Staple (pallet fastener)
Also called: pallet staple, wire staple
A staple is a two-legged wire fastener joined by a crown, driven by a pneumatic tool. Some pallets are stapled instead of nailed, often with adhesive-coated staples of round or rectangular wire.
In depth: Pallet nails and fasteners: types, sizes, MIBANT and nail counts
Staples are listed in the Uniform Standard alongside nails, bolts and screws. Each staple has two legs, so one staple acts like two small shanks at a joint. Stapled pallets are more common in some regions and for lighter-duty or one-way designs.
Typical rectangular staple wire (Uniform Standard, 2012)
| Gauge | Wire thickness × width |
|---|---|
| 14 ga | 0.075 × 0.080 in (1.9 × 2.0 mm) |
| 15 ga | 0.067 × 0.073 in (1.7 × 1.9 mm) |
| 16 ga | 0.055 × 0.062 in (1.4 × 1.6 mm) |
Round-wire staples are specified by wire diameter instead. The crown should be at least 0.375 in (9.5 mm) long.
Placement rules
- The crown must not be parallel to the grain of the deckboard, because a crown along the grain acts like a wedge and splits the board.
- Do not mix incompatible fastener types in one connection.
Why it matters
Staples drive fast and, when adhesive-coated, hold well at first, but their thin wire gives less bending and head pull-through resistance than a heavy nail, so stapled designs need more fasteners per joint for the same durability. In the Annex F equations, staple withdrawal is calculated per leg and doubled, using wire thickness. PDS 6.12 draws staples as rectangles or ovals on the plans.
On a spec sheet
Fastener type "Staple", wire shape (round or rectangular), gauge or thickness × width, leg length, crown length, 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.
- GlossaryWire diameter (pallet nails)Wire diameter is the diameter of the steel wire a nail or staple is made from, measured on the shank before threads are rolled. Pallet nails are commonly 0.099 to 0.120 in (2.5 to 3.0 mm), or 12.5 to 11 gauge.
- 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.
- 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.
- StandardsUniform Standard for Wood Pallets (Woodpack Global, formerly NWPCA)The Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets is the North American industry standard for specifying, building and repairing wood pallets: terms, lumber quality, tolerances, fasteners, notches, repair and performance. Woodpack Global (formerly NWPCA) publishes it; it is voluntary and was revised in 2025.
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.
- GlossaryPlain shank nail (pallet)A plain shank nail has a smooth shank with no threads. It has the lowest withdrawal resistance of pallet nails, so on pallets it is mainly used where it is clinched, such as block-pallet deck mats.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 252 words.