By Luis Lopez, AI transportation consultant, CEO of Go Hub.io Holdings Corp and subsidiaries, and host of the Freight Guru Podcast
Most shippers think about the pallet only when one breaks. The pallet is the foundation of every palletized shipment, and the wrong type can slow loading, damage product, get rejected at a receiving dock, or fail in a rack. Choosing pallet types on purpose is one of the cheapest improvements a shipping operation can make.
This guide walks through the main pallet types, how they differ in construction and handling, and how to match a pallet to the freight, the equipment and the destination. If you need the footprint side of the question, see our guide to pallet sizes and how many fit in a trailer.
Stringer Pallets
A stringer pallet is built on long boards, called stringers, that run the length of the pallet. Deck boards are nailed across the top, and usually across the bottom as well. The stringers are what carry the load.
Stringer pallets are the most common wood pallet in North American domestic freight. They are simple to build, easy to repair and widely available.
Two-way and partial four-way entry
Because the stringers are solid boards, forks can only slide in from the two ends. That makes a plain stringer pallet a two-way entry pallet. Many stringer pallets have notches cut into the stringers so that forklift tines can enter from the sides as well. That is called partial four-way entry. The catch is that a pallet jack usually cannot use those notches, because the jack’s wheels need open space under the bottom deck.
In practice, that means a stringer pallet loaded sideways in a trailer may be hard to unload at a dock that relies on pallet jacks. Think about how the receiver will pull the freight before you decide which way it goes on the truck.
Block Pallets
A block pallet replaces the long stringers with solid or composite blocks placed at the corners, the middle of each side and the center. Boards connect the blocks top and bottom. The load rests on the blocks rather than on continuous stringers.
The main advantage is true four-way entry. Forklifts and pallet jacks can enter from any side, which makes block pallets easier to handle in tight warehouses, in automated systems and at docks where freight gets turned and staged repeatedly. Block pallets are generally sturdier than comparable stringer pallets and tend to be favored by pooling programs and many large retail distribution networks.
The trade-offs are cost and weight. Block pallets usually cost more to buy and can be heavier, which matters on freight that is already close to weighing out.
New Versus Recycled Wood Pallets
Wood pallets are sold new or recycled, and the recycled market uses informal grades rather than one universal standard. In general terms:
- New pallets are built from fresh lumber to a specification. They are the most consistent option and the right choice for heavy, high-value or automated freight.
- Higher-grade recycled pallets are used pallets in good condition, often with few or no repairs. They are a reasonable fit for many standard domestic loads.
- Lower-grade recycled pallets have repairs, mixed boards or added stringer plates. They work for light, low-risk freight and one-way moves, but they are where broken boards, protruding nails and collapsed corners come from.
Grade names vary by supplier, so ask what a grade actually means: how many repairs are allowed, whether boards are matched, and whether the pallets are inspected before sale. A cheap pallet that fails under load is not cheap.
Plastic Pallets
Plastic pallets are molded rather than nailed together. They are consistent in size and weight, do not splinter or shed nails, are easy to clean and do not absorb moisture. Those traits make them common in closed-loop systems, sanitary environments and automated warehouses where a pallet that is slightly out of spec can jam conveyors.
The downsides are upfront cost and the risk of losing expensive pallets on one-way shipments. Some plastic pallets also flex more than wood under heavy static loads, and load ratings differ between designs, so confirm the rating for how the pallet will actually be used: on the floor, on forks, or in a rack.
Presswood and Corrugated Pallets
Two lighter alternatives fill specific niches:
- Presswood pallets are molded from wood fibers and resin under heat and pressure. They are light, nestable for storage and return, and are usually considered processed wood. They fit light to moderate one-way loads.
- Corrugated pallets are made from heavy paperboard. They are very light and recyclable, which helps with lightweight freight, but they are sensitive to moisture and generally not suited to heavy loads or rough handling.
Both make sense when weight, disposal or nesting matter more than durability.
Pallet Jack Versus Forklift Access
Handling equipment drives pallet choice more than most people expect. A forklift can lift most pallets from at least two sides. A pallet jack is pickier: it needs openings with clear space under the bottom deck for its wheels.
- If the receiver unloads with pallet jacks, make sure the jack-accessible side faces the trailer doors.
- For stringer pallets, that usually means the open ends of the stringers face the rear of the trailer.
- For block pallets, orientation matters less because every side is accessible.
- Freight delivered with a liftgate is typically moved with a pallet jack, so the pallet must work with one.
Part of a clean pickup is getting this right before the truck arrives. Our freight pickup preparation checklist covers the other steps.
Racking Compatibility
A pallet that rides fine on a truck can fail in a warehouse rack. Racks support pallets only at the edges or on cross members, so the pallet has to carry the load as a bridge rather than resting on a floor.
Questions to ask before goods go into storage:
- Is the pallet rated for racking, and at what load, according to the manufacturer or supplier?
- Do the stringers or bottom boards run in the direction that the rack beams support?
- Does the receiving warehouse require a specific pallet type or condition for its racks?
- Are damaged or low-grade pallets restacked onto better pallets at receiving?
Different storage systems treat pallets differently, so it helps to understand the options. See our overview of warehouse racking and storage types.
Export Shipments
Solid wood pallets used for export must be treated and marked under the ISPM 15 international standard, so confirm the destination country’s rules before you load.
Pallet Exchange
Some shippers and receivers run pallet exchange arrangements, where the carrier or receiver swaps empty pallets for loaded ones. Exchange can work, but only when everyone agrees on the pallet type, the acceptable condition and how counts are recorded. Without that, expect disagreements over who owes what. We cover the details in our article on pallet exchange disputes.
How to Choose
A short decision process covers most situations:
- Heavy, dense or high-value freight: new wood or a block pallet with a known rating.
- Retail or pooled networks: follow the receiver’s routing guide; many specify the pallet type and condition.
- Automated or sanitary environments: plastic or high-grade block pallets with consistent dimensions.
- Light, one-way freight: recycled, presswood or corrugated, depending on weight and moisture risk.
- Racked storage: a pallet rated for racking, oriented to the beams.
Write the choice into your shipping instructions so it does not depend on whoever is working the dock that day.
For more conversations on freight and AI, subscribe to the Freight Guru Podcast.
About the author: Luis Lopez is a Miami-based AI transportation consultant and logistics entrepreneur, the CEO of Go Hub.io Holdings Corp and subsidiaries, and host of the Freight Guru Podcast.