Pallet glossary

Pallet

A flat transport structure that supports goods stably while being lifted by a forklift or pallet jack and moved or stored.

Stringer

The load-bearing boards — usually three — that run the length of a stringer pallet and separate the top and bottom decks.

Stringer Pallet

A pallet built on stringers. The most common design in the U.S., including the GMA standard.

Block Pallet

A pallet that uses solid blocks (typically nine) instead of stringers, allowing true four-way forklift entry and greater stability.

Deck Board

The top and bottom boards a load rests on and that contact the floor or racking.

GMA Pallet

The 48″ × 40″ grocery-industry standard pallet — the most widely used footprint in North America.

Two-Way Entry

A pallet a forklift can enter from only two opposite sides.

Four-Way Entry

A pallet a forklift or pallet jack can enter from all four sides, via notched stringers or block construction.

Notch

A cut in a stringer that lets forks enter from the ends, giving a stringer pallet partial four-way entry.

Chamfer

The beveled edge on bottom deck boards that helps a pallet jack roll onto the pallet smoothly.

ISPM-15

The international standard requiring solid-wood packaging used in export to be treated so it can't carry pests across borders.

Heat Treatment (HT)

Heating a pallet's wood core to at least 56°C (132.8°F) for 30 continuous minutes to kill pests — the common way to meet ISPM-15.

IPPC Mark

The “wheat stamp” applied to compliant export pallets, showing the country code, facility number, and treatment code.

Grade A Pallet

A high-quality recycled pallet — clean, structurally sound, and free of unusual repairs.

Grade B Pallet

A used pallet that may show wear or have companion/plug repairs but remains reliable for most freight.

Reconditioned / Remanufactured

Used pallets repaired or rebuilt with replacement boards and stringers to restore them to like-new service.

Load Capacity

How much weight a pallet can carry. “Dynamic” is while being moved; “static” is while stationary or stacked.

Euro Pallet (EPAL)

The 1200 × 800 mm European standard — block-built and regulated by EPAL for cross-border pooling.

Buy-Back

A program in which a supplier purchases a business's surplus or used pallets, turning idle inventory into value.

Pallet Recycling

Recovering, repairing, or grinding used pallets to keep wood in circulation and out of the landfill.

Read the full Pallet Guide