Pallet grades: Grade A, Grade B, remanufactured and combo pallets

Pallet grades are how the recycled pallet market sorts used pallets into price tiers. They are useful shorthand, but they are not a standard. One vendor's Grade A can be another's Grade B, so a grade name on a quote is only as good as the definition behind it.

#Pallet grades at a glance

Prices are estimates for standard 48 × 40 in stringer pallets and vary widely by region; see pallet cost.

#Grade A (#1) pallets

A Grade A pallet is a used pallet in the best condition a recycler sells. Typical vendor criteria:

• All deckboards present and securely nailed; no broken, cracked or split boards beyond small checks
• Stringers solid, not cracked; no companion stringers, plugs or metal plates
• No protruding nails
• Clean: no stains, oil, odors, debris or mold
• Usually the standard GMA configuration: 7 top boards, 5 bottom boards, 3 notched stringers
• Some vendors require uniform, bright wood (no gray weathering) for Premium A

Grade A is what retailers with strict pallet rules expect when they accept used pallets. Walmart's supply chain standards, for example, require pallets to meet or exceed Grade A, and for stringer pallets explicitly disallow double stringers, patched boards and metal repair plates.

#Grade B (#2) pallets

A Grade B pallet is sound and safe to use but shows repairs. Typical criteria:

• Boards may be replaced, or doubled (a new board nailed alongside a damaged one)
• Stringers may have companion stringers or metal connector plates
• Mixed wood colors and species
• May have fewer boards than a standard GMA pallet, or wider lead boards
• Still no broken or missing boards, no protruding nails, no heavy contamination

Grade B is the workhorse of one-way and internal shipping. Amazon FBA is widely reported to accept GMA standard Grade B or better. See Amazon pallet requirements.

#Remanufactured and combo pallets

Remanufactured pallets are built by dismantling used pallets and reassembling the salvaged boards and stringers, often into non-standard sizes. They are the recycled route to a custom size.

Combo pallets mix recycled components with new ones, commonly new stringers with recycled deckboards, or the reverse.

The Pallet Design System classifies manufacture as New, Remanufactured or Remanufactured/Combo, and the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets has rules for recycled lumber in these pallets. If you buy reman or combo pallets for export, they must be heat-treated and marked as a whole after assembly; old ISPM 15 marks do not carry over. See heat-treated pallets.

#Lumber grade is a different thing

Don't confuse pallet grades with lumber grades. Grade A and Grade B describe the condition of a whole used pallet. Lumber grades such as Standard, Utility and Economy describe the defects allowed in new boards. A new pallet built from Utility-grade lumber is not a "Grade B pallet". See pallet lumber grades.

#Repair classes in the Uniform Standard

The Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets takes a more technical approach than market grades. It defines repair methods (replacing boards, companion stringers, plugs, metal connector plates), limits on which species and sizes can be used in repairs, and recommends marking repaired pallets with the repair class, repairer, date and owner. Its durability model assumes repaired joints recover only part of their original strength, which is why heavily repaired pallets do not last as long. See pallet repair.

#How recyclers grade pallets

Grading happens at the recycler's sort line. A typical flow:

1. Size sort. 48 × 40 in pallets are separated from other sizes, and pooled pallets (blue, red, iGPS plastic) are pulled out for return.
2. Visual check. Each pallet is looked over on both faces for broken, cracked or missing boards, stringer damage and contamination.
3. Grade assignment. Pallets that pass with no repairs become Grade A; those needing minor repair go to the repair line and come out Grade B; poor pallets go to dismantling or grinding.
4. Repair. Replacement boards and companion stringers are added.
5. Stacking and banding by grade, often in stacks of about 20–25.

Because the decision is made by eye at speed, grades vary between plants. Buyers who need consistency inspect a sample of every delivery. See pallet inspection.

#Grade and pallet performance

A repaired pallet is not as strong or durable as a new one. Durability modeling in the Pallet Design System assumes a repaired joint recovers only about 65% of its original damage resistance, and each board replacement further weakens the connection. In practice:

• Grade A pallets are close to new in performance for most loads.
• Grade B pallets are fine for floor-stacked and one-way loads but are a poorer choice for racking and heavy loads.
• Companion stringers add wood but not always stiffness where it matters, and they can narrow fork openings.

#Which grade should you buy?

#How to write a grade into an order

Because definitions vary, put the criteria on the purchase order:

1. Size and configuration (for example 48 × 40 in, 7 top / 5 bottom boards, 3 notched stringers)
2. Allowed repairs: none, replaced boards only, or companion stringers and plates allowed
3. Maximum number of repaired components
4. Cleanliness: no stains, oil, odors, mold, debris
5. No protruding nails; no broken, split or missing boards
6. Painted or pooled pallets excluded
7. ISPM 15 mark required, if exporting
8. Acceptance sampling: how many pallets you will inspect per load, and what happens to rejects

The pallet inspection guide has a receiving checklist you can adapt. If no recycled grade fits your size or performance needs, the GMA 48 × 40 template is a starting point for a new-pallet spec.