Stringer vs block pallets
A stringer pallet carries its deck on three or more parallel timbers and is lifted from two sides unless notched. A block pallet carries it on blocks and takes forks from every side.
Side by side
| Stringer | Block | |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Three or more parallel timbers | A 3 by 3 grid of blocks with tying boards |
| Entry | Two sides; four if notched | Any side |
| Repair | Plugs, plates, companion stringers | Replace a block or board |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavier and sturdier |
| Usual size | 48x40 | 48x48, 48x40, Euro |
Which one when
- General freight on a dock with a fixed approach: stringer
- A dock that moves pallets with a jack from any side: block
- An automated line that expects four-way entry: block
- A pile that will be sold again: stringer, since it is easier to sort and repair
Cost and supply
A stringer 48x40 is the most produced size, so supply is deep and prices are lower. A block pallet uses more lumber and more fasteners, and fewer docks have used ones to resell.
A way to decide
Look at how the pallets are lifted now. If a driver spins one before lifting it, the dock wants four-way entry. If no one ever lifts from the side, stringer is enough. Pictures of both are on the stringer and block pages, drawn exploded.
Rack and conveyor behaviour
A rack beam crosses the pallet from side to side. A stringer pallet with three timbers puts its weight on those timbers, and the beam must land on the bottom deck boards if the stringers run the wrong way. A block pallet spreads the weight on nine points. Neither is better in general; each has a way it must be placed.
A conveyor wants a flat, continuous bottom. Stringer pallets with a bottom deck suit rollers; block pallets can catch on them if the bottom boards are widely spaced.
Price signals
Expect a block pallet to cost more because it needs more wood and more fasteners. A stringer pallet is cheaper to make and repair. The price gap narrows when the stringer pallet needs notches for four-way entry.
A table of the questions that decide it
| Question | Leans stringer | Leans block |
|---|---|---|
| How is the pallet lifted? | From the ends only | From any side |
| How heavy is the load? | Moderate | Heavy |
| How many trips? | Many, repaired between | Few, built to last |
| What is the budget? | Tight | Looser |
| Is the dock automated? | No | Yes |
Most West Michigan docks answer stringer on four or five of those. Docks that handle chemicals, export loads or automated systems tend to answer block.
A worked comparison
A dock moving 500 pallets a week of mixed cartons chooses stringer, since the pallets are cheap and quick to repair. A plant shipping 40 pallets a week of chemical drums chooses block, since each pallet carries more weight and takes forks from any side. The numbers differ, and so do the answers.
Which to ask for
Stringer pallets are the common, lower-cost choice and usually enter from two sides with a forklift. Block pallets take a fork from all four sides and tend to carry heavier loads, at a higher price.
Ask for stringer when the load is light to medium, handled by forklift, and moves one way. Ask for block when the load is heavy, handled by pallet jacks or conveyors, or when the pallet is likely to be reused many times.
Checking the claim on a lot
When a seller calls a lot block pallets, look for the blocks themselves: nine of them on a standard design, with boards on both faces. Stringer pallets sometimes carry the label by mistake, so a quick look settles it.
Source: Wikipedia, "Pallet" (read 10 November 2026). Last reviewed 12 November 2026.
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Last reviewed 12 November 2026.