Stringer pallets
A stringer pallet is built on three or more parallel timbers called stringers, with the deck boards nailed to them. It lifts from two sides unless the stringers are notched. It is the most common pallet in the used market.
How a stringer pallet is built
The stringers run the length of the pallet. Top deck boards cross them, and bottom boards cross the bottom. A forklift enters between the stringers from the ends. When the stringers have a notch cut into the bottom, called a fork pocket, forks can also enter from the sides.
Because the whole pallet depends on the stringers, a cracked stringer is the common failure. The usual repair is a companion stringer: a second stringer fastened beside the cracked one. That makes the pallet a Grade B.
What to look at
| Part | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Stringers | Cracks, splits along the grain, a companion stringer already fitted |
| Notches | Fork pockets cut into the bottom of the stringer; check the edges are intact |
| Top deck boards | Gaps, breaks and loose boards |
| Bottom boards | Missing boards at the ends |
| Nails | Raised or bent nails |
Where the grades come in
Buy and sell requests
- Selling stringer pallets. Send the size, the grade you see and how many. Mixed with block pallets is fine; say how many of each.
- Buying. Tell us the grade, the size and whether the stringers need to be notched for your equipment.
No price or stock count appears on this page. Both depend on the request.
Why stringer stock dominates the used market
Stringer pallets are cheaper to build and easier to repair than block pallets, and the GMA 48x40 that grocery adopted in the 1960s is a stringer design. That standard created a huge installed base, so when people talk about a used pallet they usually mean a stringer pallet. Most of the repairs, grades and prices in this market assume one.
The tradeoff is entry. A stringer pallet that is not notched is a two-way pallet, which constrains how a dock can approach it. For fixed docks that is no problem.
Repair tools of the trade
A repairer works a stringer pallet with a pry bar, a pneumatic nailer and a stock of cut deckboards. Broken boards come off, replacements go on, a companion stringer is nailed alongside a cracked timber, and plates go over splits. The work is quick enough that repair is practical for stringer designs.
The three-stringer standard
The common American stringer pallet has three stringers: two at the edges and one down the middle. The deckboards span them. A pallet with only two stringers is called a two-stringer or a notched edge design, and it carries less. A pallet with more than three is built for heavy loads.
The cheap and common build
A stringer pallet has three boards running the length of the pallet, with deckboards nailed on top and bottom. Forks enter from two sides unless the stringers are notched. It is the most familiar build in North America, and the easiest to repair by replacing a board.
Limits
- A cracked stringer is a serious fault, and the pallet usually has to be repaired or retired.
- Two-way entry means more turning in tight docks.
- Loads that lean on one stringer can shear it.
Questions
- What is a stringer pallet?
- A pallet whose deck boards are nailed to three or more parallel timbers called stringers.
- What is a companion stringer?
- A second stringer fastened beside a cracked one. It is the usual sign of a Grade B.
- Is a stringer pallet two-way or four-way?
- Two-way unless the stringers are notched, in which case forks can also enter from the sides.
Related
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-11-11.