Tier sheet
Also called: layer pad, layer sheet, separator sheet, slip pad
A tier sheet (layer pad) is a flat sheet of corrugated board, solid fiber or plastic placed between layers of a unit load, or on the pallet deck, to spread weight, bridge deck gaps and stabilize the layers. It is not lifted by equipment.
In depth: Slip sheet: the thin pallet alternative, sizes, tabs and materials
Tier sheets make layers behave as flat, stable platforms. They are common with bottles, cans and jars, and between layers of cases that do not interlock.
Materials
| Material | Notes |
|---|---|
| Corrugated fiberboard | Low cost, usually one-way; single, double or triple wall |
| Solid fiber | Thinner and denser; reusable in some loops |
| Plastic (HDPE or PP) | Reusable, washable; used in closed loops |
Board grade is stated in the supplier's terms. One supplier lists a 40 × 48 in triple-wall layer pad as "1100#TW/ECT-90" (a triple-wall board with an edge crush test rating of 90).
Why it matters for pallet design
A tier sheet on the top deck bridges the gaps between deckboards. This spreads the load of the bottom layer and can reduce the damage that deck gaps do to case bottoms. It can make an open deck behave more like a solid one for the load, without changing the pallet.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
List it as a line item: material, board grade or caliper, size (usually the load footprint), and number per unit load (for example one on the deck plus one between each layer).
Common confusions
A tier sheet is not a slip sheet. A slip sheet replaces the pallet and has tabs that a push-pull attachment grips. A tier sheet has no tabs and is not handled by equipment.
Related
- TypesSlip sheet: the thin pallet alternative, sizes, tabs and materialsA slip sheet is a thin sheet of solid fiberboard, corrugated board or plastic used under a unit load instead of a pallet. A push-pull lift truck attachment grips its tab and pulls the load onto its platens. Sheets for a 40 × 48 in load are commonly 43 × 51 or 44 × 52 in with 3–4 in tabs.
- GlossaryPush-pull attachmentA push-pull attachment is a forklift attachment that grips the tab (lip) of a slip sheet, pulls the load onto wide platens, and pushes it off at the destination. It lets unit loads be handled on slip sheets instead of pallets.
- GlossaryUnit loadA unit load is a group of items, usually cases on a pallet or slip sheet, secured together so it can be stored and moved as a single unit by a forklift or pallet jack. It includes the pallet, the packaging, the stacking pattern and the stabilizers.
- GlossaryStacking patternA stacking pattern is the arrangement of cases on a pallet: how they are placed within each layer and how each layer relates to the one below. The main choices are column stacking, which maximizes box strength, and interlocking patterns, which improve stability.
- ComparisonsPallet vs slip sheet: cost, cube and handling comparedChoose a slip sheet when you ship high volumes in containers or trucks, both ends have push-pull forklift attachments, and saving weight, cube and pallet cost matters. Choose a pallet when the receiver handles with standard forks or pallet jacks, loads are racked, or handling equipment is unknown.
More in Handling and storage
- GlossaryAutomated storageAutomated storage, often called AS/RS (automated storage and retrieval system), stores and retrieves pallets with stacker cranes, shuttles and conveyors instead of forklift drivers. It needs pallets with tight dimensional tolerances, low deflection (often 0.5 in, 13 mm, or less) and sound bottom decks.
- GlossaryBlock stackingBlock stacking is storing unit loads directly on top of one another on the warehouse floor, in rows and columns, with no racking. The bottom pallet and the packaging carry the whole stack, so static load and box compression strength limit the height.
- GlossaryConveyorA pallet conveyor moves loaded pallets on driven rollers or chains instead of a forklift. The pallet's bottom deck is the running surface, so the orientation of bottom boards, flatness, deflection and condition decide whether it runs reliably.
- GlossaryDrive-in rackA drive-in rack is high-density racking where the forklift drives into a lane and places pallets many deep on continuous rails along each side. The pallet is supported only along two edges, so its capacity across the unsupported direction governs.
- GlossaryEdge protectorAn edge protector, or corner board, is an L-shaped strip of laminated paperboard, plastic or other material placed on the vertical or top edges of a unit load. It spreads strapping and stretch wrap pressure, protects case corners, and can add vertical stacking strength.
- GlossaryFork tinesFork tines are the two steel arms on a forklift or pallet jack that slide into a pallet's openings to lift it. Their width, thickness, length and spacing set the minimum size of the pallet's openings and affect its dynamic load rating.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 239 words.