Reversible pallet
Also called: double-face reversible, flippable pallet
A reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose top and bottom decks are identical, so either face can carry the load.
In depth: Reversible pallet: two identical decks, uses and trade-offs
On a reversible pallet the bottom deck has the same board count, sizes and spacing as the top deck. Staff can put it down either way up and load it.
Why it matters
| Advantage | Cost |
|---|---|
| Either face can be loaded, so no wrong way up | More lumber and fasteners in the bottom deck |
| Full bottom coverage spreads load when stacked | Heavier pallet |
| Wear is shared between both faces when flipped | Bottom boards cannot be notched clear, so stringer pallets are usually 2-way |
| Suited to floor stacking and heavy loads | No room for pallet-jack wheels to reach the floor |
The last point matters most: a full bottom deck blocks pallet-jack wheels, so reversible stringer pallets are handled by forklift.
On a spec sheet
The classification reads "Double-Face Reversible". The top and bottom deck tables are identical. If you want the bottom boards to match the top but still need fork notches or chamfers, that is a non-reversible design, so write it out.
Common confusions
Pallets are sometimes called "reversible" just because they have a bottom deck. That is a double-face non-reversible pallet.
Related
- TypesReversible pallet: two identical decks, uses and trade-offsA reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose top and bottom decks are identical, so it can be loaded on either side. Flipping it spreads wear over two decks and removes the need to orient it. The trade-off is weight, cost and poor pallet-jack access, because the full bottom deck leaves no room for jack wheels.
- GlossaryNon-reversible palletA non-reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose bottom deck differs from the top deck, usually with fewer or wider-spaced boards, so only the top face is meant to carry the load.
- GlossaryDouble-face palletA double-face pallet has both a top deck and a bottom deck. It is either reversible (both decks identical and load-bearing) or non-reversible (the bottom deck has fewer or different boards).
- 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.
- GlossaryDeck coverage (pallet)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%.
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. 200 words.