Screw (pallet fastener)
Also called: wood screw, deck screw, lag screw, self-drilling screw
A screw is a threaded fastener turned into the wood rather than driven. On pallets, deck screws, lag screws and washer-head self-drilling screws are used for heavy skids, plastic lumber pallets and designs that must be taken apart or repaired.
In depth: Skid: what it is, how it differs from a pallet, and how to spec one
Screws are rare on commodity pallets because they are slower and costlier to install than machine-driven nails. They show up where holding power, clamping or disassembly matter. PDS added wood screws (deck, lag and washer-head self-drilling) to its fastener library in version 6.11 (2025).
Where screws are used
| Use | Typical fastener |
|---|---|
| Plastic lumber pallets | Screws, often stainless, because nails hold poorly in plastic |
| Heavy machinery skids | Lag screws or carriage bolts through runners |
| Reusable crates and bases that are taken apart | Deck screws |
| Panel decks on heavy skids | Screws or bolts |
Minimums (Uniform Standard, 2012)
For bolts and screws, end deckboards need at least 2 per corner connection and at least 1 at other connections. Panel-deck block pallets need at least 1 bolt per block.
Why it matters
Screws resist withdrawal well and pull boards tight, which suits heavy concentrated loads and repeated shipping of machinery. They cost more per fastener and take longer to install, and in hard, dense wood they may need pilot holes. The pallet.design plastic lumber template uses screws.
On a spec sheet
Fastener type (deck, lag, self-drilling), diameter, length, head style, material or coating, and count per connection.
Related
- GlossaryNail (pallet fastener)A nail is the standard fastener for wood pallets, driven through deckboards into stringers or blocks. Pallet nails are specified by shank type (helical, annular or plain), length, wire diameter, head diameter and bending strength.
- GlossaryPlastic lumber (pallets)Plastic lumber is solid or hollow plastic profiles, usually extruded HDPE or rigid PVC and often recycled, cut and fastened like wood boards. Pallets built from it can be made to any size without a mold.
- TypesSkid: what it is, how it differs from a pallet, and how to spec oneStrictly, a skid is a pallet with no bottom deck: a top deck fastened to runners, often 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in (a nominal 4 × 4). Skids carry machinery, crates and heavy loads that are dragged or bolted down. In everyday freight speech, especially in Canada and LTL shipping, skid often just means pallet.
- GuidesPallet nails and fasteners: types, sizes, MIBANT and nail countsMost wood pallets use threaded nails: helical (screw shank) for dense hardwoods, annular (ring shank) for softwoods. A typical deck nail is 2-1/4 in long with 0.112–0.120 in (11.5–11 gauge) wire. The Uniform Standard requires at least 2 nails per joint on boards up to 5-1/4 in wide and 3 on wider ones.
- TypesPlastic lumber pallet: built like wood from HDPE boardsA plastic lumber pallet is assembled from extruded plastic boards, usually HDPE, in the same stringer or block layouts as a wooden pallet and fastened with screws or nails. It needs no mold, so any size is possible in small quantities. It is ISPM 15 exempt, rot-proof and heavier than wood.
More in Fasteners
- GlossaryAnnularly threaded nail (pallet)An annularly threaded nail, or ring shank nail, has a series of rings rolled into its shank that lock into the wood fibers. It is generally recommended for low-density hardwoods and most softwoods.
- GlossaryClinched nail (pallet)A clinched nail is driven all the way through the parts it joins and has its protruding tip bent over flat. Block-pallet deck mats (deckboards plus stringerboards) are commonly assembled with clinched nails.
- GlossaryHelically threaded nail (pallet)A helically threaded nail has spiral flutes rolled into its shank so it rotates as it is driven, which locks it into the wood. It is the most common pallet nail, recommended for medium- and high-density hardwoods.
- GlossaryMIBANT (nail bend test)MIBANT (Morgan Impact Bend Angle Nail Tester) is an impact-bend test for nail stiffness, run under ASTM F680. A weight strikes a clamped nail and the resulting bend angle is recorded; a lower angle means a stiffer, better nail.
- GlossaryNail head diameter (pallet nails)Nail head diameter is the width of a nail's head. It sets how well the nail resists pulling through the deckboard; the Uniform Standard requires the head to be at least 2.25 times the wire diameter for reusable pallets.
- GlossaryNailing pattern (pallet)A nailing pattern is the number and position of fasteners at each joint of a pallet. The Uniform Standard sets minimums by deckboard width: 2 fasteners per joint for boards up to 5-1/4 in wide and 3 for 5-1/4 to 7 in.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 213 words.