Grade B pallets: repaired and working
Grade B, or grade 2, is a used pallet that has been repaired with replaced deck boards, plates or plugs and still does its job.
- Size
- Mostly 48x40
- Build
- Stringer
- Grade
- B
- Trades
- General freight, distribution
- Repairs
- Allowed
The three repairs
| Repair | Look for | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Replaced deck board | A board with fresher wood or different nails | A cracked or missing board |
| Plate | A metal plate with cleats across a joint | A cracked stringer or block |
| Plug or companion stringer | A short board nailed beside a broken one, 6 to 24 inches long | A broken stringer |
The repair guide goes through how each is made.
Where B is enough
A Grade B pallet can hold a floor-stacked load, ride a trailer and go back through the loop. It is less welcome in a rack, in a food room or on an automated line, where a plate can snag.
Telling B from C
The break comes when repairs pile up. Several repairs on one pallet, or deck boards that are no longer intact, put it in Grade C. Count the repairs on the bottom side before deciding.
A Grade B stack with sound 48x40s is the staple of used pallets and the truckload route.
Other facts a grading guide may add
One grading guide says Grade B pallets require deckboard spacing of four inches or more, and may have repaired stringers or plugs. Rules like that vary from guide to guide, and the trade does not enforce them, so treat them as one reading of the grade and ask the seller what they mean.
Where B tends to be used
- Distribution centres shipping to stores, where the pallet may not come back
- Plants with a floor-level line
- Exporters who will treat and stamp the pallet themselves, where allowed
- Small businesses that need a few for one shipment
A table of the typical Grade B repair
| Repair | Where | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Replaced deck board | Top or bottom | Often invisible from above |
| Plate | Across a stringer crack | Raised by a fraction of an inch |
| Plug | Beside a broken board | Adds a short board 6 to 24 inches long |
A Grade B inspection in four lines
- Count the repairsA few is Grade B; many, and it is moving toward C.
- Check each repairPlates should be flat and tight.
- Check the deckGaps should be no wider than the spacing the buyer wants.
- Check for moistureA damp B is a bad B.
When Grade B is the sensible choice
Most one-way shipments do not need a pristine pallet. They need a flat deck, sound stringers and nails that sit flush. Grade B delivers that at a lower price than A, and the saving grows with volume.
The trade-off is variety: a Grade B lot can include mixed board ages, a few repairs and some cosmetic marks. A buyer who automates handling, or who ships to a customer with strict acceptance rules, should test a sample before ordering a full load.
What to ask the seller
Ask how many repairs a typical pallet carries, whether any boards are mixed in from other pallets and whether the lot has been stored dry.
Grade meanings: pallet grade definitions as commonly used by buyers and sellers (read 11 November 2026). No single body enforces them.
Ready to ask? Send us the request.