Plastic lumber pallet: built like wood from HDPE boards
A 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.
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Height
- 5.00 in
- Fasteners
- 84
Every dimension is editable. Get the drawing free, or request a quote.
Molded plastic pallets only come in the sizes their molds make. Plastic lumber fills the gap: plastic's durability, hygiene and export exemption with wood-style construction in any size.
What is a plastic lumber pallet?
A plastic lumber pallet is a pallet built from extruded plastic lumber boards, assembled into the same layouts as wooden pallets: stringers and deckboards, or blocks, stringerboards and deckboards. The boards are usually HDPE, often recycled; some makers use rigid PVC profiles assembled with stainless screws. See the plastic pallets hub.
How is a plastic lumber pallet built?
The pallet.design plastic lumber template is a 48 × 40 in stringer design:
| Component | Template value | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Top deckboards | 7, 3/4 in thick HDPE | 19 mm |
| Bottom deckboards | 5, 3/4 in thick HDPE | 19 mm |
| Stringers | 3, 1-1/2 × 3-1/2 in HDPE | 38 × 89 mm |
| Fasteners | Screws, 2-1/2 in | 64 mm |
| Overall height | 5 in | 127 mm |
Differences from wood:
- Thicker boards. HDPE is much less stiff than wood, so decks are usually 3/4 in or thicker to limit sag.
- Screws or special nails. Smooth plastic holds nails less well than wood; screws or bolts are common.
- Solid or hollow profiles. Hollow extrusions save weight; solid boards are stronger.
- Heat and creep. HDPE softens with temperature and creeps under sustained load, so spans are kept short.
Where are plastic lumber pallets used?
- Custom sizes for machinery, parts and long products
- Wet, outdoor or washdown environments where wood rots
- Closed-loop pallets that must last years
- Export loads that need an ISPM 15 exempt pallet in a non-standard size
- Food and chemical plants that ban wood but need a special size
One maker advertises custom sizes from 19 to 120 in (483–3048 mm) with minimum orders of 15 units and no tooling costs.
Pros and limits
| Pros | Limits |
|---|---|
| Any size, no mold, small minimums | Heavier than wood for the same design |
| Rot-proof, does not absorb water | Less stiff: creeps under long-term load |
| ISPM 15 exempt | More expensive than wood |
| Repairable by replacing boards | Softens at high temperature |
| Often made from recycled plastic | Fewer suppliers than for wood |
Capacity and weight
There are no standard ratings. Capacity depends on board sizes, span, fasteners and temperature, and plastic lumber's lower stiffness and creep mean a wooden design cannot simply be copied in plastic. Ask the maker for ratings at your support condition and operating temperature, particularly for racking. A plastic lumber pallet typically weighs more than a wooden pallet of the same layout, because solid HDPE is denser than most pallet lumber. See pallet load capacity and creep.
Plastic lumber vs molded plastic vs wood
| Plastic lumber | Molded plastic | Wood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom size | Yes, no tooling | Only with a new mold | Yes |
| Minimum order | Small (tens) | Stock models, or very large for a new mold | Small to large |
| ISPM 15 | Exempt | Exempt | Treat and mark |
| Weight | Heavy | Light to moderate | Moderate |
| Stiffness | Lowest; creeps | Engineered sections, often reinforced | Highest per board |
| Moisture | Unaffected | Unaffected | Absorbs water, can rot |
ISPM 15
Plastic lumber pallets are exempt from ISPM 15. If any solid-wood part is added (for example wooden blocks), the pallet needs treatment and marking.
What drives the cost?
- Plastic volume: board thickness, count and profile (solid vs hollow)
- Resin: recycled HDPE vs virgin, HDPE vs PVC
- Fasteners: screws and stainless hardware cost more than nails
- Labour: assembly is closer to a wooden pallet than a molded one
- Quantity: small runs are possible but cost more per pallet
Specifying a plastic lumber pallet for a quote
- Footprint and maximum height
- Layout: stringer or block; entry style
- Top and bottom deckboards: count, thickness, widths
- Stringers or blocks: count and size
- Profile: solid or hollow; resin (HDPE, PVC, recycled content)
- Fasteners: screws, bolts or nails; stainless if needed
- Load, support conditions, operating temperature
- Colour, UV stabilisation for outdoor use
- Quantity and delivery location
Related: stringer pallet, wooden pallets, plastic vs wood. The plastic lumber template has a full drawing and parts list, and you can open it in the designer to change every board.
Drawing and parts listEdit in the design app
Plastic lumber 48×40 template, generated from the model. Every dimension is editable.
Pallet
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 40.00 in
- Overall height
- 5.00 in
- Classification
- 48.00 x 40.00, Stringer-Class, Double-Face Non-Reversible, Flush, Partial 4-Way, Reusable, Plastic Lumber (HDPE)
Construction
- Build
- Plastic lumber (HDPE)
- Wings
- Flush
- Top deck
- 7 boards × 0.75 in (3/4); leads 5.50 in (5-1/2), interior 3.50 in (3-1/2)
- Bottom deck
- 5 boards × 0.75 in (3/4); interior grouped between notches
- Stringers
- 3 × 1.50 in (1-1/2) wide × 3.50 in (3-1/2) tall
- Notches
- Partial 4-way: 1.25 in (1-1/4) deep × 9.00 in (9) long, 6.00 in (6) from each end, R 0.75 in (3/4)
- Fasteners
- 84 × 2.50 in (2-1/2) screw, 0.112 in wire, per Uniform Standard Table 5
Requirements
- Load
- 2,000 lb, uniform
- Handling
- forklift, pallet jack
- Racking
- Not racked
- Floor stack
- 1 high
- Use
- Reusable / multi-trip
- Environment
- Standard
- ISPM-15
- Domestic only
- Certified rating
- Not required
- Food contact / fire
- No / no listing
Order
- Quantity
- Not specified
- Ship to
- —
- Needed by
- —
Frequently asked questions
What is plastic lumber?
Solid or profiled boards made by extruding plastic, often recycled HDPE, into lumber-like shapes. It does not rot, absorb water or splinter, and can be cut and fastened with woodworking tools.
Why choose a plastic lumber pallet over a molded plastic pallet?
When you need a size or shape no catalog model offers, in quantities too small to justify a mold. Plastic lumber pallets can be built to any footprint because there is no tooling.
Are plastic lumber pallets stronger than wood?
Not board for board. Plastic lumber is less stiff than wood and creeps under sustained load, so it usually needs thicker or more boards and more support to match a wooden design's stiffness.
Are plastic lumber pallets heavy?
Yes. Solid HDPE is dense, so a plastic lumber pallet usually weighs more than a wooden pallet of the same design. Hollow profiles reduce weight.
Related
- TypesPlastic pallets: types, materials, load ratings and how to buy themA plastic pallet is a molded or fabricated pallet made from HDPE or polypropylene. Types range from light nestable pallets (about 14–30 lb) to reinforced rackable pallets (about 35–70 lb). They are washable, ISPM 15 exempt and long-lived, cost several times more than wood, and carry three separate load ratings.
- 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.
- TypesStringer pallet: construction, dimensions and when to use oneA stringer pallet is a wooden pallet whose deckboards are nailed across two or more continuous beams called stringers, usually three on a 48 × 40 in pallet. It is 2-way entry, or partial 4-way when the stringers are notched. It is the most common and cheapest pallet design in North America.
- GlossaryHDPE (high-density polyethylene)HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is the most common resin for plastic pallets. It stays tough at low temperatures, which suits freezers and cold chains, but it is less stiff than polypropylene, which matters for rack deflection.
- GlossaryCreepCreep is the gradual increase in a pallet's deflection while a load stays on it over time. Wood creeps, and plastic creeps much more, especially when warm, so racked pallets sag more after days or weeks than when first loaded.
- TypesWooden pallets: types, construction, sizes and how to specify themA wooden pallet is a flat transport platform built from lumber deckboards fastened to stringers or blocks. In North America most are 48 × 40 in stringer pallets weighing about 30–70 lb (14–32 kg); in Europe the 1200 × 800 mm EPAL block pallet dominates. Wood must be ISPM 15 treated for most export.
- ComparisonsPlastic vs wood pallets: cost, strength and when to use eachChoose wood when you need the lowest price, a custom size, easy repair or one-way shipping. Choose plastic when pallets run in a closed loop for many trips, when hygiene and washability matter, when you need consistent dimensions for automation, or to avoid ISPM 15 treatment on exports.
More in Plastic pallets
- TypesNestable plastic pallet: light, cheap and not for racksA nestable plastic pallet has legs or feet, usually nine, that fit into the pallet below when empty, so stacked empties take little space. It is the lightest and cheapest plastic pallet, about 14–30 lb (6–14 kg) in 48 × 40 in, with 4-way entry. It is not rackable.
- TypesRackable plastic pallet: runners, reinforcement and racking ratingsA rackable plastic pallet is designed to sit in open-beam racking with nothing underneath. It has runners (3, 5 or 6) or a perimeter or cruciform base, often with steel reinforcement. Racking ratings for 48 × 40 in models are typically about 1,500–4,400 lb, valid only at the tested span and orientation.
- TypesStackable plastic pallet: built for floor stackingA stackable plastic pallet has a continuous bottom (runners or a perimeter frame) that spreads load onto the floor or the goods below, so loaded pallets can be block-stacked. It sits between nestable pallets (lighter, cheaper) and rackable pallets (reinforced for beams). Many are not rated for racking.
- TypesHygienic plastic pallet: closed decks for food and pharmaA hygienic plastic pallet has a closed, smooth top deck and a closed bottom, with no hollow cavities where dirt, water or bacteria can collect. It is made from virgin HDPE or PP, designed to be washed, and used in food processing, meat, dairy, bakery and pharmaceutical plants.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 781 words.