when green.
In depth: Pallet wood species: hardwood vs softwood, and which to specify
Oak is one of the most common species in eastern US pallet stock. Pallet mills get it as cants (the log centers left after grade lumber is cut) and as low-grade lumber, and saw it into stringers and deckboards.
Typical values
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| PDS / Uniform Standard class | 21, Eastern oaks (red oak, white oak) |
| Density, red oak green | About 63 lb/ft³ (1010 kg/m³) |
| Density, red oak kiln-dried | About 44 lb/ft³ (700 kg/m³) |
| Nail recommendation | Helically threaded nails for dense hardwoods |
Densities are general reference values.
Why it matters
Oak's density and stiffness let designers use thinner deckboards and narrower stringers than softwood designs for the same load, and it resists fork impact well. The costs are weight, harder nailing (more risk of splitting and bent nails), and a lot of shrinkage and checking as green oak dries. Oak is usually shipped green, so pallets can be heavy and prone to mold in closed trailers. Lumber mixes that are mostly oak are sometimes written as "oak/HD/MD" on spec sheets; PDS examples of such mixes weigh about 4.4 lb per board foot green.
On a spec sheet
List "Eastern Oaks" as a species class with grade and percentage, for example in a mix with other high-density hardwoods. If you want oak only, say so, because most suppliers sell mixed hardwood.
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.
- GlossaryMixed hardwood (pallet lumber)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.
- GlossaryGreen lumber (pallets)Green lumber is freshly sawn wood that has not been dried, with moisture content above the fiber saturation point of about 28%. Many hardwood pallets are built from green lumber because drying adds cost.
- 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.
- ComparisonsHardwood vs softwood pallets: strength, weight and costChoose hardwood (oak, mixed eastern hardwoods) for heavy loads, rough handling and many trips: it is dense, stiff and holds nails well but is heavier. Choose softwood (southern yellow pine, SPF) for lighter, more uniform, often kiln-dried pallets. Regional supply often decides.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 238 words.