Reversible pallet: two identical decks, uses and trade-offs
A reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose top and bottom decks are identical, so it can be loaded on either side. Flipping it spreads wear over two decks and removes the need to orient it. The trade-off is weight, cost and poor pallet-jack access, because the full bottom deck leaves no room for jack wheels.
Reversible pallets are less common than non-reversible ones, but they turn up wherever pallets make many trips inside a closed loop or carry heavy loads in tall stacks. The idea is simple: two good decks instead of one.
What is a reversible pallet?
A reversible pallet is a double-face pallet with identical top and bottom decks: same number of boards, same widths, same thickness, same spacing. Either face can carry the load. The Uniform Standard's classification calls it "double-face reversible", as opposed to "double-face non-reversible".
How is a reversible pallet built?
A reversible stringer pallet mirrors the top deck on the bottom. Because the bottom deck must now run across the stringers where notches would be, reversible stringer pallets are usually two-way (no notches).
| Component | Typical 48 × 40 in build | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Top deckboards | 7–9, 5/8–3/4 in thick | 16–19 mm thick |
| Bottom deckboards | same as top | same as top |
| Stringers | 3–4, 1-1/2 × 3-1/2 in, unnotched | 38 × 89 mm |
| Overall height | about 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 in | about 121–133 mm |
| Entry | 2-way | 2-way |
Nailing must also be symmetric, with the same fastener schedule on both decks. Block-class reversible pallets exist but are rarer.
Where are reversible pallets used?
- Closed-loop industrial pallets that make many trips
- Heavy loads block-stacked several high, where full bottom coverage spreads load
- Bagged goods and building products stacked in yards
- Operations where pallets are loaded by hand and orientation mistakes are costly
Pros and limits
| Pros | Limits |
|---|---|
| No wrong way up | Pallet jacks usually cannot enter |
| Two wearing surfaces, longer life | More lumber, weight and cost |
| Full bottom coverage spreads stack loads | Usually 2-way only |
| Stiff in racking across the width | Harder to fit notches or chamfers |
Capacity and weight
A reversible 48 × 40 in pallet is heavier than a non-reversible pallet with the same top deck, because the bottom deck has more boards. Expect the upper half of the usual 30–70 lb (14–32 kg) range or more, depending on species and thickness. The extra bottom deck improves stacking and racking stiffness. The manufacturer's rating for your support condition is authoritative. See pallet load capacity.
Reversible or non-reversible: which to choose?
Choose by how the pallet is handled and how many trips it makes:
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Pallet jacks used at any point in the loop | Non-reversible (bottom deck leaves room for jack wheels) |
| Heavy loads block-stacked three or more high | Reversible (full bottom deck spreads load) |
| One-way shipment | Non-reversible (less lumber) |
| Closed loop with many trips and forklift-only handling | Reversible (two wearing faces) |
| Loads placed by hand by untrained staff | Reversible (no wrong way up) |
If you need jack access and extra bottom coverage, a non-reversible pallet with wider bottom boards or a block pallet with a perimeter base is usually a better compromise than a fully reversible design.
ISPM 15
Reversible wooden pallets need heat treatment and an ISPM 15 mark for most export.
What drives the cost?
- The second full deck: roughly the same board feet again as the top deck
- More nails (a full fastener schedule on both faces)
- Species and thickness
- Heat treatment, volume and freight
Specifying a reversible pallet for a quote
- Deck style: double-face reversible
- Deckboards (same both faces): count, thickness, widths, spacing
- Stringers: count and size; confirm no notches
- Flush or winged (and wing overhang)
- Load, stacking height, racking orientation
- Handling equipment (forklift only, or any jack access required)
- ISPM 15 HT
- Quantity and delivery location
Related: double-face pallet, two-way pallet, pallet stacking patterns. You can start from the GMA template and open it in the designer to mirror the top deck onto the bottom.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between reversible and non-reversible pallets?
A reversible pallet has two identical decks and can be used either way up. A non-reversible pallet has a lighter bottom deck, so only the top carries product.
Can a pallet jack handle a reversible pallet?
Usually not well. A full bottom deck leaves no gap for the jack's load wheels, so reversible pallets are normally moved by forklift.
Why use a reversible pallet?
When the pallet is used for many trips, block-stacked heavily, or handled by people who should not need to check which way is up. Two identical faces also double the wearing surface.
Are reversible pallets flush or winged?
Either. Many are flush, but double-wing reversible designs, with both decks overhanging the stringers, are also built.
Related
- TypesDouble-face pallet: construction, reversible vs non-reversibleA double-face pallet has a top deck and a bottom deck. Most are non-reversible: the bottom deck has fewer boards and only the top carries product. A reversible double-face pallet has two identical load-bearing decks. The bottom deck spreads load onto the floor or the load below and stiffens the pallet in racking.
- GlossaryReversible palletA reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose top and bottom decks are identical, so either face can carry the load.
- GlossaryNon-reversible palletA non-reversible pallet is a double-face pallet whose bottom deck differs from the top deck, usually with fewer or wider-spaced boards, so only the top face is meant to carry the load.
- TypesTwo-way pallet: what it is and when it is the right choiceA two-way pallet is a pallet that forklifts and pallet jacks can enter from only two opposite sides. Most are stringer pallets with solid (unnotched) stringers, so the forks go in between the stringers at the ends. They are cheaper and keep full stringer strength, but they cost handling flexibility.
- 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.
- GlossaryBottom deck coverage (pallet)Bottom deck coverage is the percentage of a pallet's underside covered by bottom deckboards. A GMA-style 48 × 40 bottom deck covers about 45%, less than the top deck, to leave room for notches and pallet-jack wheels.
- GuidesPallet 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.
More in Construction styles
- TypesFour-way pallet: partial vs true 4-way entry explainedA four-way pallet can be entered from all four sides. A partial 4-way pallet is a stringer pallet with notched stringers: forklifts enter all four sides, but pallet jacks only the two ends. A true (full) 4-way pallet is usually a block pallet, which forklifts and pallet jacks can enter from every side.
- TypesSingle-face pallet: construction, uses and limitsA single-face pallet has only one deck: deckboards on top of the stringers or runners and nothing underneath. It is lighter and cheaper than a double-face pallet and suits one-way loads, machinery and crate bases, but it spreads load poorly onto the floor or the pallet below and is weak in racking across its width.
- TypesFlush pallet: deckboards flush with the stringersA flush pallet is a pallet whose deckboards end exactly at the outside faces of the outer stringers or stringerboards, with no overhang. Almost all standard pallets, including GMA and EUR pallets, are flush. The alternative is a winged pallet, whose deckboards extend past the stringers.
- TypesWinged pallet: single-wing and double-wing constructionA winged pallet is a stringer pallet whose deckboards extend past the outer stringers, typically by 1 to 4 in (25–100 mm). On a single-wing pallet only the top deck overhangs; on a double-wing pallet both decks do. Wings give a larger deck, a grip edge for straps and room for bar slings to lift the load.
- TypesSkid: what it is, how it differs from a pallet, and how to spec oneStrictly, a skid is a pallet with no bottom deck: a top deck fastened to runners, often 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 in (a nominal 4 × 4). Skids carry machinery, crates and heavy loads that are dragged or bolted down. In everyday freight speech, especially in Canada and LTL shipping, skid often just means pallet.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 683 words.