Used pallets, sorted by grade
Used pallets are sold by grade: A has had no repairs, B has been repaired, C looks rough, and combo is rebuilt from recycled and new lumber.
- Size
- 48x40 most often
- Build
- Stringer, some block
- Grade
- A, B, C, combo
- Trades
- Food, parts, general freight
- Towns
- Kent and Ottawa counties
Four used grades, four different decks
| Grade | What you see | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | No repairs and none needed; boards flat, nails flush | Food and grocery, racked or stacked loads |
| Grade B | Replaced deck boards, plates or plugs; also called grade 2 | General freight, parts, lighter stacked loads |
| Grade C | Poor appearance, usually several repairs; deck boards may not all be whole | One-way shipments, loads where the pallet is not returned |
| Combo | Rebuilt from recycled and new lumber; steadier than used | Recurring orders that need consistency at a lower price than new |
Grade B deserves a closer look because it is the grade most docks end up buying. The repairs are real but ordinary: a short board nailed beside a cracked one is a plug, and a metal plate over a cracked stringer is a plate. A plug used to repair a broken board can run from 6 to 24 inches long.
What makes a used pallet drop a grade
A cracked stringer is the most common reason a pallet drops a grade, because the stringers carry the deck. Missing or split deck boards matter next, then protruding nails and uneven repairs. Mould or stains matter for a food load more than they do for a stack of castings.
Ask for the size and grade together
A 48x40 Grade A and a 48x40 Grade B are different requests. If a load will be racked, stacked three high, or run through an automated line, say so; those are the loads where a Grade A is worth the difference. If a pallet is going into a trailer and not coming back, Grade B or C is usually enough.
How big a request to send
Used stock comes in lots, so counts matter. A few dozen is a different conversation from a few hundred a week. Say the number you need and whether it repeats. If the need is steady, the truckload page is the better route.
Not sure which grade your line can take? Read Grade A and Grade B side by side, or send the closest description and ask.
A buyer's walk down a used stack
- Check the top deckBoards should lie flat, with no splits running toward an edge.
- Check the nailsHeads should sit flush. A raised nail tears wrap and cartons.
- Check the stringersCracks that run the length are the ones to refuse.
- Look under the deckPlates and plugs show on the bottom side.
- Smell itDamp or sour wood points to moisture trouble.
Quantities and quoting
A sound 48x40 stringer pallet is the easiest used pallet to find, so most used orders are for that. A half-trailer is a reasonable ask for a first order; a full trailer is 26 pallets high only if they are laid flat, so pallet counts for loads are usually written in hundreds, not in trailers. See the trailer guide for the floor arithmetic.
Used is not a single product
The words Grade A and Grade B describe a deck, not a price. Two Grade B stacks can differ in how many repairs they carry and how old the wood is. If your line is automated or your racks are tight, say so and ask for stock that has been looked over with that in mind.
For a steady supply see truckloads; for a cleaner deck for food see clean-food pallets.
Used pallets by trade
| Trade | Typical ask |
|---|---|
| Grocery and food | Dry Grade A or clean B, 48x40 |
| Auto parts | Grade A, often 48x45 or 48x40 |
| 3PL and distribution | Large counts of Grade B |
| Fruit packing | Seasonal lots of sound B |
| Small business | A few Grade B for one shipment |
These are habits, not rules. A plant with a tight rack asks for better than its trade usually does.
Used against combo against new
A used pallet has an unknown past and a lower price. A combo pallet has been rebuilt with a known recipe and sits in the middle. A new pallet is built to a spec sheet and costs the most. If the cost of a failed pallet is low, used is enough; if it is high, move up.
Consider also how many times the pallet will cycle. A pallet that goes one way once can be Grade B or even Grade C; one that makes ten trips deserves better.
A realistic first order
A first-time buyer might ask for 100 Grade B 48x40s, dry, delivered to a dock. That is large enough to test quality and small enough to be easy to fix if something is wrong. If the first order goes well, the next can be a standing one.
Count the first delivery on arrival, check the grade against your sample, and note any pooled or rented pallets in the lot. A short written note to the seller the same day keeps the record clean.
Inspecting a delivery
Count the pallets as they arrive and pull a few from different parts of the stack to check them against the grade you ordered. Look at the decks, the stringers and the nails, and smell for dampness. Note anything that does not match.
Send the seller a short note the same day. A record made while the pallets are still on the dock is more useful than one made a week later.
Why grade matters more than price
A cheap pallet that fails costs more than a dearer one that does not. Failed pallets mean damaged goods, delays and a bad day on the dock. Choose the grade for the job, then compare prices.
Ask for a sample if the order is large, and keep the sample to compare with later deliveries.
Used does not mean unknown
A seller should be able to say where a lot came from in general terms, such as food distribution or light manufacturing. That history tells you more about condition than the grade word does.