Size guide

Sixteen parts,
named properly.

Half of the confusion in pallet buying is vocabulary: two people describing the same defect with different words will never reach agreement. This is the whole object, drawn and labelled, with the dimension, the job and the failure mode of every component.

In the handEvery component named on this page is visible here: deck boards, lead boards, stringers, notches and fasteners.

Components labelled: 16
Drawn as: Plan and elevation
Reference pallet: 48" × 40" GMA
Repair members: Companion and plug

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16: Named components
7: Top deck boards, full GMA
5: Bottom deck boards
3: Stringers
5½": Deck height
36 lb: Typical mass

Plan view — 48 × 40 GMA, top deck

Elevation — end view through the stringers

Drawn to proportion, not to scale. Rose elements are the parts that fail or get replaced most often: lead boards, the stencil and the chamfers.

Legend

1Top deck board⅝" × 3½–5½" × 40"
2Lead board · End board⅝" × 5½" × 40", often chamfered
3Stringer · Runner1⅜" × 3½" × 48"
4Stringer notch1½" deep × 9" long
5Bottom deck board⅝" × 3½–5½" × 40"
6Bottom lead board⅝" × 5½" × 40"
7Fastener · Helical nail2½" helical thread
8Chamfer45° bevel, bottom outer edge
9Deck openingGap between boards, 1–4"
10Fork opening≈ 3½" high × 10" wide
11Block · Block pallet only4" × 4" × 3¾"
12Stringer board · Block pallet only⅝" × 3½" × 48"
13Wing · Winged pallet onlyDeck overhang, 3" each side
14Companion · Repair memberFull-length board beside a damaged stringer
15Plug · Scab repairShort section over a break
16Stencil · Passport codeSix characters, centre stringer

Reference pallet

Footprint: 48" × 40"
Construction: Three-stringer, notched
Top deck: 7 boards, ⅝ in
Bottom deck: 5 boards, ⅝ in
Entry: Partial four-way
Height: 5½"
Mass: 33–42 lb recycled
Fasteners: Helical 2½", pattern specified

Every component

What it is called, what it does, how it fails

The failure column is sixteen years of grading notes rather than theory. It is also, read in order, a decent summary of what to inspect on an incoming load.

Dimensions are typical for a 48×40 GMA stringer pallet in hardwood. Block-pallet and winged-pallet components are marked as such.
#	Component	Typical dimension	Job	How it fails
1	Top deck board	⅝" × 3½–5½" × 40"	Carries the load and spreads it across the stringers.	Cracks along a nail line under point loads.
2	Lead board (End board)	⅝" × 5½" × 40", often chamfered	Takes every fork entry and dock-plate strike.	Splits first — the most common repairable defect in the industry.
3	Stringer (Runner)	1⅜" × 3½" × 48"	The structural spine; transfers load to the floor or the rack beam.	Cracks through a nail line, or rots at the ends.
4	Stringer notch	1½" deep × 9" long	Creates partial four-way forklift entry.	Cracks at the notch shoulder if the pallet is racked across it.
5	Bottom deck board	⅝" × 3½–5½" × 40"	Spreads floor pressure and resists dragging.	Torn off when a pallet is dragged on the fork tips.
6	Bottom lead board	⅝" × 5½" × 40"	Protects the stringer ends and stabilises the stack.	Shears away in pallet-jack misalignment.
7	Fastener (Helical nail)	2½" helical thread	Holds the joint through moisture cycling.	Loosens if smooth-shank; protrudes when a board lifts.
8	Chamfer	45° bevel, bottom outer edge	Eases fork entry and reduces lead-board damage.	Worn flat after years of entry.
9	Deck opening	Gap between boards, 1–4"	Lets the deck flex and keeps the pallet light.	Too wide: cartons crush at the gap edge.
10	Fork opening	≈ 3½" high × 10" wide	Where the forks go.	Blocked by a crushed bottom deck.
11	Block (Block pallet only)	4" × 4" × 3¾"	Replaces stringers to give true four-way entry.	Splits at the fastener if dry-nailed.
12	Stringer board (Block pallet only)	⅝" × 3½" × 48"	Ties the nine blocks together under the deck.	Breaks between blocks under racked load.
13	Wing (Winged pallet only)	Deck overhang, 3" each side	Allows bar-sling or clamp handling.	Snaps off in racking — wings must never bear on a beam.
14	Companion (Repair member)	Full-length board beside a damaged stringer	Restores structural continuity after a crack.	Nothing, when fitted full length. A short plug is a different story.
15	Plug (Scab repair)	Short section over a break	Cosmetic and partial structural repair.	Under racked load. We grade plugged decks as #2 for this reason.
16	Stencil (Passport code)	Six characters, centre stringer	Carries the deck's recorded life.	Weathers off; recoverable from the batch record.

Inspect in this order

Stringers, from the end — cracks through a nail line
Board count, top and bottom
Lead boards — press the outer edge with a thumb
Repairs — companion or plug?
Flatness, on level ground
Dryness and smell

Parts people get wrong

A plug is not a companion, and it is not #1 grade
A notch is not four-way entry for a pallet jack
Wings must never bear on a rack beam
A protruding nail is pulled, never hammered flat
Stringer boards exist only on block pallets

Continue

Yard reference

Every number we publish, in one place

The same appendix appears at the foot of our reference pages so you never have to leave an article to check a figure. All of it is revised annually and matches the constants used by the Carbon Ledger.

Stock specification

Stock footprint: 48" × 40" (1219 × 1016 mm)
Deck height, GMA stringer: 5½" (140 mm)
Deck height, block pallet: 5¾" (146 mm)
Deck height, EPAL 1: 144 mm
Board thickness, nominal: ⅝" (16 mm)
Top deck boards, #1 grade: 6–7
Bottom deck boards, #1 grade: 4–5
Stringers per pallet: 3, notched or solid
Species: Mixed hardwood, oak-dominant
Mass, recycled 48×40: 33–42 lb / 15–19 kg
Mass, new 48×40: 37–48 lb / 17–22 kg
Mass, EPAL 1: 22–25 kg / 49–55 lb
Moisture ceiling at dispatch: ≤ 19%
Fasteners: Helical-thread 2½"

Typical values for our 48×40 recycled stock. Exact board counts vary by grade and batch.

Grades, side by side

Load figures are observed operating capacities for a 48×40 footprint under a uniformly distributed load. Apply your own safety factor — 1.5 for dynamic handling, 2.0 for long-term racked storage. Price index: 100 = new hardwood.
Grade	Top / bottom boards	Repairs allowed	Static	Dynamic	Racked	Price index
A / Premium	7 / 5	None visible	4,600 lb	2,800 lb	1,800 lb	42–52
#1 Grade	6–7 / 4–5	Full-length companions	4,000 lb	2,500 lb	1,500 lb	30–40
#2 Grade	5–6 / 3–4	Plugs and companions	3,200 lb	1,800 lb	Not advised	20–28
Core / Mixed	As arrived	Unsorted	Unrated	Unrated	No	12–20
New hardwood	7 / 5	n/a	5,000+ lb	3,000 lb	2,200 lb	100
Heat-treated #1	6–7 / 4–5	Companions, re-treated	4,000 lb	2,500 lb	1,500 lb	38–48

Footprints we stock or build

48×40 is roughly 72% of our intake. Odd sizes arrive as they arrive — ask before planning around them.
Footprint	Metric	Known as	Typical use
48" × 40"	1219 × 1016 mm	GMA / grocery standard	General distribution, grocery
42" × 42"	1067 × 1067 mm	Square 42	Drums, paint, telecom
48" × 48"	1219 × 1219 mm	Drum pallet	55-gallon drums
40" × 48"	1016 × 1219 mm	Rotated GMA	Military, construction
48" × 42"	1219 × 1067 mm	Chemical / produce	Chemicals, produce
40" × 40"	1016 × 1016 mm	Dairy square	Dairy, beverage
36" × 36"	914 × 914 mm	Beverage	DSD, retail display
48" × 20"	1219 × 508 mm	Retail half	Aisle-end displays
1200 × 800 mm	47.2" × 31.5"	EUR / EPAL 1	European export
1200 × 1000 mm	47.2" × 39.4"	ISO / EPAL 2	ISO export lanes

Species in our intake, and how they behave

Densities and Janka figures are published wood-science values; the behaviour column is sixteen years of our own grading notes. Our intake is oak-dominant mixed hardwood.
Species	Group	Density (lb/ft³)	Janka hardness	Behaviour in a pallet
White oak	Hardwood	47	1,350 lbf	Our backbone: holds fasteners superbly, heavy, very durable
Red oak	Hardwood	44	1,290 lbf	Slightly more porous than white; excellent deck boards
Hickory	Hardwood	51	1,820 lbf	Hardest of our intake; superb stringers, splits if nailed dry
Maple	Hardwood	44	1,450 lbf	Clean, pale, dimensionally stable; good for upcycled tops
Ash	Hardwood	41	1,320 lbf	Tough and flexible; forgiving under impact
Poplar	Hardwood	29	540 lbf	Light hardwood, weaker fastener grip, fine for one-way
Southern yellow pine	Softwood	35	690 lbf	Common in new softwood builds; resinous, holds nails well
Spruce / fir	Softwood	27	510 lbf	Lightest option; loosens soonest under repeated handling

Moisture targets by application

Dryness is the single biggest determinant of recycled pallet quality — more than grade, species or board count.
Application	Target moisture	Why
Food distribution	≤ 19%	Mould risk, not strength; covered storage mandatory
Pharmaceutical / clean areas	≤ 15%	Documented dryness, often new material
General warehouse and racking	≤ 19%	Fastener grip and creep resistance
Cold chain	≤ 15% at dispatch	Condensation cycling through the dew point
Export, heat-treated	≤ 19%	Post-chamber typical; bark-free is the hard rule
Upcycled furniture stock	8–12%	Conditioned indoors two weeks before machining
Field and agricultural use	No target	Weather governs; buy #2 and expect it

Fasteners — two percent of the cost, most of the service life

Specify the fastener and the count per board-stringer intersection, not just the board count.
Fastener	Length	Shank	Withdrawal resistance	Where we use it
Helical-thread nail	2½"	Twisted, thread-cutting	High, survives moisture cycling	Standard on every new build and repair
Annular-ring nail	2¼"–2½"	Barbed rings	Highest	Lead boards and heavy racked specifications
Smooth-shank nail	2"–2½"	Plain	Low, drops as wood dries	Not used — the reason old pallets loosen
Screw-shank nail	2½"	Coarse helix	High	Block pallets and thick stringers
Staple	1¾"	Crown wire	Low in hardwood	Not used here; acceptable in softwood one-way pallets

Handling and rack dimensions

Measure your own equipment before specifying a pallet. These are the values that decide whether a footprint works in your building.
Dimension	Typical value	Note
Fork length	42"–48"	Must not protrude beyond the far side of a 48" pallet
Fork width	4"–6"	Wider forks spread load across deck boards
Fork thickness	1½"–2"	Determines minimum pallet entry height
Fork spread, GMA entry	24"–27" centres	Between the stringers of a three-stringer pallet
Pallet-jack wheel path	6½" clear	Why notched stringers do not admit jacks
Minimum entry height	3½"	A crushed bottom deck blocks the forks entirely
Rack beam span, two pallets	≥ 96" clear	For two 48×40 pallets, 40" face out
Flue space, back to back	≥ 6"	Most fire codes; check your jurisdiction

The life of one deck, stage by stage

Durations are medians from our line records and the Passport programme; the population is survivor-biased and we say so.
Stage	Typical duration	What happens	Carbon position
Timber to pallet	Weeks	Sawn, nailed, often shipped wet	12.6 kg CO₂e embodied
First life	2–4 years	Hardest service; lead board usually fails	Credit begins at reuse
First repair	2 minutes	Lead board replaced with salvaged stock	+1.8 further lives on average
Second to fifth life	6–12 years	Grading, companions, re-nailing, re-grading	11.6 kg CO₂e avoided per cycle
Structural retirement	—	Stringers rotted or deck beyond rebuild	Stored carbon still retained
Repurposed	Decades	Collars, crates, table tops, cladding	Carbon stays in the material
Fiber	1–3 years	Mulch or bedding, then soil	Released slowly
Thermal	Immediate	Boiler-grade chip	Released at once — last resort

The thirteen named defects on our grading wall

01Cracked stringer through a nail line
02Stringer break longer than one board width
03Soft rot or fungal staining
04Missing deck board
05Split lead board
06Plug or scab repair
07Protruding or missing fastener
08Board thinner than specification
09Mixed board widths on one deck
10Pallet will not sit flat on a jig
11Visible chemical residue or paint
12Moisture above threshold
13Bark present on any component

A pallet is only downgraded for a defect a grader can name out loud. If it is not on this list, it is not a reason to move a pallet between lanes.

Glossary — thirty terms worth knowing

Core: A used pallet bought for grading — the currency of the industry.
Deck board: Any board on the top or bottom face of a pallet.
Lead board: The outermost deck board at each end; absorbs every fork entry.
Stringer: The long member running the length of a stringer pallet; usually three.
Stringer board: On a block pallet, the board that ties the blocks together.
Block: One of the nine supports in a block pallet.
Notch: The cut-out in a stringer that creates four-way fork access.
Chamfer: A bevel on a lead board's lower edge to ease fork entry.
Companion: A full-length board nailed alongside a damaged stringer. A strong repair.
Plug / scab: A short piece fixed over a break. A weaker repair; #2 grade here.
Re-nail: Restoring the fastener pattern on a loose but intact pallet.
Regrade: Moving a pallet between grade lanes after inspection.
Down-cut: Re-cutting a larger deck into a smaller footprint.
Static load: Capacity at rest on a flat, continuous surface.
Dynamic load: Capacity while being lifted and moved.
Racked load: Capacity spanning beams with no deck support. Always the smallest figure.
Unit load: Pallet, product and wrap considered as one structure.
Overhang: Load or deck projecting beyond its support. The leading cause of rack failure.
Flue space: The gap between back-to-back rack bays; six inches minimum in most codes.
GMA: The Grocery Manufacturers Association 48×40 specification.
EPAL: The licensing body for the European 1200×800 block pallet.
ISPM-15: The international phytosanitary standard for wood packaging.
HT: Heat treatment: 56 °C at core for 30 minutes.
IPPC mark: The wheat-sheaf stamp evidencing phytosanitary treatment.
Collar: Four hinged timber sides that turn a pallet into a container.
Top cap: A lightweight cover protecting the uppermost layer of a stack.
Dunnage: Timber used to fill voids, brace loads and spread point loads.
Fiber: Ground wood: mulch, animal bedding or boiler-grade chip.
Diversion rate: Share of intake kept out of landfill. Ours is 100%.
Reuse rate: Share of intake that leaves as a pallet. Ours is 94%.

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