Plugs, plates and companion stringers: how pallets are repaired
A plug is a short board, 6 to 24 inches long, nailed beside a broken one. A plate is a metal plate with cleats hammered over a crack. A companion stringer is a second stringer beside a cracked one.
Three repairs, three problems
| Repair | How it is made | Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Plug | A second board, 6 to 24 inches long, nailed beside the broken board | A broken board or stringer section |
| Plate | A metal plate with cleats hammered over the damage | A cracked stringer or block |
| Companion stringer | A new stringer fastened alongside the cracked one | A failed stringer |
What a repair does to the grade
A repair moves a pallet from Grade A to Grade B. Several of them move it to Grade C. The words are used by buyers and sellers but no single body enforces them, so ask how many repairs and where. Pictures of the bottom side settle most arguments.
Which repairs to refuse
- A plate that stands proud of the deck on an automated line
- A plug that sits where a fork rides
- Several repairs on one stringer
- Nails that protrude from a food-dock pallet
Read Grade B and Grade C for how repairs map to condition. If a stack is more repair than pallet, it belongs on broken pallets.
Why a repair is not always a defect
A repaired pallet has often been looked at by someone who knows pallets and judged it worth saving. The grade tells you it has been repaired, which for many loads is fine.
A pallet is only a problem when the repair makes it unsafe for the use. A plate that stands proud will catch a fork. A plug in the wrong place will tilt a rack load. A companion stringer that is shorter than its neighbour will carry less. The question for each repair is where it sits and what it touches.
- Repairs on the top deck matter for cartons
- Repairs on stringers matter for forks and racks
- Repairs on blocks matter for stacking
How to inspect a repaired pallet
- Flip itRepairs show on the bottom.
- CountNote how many plates, plugs and new boards.
- PressPush on each repair; it should not move.
- LiftTip one end up and check that it keeps its shape.
Cost against value of a repair
A repair costs labour and material. A pallet is worth repairing if the repair costs less than the difference between the pallet's value repaired and its value broken. For a standard 48x40 with one split deck board, that is almost always true. For a custom pallet with a cracked block, it often is not.
That calculation is why recyclers repair some pallets and dismantle others. The decision is made one pallet at a time, quickly, by a worker who has seen thousands.
An example of a plug
A deck board splits across its middle. Rather than replace it, a repairer nails a short board, perhaps 12 inches long, alongside the split, bridging it. That short board is the plug. It is cheaper than a new board and holds well enough for a floor-level load.
Judging a repair by eye
A good repair is flat and tight. A plug should sit flush with the deck, and a plate should lie against the stringer with nails driven straight and not bent over. A repair that rocks, or that leaves nail points showing, will snag on forks and conveyors.
Count the repairs on a sample pallet. A few clean ones are normal on a used pallet. Many repairs on one pallet suggest the frame is near the end of its life and belongs in a lower grade.
Source: Pallet grade definitions, IGPS and Millwood grading guides (read 10 November 2026). Last reviewed 12 November 2026.
Get a price
Last reviewed 12 November 2026.