Pallet guides
Summary
In-depth answers to the questions buyers, engineers and warehouse teams ask about pallets: dimensions, weight, capacity, shipping, compliance, materials, retailer requirements, cost and lifecycle.
Fundamentals7
- What is a pallet? Definition, parts, types and sizesA pallet is a flat, portable platform, usually wood, plastic or metal, that holds goods together as one unit load so a forklift, pallet jack or conveyor can lift and move them. Its deck sits on stringers or blocks that leave openings for forks. In North America the most common size is 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm).
- Parts of a pallet: deckboards, stringers, blocks and fastenersA wood stringer pallet has top deckboards, stringers (often notched) and bottom deckboards, joined with nails. A block pallet swaps the stringers for 9 blocks and 3 stringerboards. The outermost deckboards are lead boards. Openings between the deck layers take the forks.
- How to measure a pallet: length, width, height and every boardMeasure the stringer (or stringerboard) direction first and call it length, then the deckboard length as width, then overall height from floor to top deck. A 48 × 40 pallet is 48 in along the stringers. For a quote, also record every board's actual size, count and position, and the notch and opening sizes.
- Standard pallet height: empty pallets and maximum load heightsAn empty standard 48 × 40 wood stringer pallet is about 4-3/4 to 6 in (121 to 152 mm) tall; a GMA-style build with 5/8 in decks on 3-1/2 in stringers is 4-3/4 in. A EUR pallet is 144 mm (5.7 in). Pooled 48 × 40 block pallets are about 5.6 in. Loaded, most unit loads are kept between 48 and 72 in overall.
- How much does a pallet weigh? Weights by type, material and moistureA standard 48 × 40 wood stringer pallet weighs about 30 to 60 lb (14 to 27 kg). New green hardwood pallets sit at the top of that range and dry ones near the bottom. A EUR pallet weighs about 25 kg (55 lb), pooled 48 × 40 block pallets about 60 to 70 lb, and plastic pallets 14 to 70 lb depending on type.
- How much weight can a pallet hold? Static, dynamic and racking capacityIt depends on how the pallet is supported. A typical 48 × 40 wood pallet safely carries about 1,500 to 2,800 lb (680 to 1,270 kg) in racking or on forks, and several times that on a flat floor. A EUR pallet is rated 1,500 kg. Only the manufacturer's rating for your support condition is authoritative.
- History of the pallet: from skids to pooled block palletsSkids have been used since antiquity, but the modern pallet grew up with the forklift. Lift-truck platforms were patented in the 1920s and pallets for pallet jacks in the late 1930s, and World War II made them universal. CHEP (1946), the EUR pallet (1961), PDS (1984) and ISPM 15 (2002) shaped today's pallet.
Shipping and logistics10
- How many pallets fit in a truck? 53 ft and 48 ft trailer countsA 53 ft dry van holds 26 standard 48 × 40 in pallets loaded straight (two across, 13 rows) or 30 loaded turned (15 rows), single stacked. Double stacking doubles that if the loads allow. A 48 ft trailer holds 22 to 24 straight or 28 turned. Weight often runs out first, at about 42,000 to 45,000 lb of cargo.
- How many pallets fit in a 20 ft and 40 ft container?A 20 ft container fits 11 EUR pallets (1200 × 800 mm), 9 pallets of 1200 × 1000 mm and 9 to 10 US 48 × 40 pallets on the floor. A 40 ft or 40 ft high cube fits 23 to 25 EUR, 20 to 22 of 1200 × 1000 mm and 20 to 21 of 48 × 40. The inside width of 2.35 m (92.6 in) is what limits most layouts.
- Pallet stacking patterns: column, interlock, pinwheel and brickColumn stacking puts each box directly on the box below and keeps the most compression strength. Interlocking patterns (brick, pinwheel) rotate alternate layers so boxes overlap, which adds stability but can cut stacking strength sharply. Many loads use columns with tie sheets, or interlock only the top layers.
- Pallet overhang: why loads should not hang past the pallet edgePallet overhang is any part of the load that extends past the pallet edge. It leaves the bottom edges of boxes unsupported, cuts their stacking strength, exposes them to damage, and enlarges the billed freight dimensions. Most receivers want zero overhang: keep the load flush with or just inside the pallet edges.
- How to stretch wrap a pallet: film, pattern and containment forceAnchor the film to the pallet, not just the load: make three or more turns at the base with the film rolled down over the top deckboards, spiral up with about 50% overlap, finish with two or more turns at the top, and tuck the tail. Set the wrap by containment force, not film thickness or number of turns.
- Shipping pallets LTL: how to prepare, measure and ship a palletLTL (less than truckload) moves one or a few pallets on a shared trailer, priced by weight, distance and freight class. Build a square, wrapped load on a sound four-way pallet, measure its real size and weight including the pallet, declare the right class on the bill of lading, and book accessorials in advance.
- Freight class and density: how to classify a pallet shipmentFreight density is the shipment's weight in pounds divided by its volume in cubic feet, measured at the outside of the loaded pallet. On the NMFC 13-tier scale, effective July 19, 2025, density maps to classes from 50 (50 lb/ft³ or more) to 400 (under 1 lb/ft³). Some items keep their own class, so check the NMFC item.
- Pallet labels and SSCC-18: the GS1 logistic label explainedAn SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit GS1 number that identifies one logistic unit, such as a pallet, for its whole journey. It is printed as a GS1-128 barcode with Application Identifier (00). GS1 puts pallet barcodes 400 to 800 mm (16 to 32 in) above the base, on two adjacent sides.
- Mixed pallets: how to build and label a mixed-SKU palletA mixed pallet carries more than one product (SKU). Build it like a wall: heaviest, strongest and squarest cases at the bottom, light and fragile cases on top, each layer flat, voids filled, and liquids low. Label the pallet with one SSCC and list every product in the advance ship notice.
- How to use a pallet jack safely: step by stepLower the forks, slide them fully into a pallet side with open space in the bottom deck for the load wheels, pump until the pallet just clears the floor, set the lever to neutral, and move slowly, pushing where you can. Lower fully and pull straight out. Most manual jacks are rated about 5,000 to 5,500 lb.
Design and engineering8
- How to spec a custom pallet: the fields that decide the designSpecify a custom pallet in two parts. First the requirements: load weight and type, footprint, how it is handled, racked and stacked, environment, export rules and trips. Then the design: construction, board sizes, lumber species, grade, moisture and fasteners. A manufacturer can rate and price a spec with both.
- How to read a pallet spec sheet: every field explainedA pallet spec sheet has four parts: identification and classification (size, class, deck style, entry, use), component tables (count and actual size of every board, stringer or block), materials (lumber species, grade, moisture, fasteners), and often an analysis of safe load and deflection by support condition.
- Pallet RFQ checklist: everything a supplier needs to quoteA complete pallet RFQ covers the pallet (spec sheet or drawing), the load and how it is handled and stored, compliance (ISPM 15, moisture, customer specs), quantities and releases, delivery, pricing basis, quality terms, and what the supplier may change. Send the same package to every supplier so quotes compare.
- Unit load design: designing the pallet, packaging and load togetherUnit load design treats the pallet, packaging, stacking pattern and stabilization (wrap, straps) as one system instead of designing each separately. A stiffer pallet lets boxes keep more compression strength; a rigid load helps a pallet carry more in racking. Designing them together often saves material on both.
- Pallet racking and deflection: rack spans, direction and sag limitsIn a rack a pallet spans between two beams with nothing underneath, so it bends. Racked across the length (stringers span about 40 to 44 in on a 48 in pallet) is usually stiffer than across the width (deckboards span about 36 in). Common deflection limits are about 2% of span, or 0.5 in or less for automated storage.
- Deckboard thickness and spacing: how to lay out a pallet deckPallet deckboards are usually 1/2 to 7/8 in (13 to 22 mm) thick and 3-1/2 to 6 in wide. Gaps are set by the board count: with ends flush, gap = (pallet length minus total board width) ÷ (boards minus 1). A GMA-style 48 × 40 has 7 top boards 5/8 in thick with 3-1/4 in gaps. Stiffness rises with the cube of thickness.
- How to build a pallet: 48 × 40 cut list, nailing pattern and assemblyA GMA-style 48 × 40 pallet uses 3 stringers of 1-3/8 × 3-1/2 × 48 in, 7 top and 5 bottom 5/8 in × 40 in deckboards (5-1/2 in leads, 3-1/2 in interiors) and 84 nails of 2-1/4 in: 3 per joint on lead boards, 2 elsewhere. In a jig, nail the top lead boards first, then the rest, flip, and do the bottom.
- Pallets for automation: conveyors, AS/RS and robotic palletizersAutomated systems need consistent, flat, stiff pallets. Bottom boards must cross the conveyor supports (perpendicular to rollers, across chain strands), gaps must not snag, flatness is often held to 1/4 in or better, and AS/RS racks commonly limit sag to 0.5 in. Perimeter-base block and plastic pallets run either way.
Materials5
- Pallet wood species: hardwood vs softwood, and which to specifyMost North American pallets are made from mixed Eastern hardwoods (oak, maple, poplar and others) or softwoods such as Southern yellow pine and SPF. Density drives strength, stiffness, nail holding and weight. Specify a species class or group plus a grade rather than a single species.
- Pallet lumber grades: what Standard, Utility and Economy meanPallet lumber is graded by the defects each part may contain: knots, wane, splits, decay and slope of grain. The Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets sets minimum quality for reusable and single-use pallets, and PDS names grades from Select to Economy. Specify a minimum grade per component.
- Pallet lumber moisture: green vs kiln-dried, shrinkage, weight and moldGreen pallet lumber can hold 50–80% moisture; kiln-dried (KD) lumber is dried to about 19% or less. Drier wood is lighter, stiffer and far less prone to mold, but green wood nails more easily and costs less. Heat treatment (HT) for ISPM 15 kills pests; it does not dry the pallet. Specify moisture separately.
- Pallet 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.
- Plastic pallet buying guide: styles, resins, ratings and costChoose a plastic pallet by how it is handled and stored: nestable for cheap one-way use, stackable for floor stacking, rackable for open-beam racking. Compare static, dynamic and racking ratings only when the test standard and support match. New US prices run about $40–200 (2026 estimates).
Compliance and safety5
- Heat-treated pallets (HT): what they are, when you need them, and costA heat-treated (HT) pallet's wood core was held at 56 °C (133 °F) for 30 minutes under ISPM 15, then stamped with the IPPC mark and HT. Most countries require it on wood pallets crossing their border. It adds roughly $1–3 per pallet (2026 US estimate) and kills pests; it does not dry the wood.
- Pallet stamps and markings: HT, MB, DB, KD and what they meanMost wood pallet stamps are the ISPM 15 mark: IPPC wheat symbol, country code, facility number and treatment code. HT means heat-treated, DH dielectric heating, MB methyl bromide, SF sulfuryl fluoride. DB (debarked) and KD (kiln-dried) are older or separate marks. For reuse, pick HT and avoid MB.
- Food-grade pallets: what the term means and how to specify oneThere is no FDA certification for a food-grade pallet. The term means a clean, dry, uncontaminated pallet: new or top-grade wood, kiln-dried and heat-treated (never methyl bromide), or virgin food-contact plastic. FSMA requires transport equipment that will not make food unsafe.
- Pallet mold: causes, prevention and what to do with moldy palletsPallet mold grows when wood stays above about 20% moisture in warm, still air: green pallets in containers, wrapped loads or covered yards. The fix is dry wood: specify kiln-dried pallets (19% or less), store them dry and ventilated, and check moisture before loading. HT alone does not prevent mold.
- Pallet fire safety: idle pallet storage, NFPA 13, fire codes and UL 2335Stacks of idle pallets burn fast and hot, so NFPA 13 and fire codes treat them as a special hazard. Store them outdoors or in a detached building where possible; indoors they need specific sprinkler protection. Unlisted plastic pallets count as a higher hazard than wood. Confirm with your AHJ.
Retailer requirements4
- Amazon FBA pallet requirements: size, height, weight, wrap and labelsAmazon FBA calls for 40 × 48 in (1016 × 1219 mm) four-way pallets, at most 72 in (183 cm) tall including the pallet and 1,500 lb (680 kg), in clear stretch wrap with box labels facing out. GMA Grade B or better wood and four pallet labels are widely reported rules. Confirm in Seller Central.
- Walmart pallet requirements: supplier DCs and Walmart Fulfillment ServicesWalmart's supplier standards require 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) four-way Grade A pallets: stringer pallets with 7 top and 5 bottom boards on 3 stringers (2,100 lb loaded), 9-block pallets (2,800 lb) or approved pooled pallets. Loads max 96 in (244 cm), no overhang. WFS has its own rules.
- Costco pallet requirements: pooled block pallets and purpose-built exceptionsCostco requires iGPS, PECO or CHEP block pallets throughout North America and refuses GMA/Grade A stringer, CHEP stringer, CHEP Euro and corrugated pallets. Purpose-built pallets need advance approval per item; Costco's published supplement requires them to be designed with PDS.
- Home Depot pallet requirements: shipping platform standards for suppliersThe Home Depot asks suppliers to ship on a standard 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) all-wood pallet, excluding species classes 7 and 14. Other platforms need an approved exception backed by a PDS analysis or ASTM D1185 test of capacity stacked three high. Confirm details in your supplier guide.
Buying and lifecycle11
- How much does a pallet cost? New, used, plastic and custom pricesIn the US in 2026, a new 48 × 40 in wood stringer pallet typically costs about $10–25, a used Grade A about $6–14 and a Grade B about $3–8. Heat treatment adds about $1–3. Plastic pallets run roughly $40–200 and metal $150–600 or more. These are estimates that move with lumber, resin and freight markets; get quotes.
- How to reduce pallet costs without more damageThe biggest pallet savings come from buying the right pallet, not the cheapest: remove lumber the load does not need, match grade and treatment to the use, quote one spec with several local shops, and cut losses through recovery, repair or pooling. Check a cheaper pallet does not raise damage.
- Pallet grades: Grade A, Grade B, remanufactured and combo palletsUsed pallets are sold by grade. Grade A (#1) pallets are clean and sound with few or no repairs; Grade B (#2) pallets are sound but repaired, often with companion stringers. Remanufactured and combo pallets are rebuilt from used and new parts. Definitions vary by vendor, so write yours down.
- Pallet pooling: how CHEP, PECO and iGPS rental worksPallet pooling is renting pallets instead of buying them. A pooler such as CHEP (blue), PECO (red) or iGPS (plastic) owns standard 48 × 40 in pallets, issues them to shippers, collects them from receivers, then inspects, repairs and reissues them. You pay fees per use, not a purchase price.
- CHEP pallets: what the blue pallets are, how rental works, and what to do if you have oneCHEP pallets are the blue pallets rented through CHEP's pool. In North America they are 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) wood block pallets CHEP rates at 2,800 lb (1,270 kg). CHEP owns every one and never sells them: if you receive some, keep them apart and request a collection.
- PECO pallets: the red rental pallets, specs, and how to return themPECO pallets are the red pallets rented through PECO Pallet's pooling network in the US, Canada and Mexico. They are 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) wood block pallets that PECO rates at 2,800 lb (1,270 kg). PECO owns them and does not sell them: if you find red PECO pallets, report them to PECO for pickup.
- Pallet recycling: how used pallets are repaired, rebuilt and groundUsed wood pallets are widely recycled in the US. Recyclers collect them, sort by size and grade, repair the good ones for resale, dismantle damaged ones for parts to build remanufactured pallets, and grind the rest into mulch, animal bedding or biomass fuel. Businesses usually get free pickup or payment for full loads.
- Who buys pallets? How to sell used pallets and what they are worthPallet recyclers are the main buyers of used pallets. In 2026 they typically pay about $4–8 for a Grade A 48 × 40 in pallet, $2–5 for Grade B and under $2 for damaged ones, usually by the trailer load. End users pay more. Never sell blue CHEP, red PECO or iGPS pallets: they are rented property.
- Where to get free pallets, and which ones to leave aloneFree pallets usually come from small local businesses that receive freight and do not return pallets. Always ask first. Never take blue CHEP, red PECO or iGPS pallets, which are rented property. For projects, choose clean HT-stamped pallets and avoid MB-stamped or stained ones.
- Pallet repair: methods, standards and when a pallet is not worth fixingPallets are repaired by replacing broken deckboards, reinforcing cracked stringers with a companion stringer, plug or metal plate, and replacing damaged blocks, following ISO 18613 and the Uniform Standard. Repaired pallets are weaker than new, need re-treatment for export, and some retailers refuse them.
- Pallet inspection: an incoming inspection checklist for new and used palletsInspect incoming pallets against a written spec. Check a sample from every delivery for size, board count and thickness, broken boards or stringers, protruding nails, moisture, mold, stains and the ISPM 15 stamp. Reject failures, record why, and share the results with the supplier.