Pallet builds, drawn exploded
A pallet's build is the frame under the deck: stringers or blocks, with entry on two sides or four. The frame decides how it is lifted and racked.
- Size
- Any
- Build
- Stringer, block
- Entry
- Two-way, four-way
- Trades
- All
- Towns
- All
Two frames, drawn exploded
| Build | Frame | Entry | Used where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stringer | Three or more parallel timbers | Two-way, or four-way if notched | Food, grocery, general freight |
| Block | Parallel and perpendicular stringers on blocks | Any side | Docks with forks and jacks from every direction |
| Two-way | Not a frame: a description of entry | Two opposite sides | Simple loading |
| Four-way | Not a frame: a description of entry | All four sides | Busy docks, automated lines |
Why the frame decides so much
Forks and pallet jacks go into the openings between stringers or blocks. A stringer pallet gives two openings on its long sides; a block pallet gives four. In a tight dock that difference means fewer turns.
A GMA pallet is typically 5.5 to 6.5 inches tall, depending on the source, and weighs 33 to 49 pounds unloaded. Many pallets can handle a load of 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds), and standard GMA pallets are rated for 2,000 to 2,800 pounds under dynamic loading.
Choosing between them
- Lifting from two sides only: a stringer pallet is enough
- Jacks and forks from all four sides: block, or notched stringers
- Racked loads: ask what the rack beam spans and check deck board stiffness
- A one-way trip: the cheaper build is often fine
Read the longer comparison in stringer versus block, or lay a build out in the cutting list tool.
Metal and plastic pallets exist too
Metal pallets make up less than 1 percent of the pallet market. The pallets here are wood, which is nearly all of what West Michigan docks buy, sell and clear.
How lumber shapes the build
Pallet production accounts for 43 percent of hardwood and 15 percent of softwood use in the United States. Hardwood pallets are usually stiffer and heavier; softwood ones are lighter and cheaper. Either can be stringer or block, and the species is another detail worth naming in a request.
A buyer's three-line summary
Stringer is the common, cheap, two-way build. Block is the sturdier, four-way build. Notched stringer is a compromise. Pick by how the pallet is lifted and what it carries.
When the build needs to be written down
A builder reading a request that says only stringer pallet will assume a standard 48x40 with two-way entry. If the dock needs anything else, such as notches, blocks, a particular lumber or a particular nail, the request must say so. A sentence is enough.
How to choose a type
Start with how the pallet will be handled. If it is moved only by forklift from the long side, a stringer pallet is enough. If pallet jacks, conveyors or four-side entry are involved, a block pallet is the usual answer.
Then check the load. Heavy or concentrated loads favour block or reinforced designs, while light cartons do well on stringers. Each type below is set out with its strengths and limits.
Ready to ask? Send us the request.