Most pallets in the US are made of wood - and today that mostly means softwood. In 2021, 81% of the lumber used for new wood pallets was softwood such as Southern Yellow Pine and Douglas fir; the rest was oak and mixed hardwoods. Plastic, presswood, metal and corrugated pallets fill specialized roles.
What a pallet is made of, and how it's built, decides what it weighs, what it can carry, whether it can go in a rack or into an export container, and what it costs. This guide covers pallet materials, the wood species used, the main construction types - stringer and block, 2-way and 4-way - and which type fits which job. New to pallets? Start with what is a pallet.
Key takeaways
- Wood dominates. The vast majority of US pallets are wood; in 2021, the pallet industry used about 17.9 billion board feet of lumber - roughly 38% of all lumber sawn in the US.
- Softwood took over. Softwood's share of new pallet lumber went from 40% (2008) to 55% (2016) to 81% (2021).
- Stringer beats block by volume: 77% of new wood pallets are stringer pallets, 19% block (2021).
- 4-way isn't always 4-way: notched stringer pallets take forklift forks from all four sides but a pallet jack only from the ends. Block pallets are full 4-way.
- Plastic, presswood and metal cost more or carry less, but solve specific problems: hygiene, export, closed loops, heavy or hot loads.
What are pallets made of?
Most pallets are made of wood - softwood lumber such as Southern Yellow Pine, and oak or mixed hardwoods - nailed together into a frame of deck boards and stringers or blocks. Others are made of plastic (HDPE or polypropylene), pressed wood fiber, steel or aluminum, or corrugated fiberboard.
Material | Share of US pallets | Weight (48 × 40) | Load capacity | Service life | Price, new 48 × 40 | ISPM-15 | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wood (softwood, hardwood) | The vast majority | 33–48 lbs | ~4,600 static / ~2,500 dynamic / ~2,000–2,500 racked | Repairable; failed after 11 cycles on average in Virginia Tech testing | ~$18.81 average listing (used: $6.00–7.90) | Must be HT for export | Almost everything |
Plastic (HDPE, PP) | Small, growing in closed loops | 10–15 lbs nestable; 35–50 lbs rackable | Dynamic 2,500–5,000; racked 1,500–3,000 lbs (heavy-duty up to 30,000 static) | 200+ trips | ~$25–80 | Exempt | Food, pharma, automated warehouses, pools |
Presswood (molded wood fiber) | Niche | 34–41 lbs | Dynamic 1,500–2,500; static 4,500–7,500 lbs; not rack-rated | One-way | - | Exempt | Export, one-way shipments |
Metal (aluminum, steel) | Niche | Aluminum ~48–56 lbs; steel ~100 lbs | High | Very long | High | Exempt | Heavy, hot or hygienic loads; closed loops |
Corrugated | Niche | Light | Light to medium, dry loads | One-way | - | Exempt | Light export and air freight, displays |
Sources: wood capacity - manufacturer ratings (Kamps); wood life - Virginia Tech FasTrack testing; wood prices - Repackify price index, October 1, 2026; plastic, presswood (Litco) and metal - manufacturer specifications. Exact figures vary by model.
For weights and ratings by pallet type in detail, see pallet weight and load capacity.
What wood are pallets made of?
Most new US pallets are made of softwood: 81% of new pallet lumber in 2021 was softwood - mainly Southern Yellow Pine, Douglas fir and spruce-pine-fir (SPF). The other 19% was hardwood, such as oak and mixed hardwoods. Older pallets in the recycled stream are more likely to be hardwood, since they were built when hardwood's share was higher.
The shift has been fast:
Year | Softwood | Hardwood |
|---|---|---|
2008 | 40% | 60% |
2016 | 55% | 45% |
2021 | 81% | 19% |
Source: Virginia Tech (Hobbs, Horvath & Gething, BioResources, 2025).
Why? During the pandemic, hardwood lumber was scarce and expensive, and pallet makers switched to Southern Pine and Douglas fir, while supplies of Canadian SPF fell. Pine is also easy to work with automated nailing lines. The trend matters to buyers:
Weight: a new softwood 48 × 40 weighs about 33–40 lbs; hardwood about 40–48 lbs.
Strength: hardwood is denser and heavier; softwood pallets rely more on board thickness and design for strength.
Price: softwood lumber is usually cheaper and more available, which is part of why it took over.
Pallets are also the single biggest user of lumber in the country: in 2021 the industry used about 17.9 billion board feet - 38.6% of all softwood and 37.6% of all hardwood lumber sawn in the US.
How to tell what wood a pallet is made of
Color: pine and other softwoods are pale yellow to light tan; oak is tan to light brown, often with darker streaks.
Weight: hardwood pallets are noticeably heavier for the same size.
Grain and knots: softwoods show clear growth rings and round knots; oak has an open, coarse grain.
Resin: softwood may have sticky resin pockets or a pine smell; hardwood doesn't.
Stamps: heat treated pallets carry an ISPM-15 stamp; it shows treatment, not species, although some grading or mill stamps name the species.
Age and weather change the color of any wood, so weight and grain are more reliable than color on old pallets.
What does "mixed hardwood" mean?
"Mixed hardwood" means the pallet may be built from any combination of hardwood species - oak, maple, poplar, ash and others - rather than one. Under the NWPCA pallet standard, low-density hardwoods such as basswood and willow (class 7) are excluded from mixed hardwood, so the mix stays within a minimum strength range.
Parts of a pallet
Top deck boards - carry the load.
Lead (edge) boards - the outermost deck boards, usually wider, taking the forklift impacts.
Bottom deck boards - support the pallet on the floor and rack beams.
Stringers - the beams running the length of a stringer pallet (three on a 48 × 40).
Blocks - the solid or composite blocks (usually nine) in a block pallet.
Stringer boards - on a block pallet, the boards connecting the blocks under the top deck.
Notches - cutouts in stringers that let forklift forks enter from the sides.
Chamfers - beveled edges on the bottom deck boards that make it easier for pallet jack wheels to roll in and out.
What is a stringer on a pallet?
A stringer is one of the long beams running between the top and bottom decks of a stringer pallet. A standard 48 × 40 pallet has three 48″ stringers, about 1.5″ × 3.5″ in section, with deck boards nailed across them. The stringer length is the first number in a pallet's size.
Stringer vs. block pallets
Stringer pallets are built on three parallel beams; block pallets sit on nine blocks. Stringer pallets are cheaper and make up most US production - 77% of new wood pallets in 2021. Block pallets (19%) are stronger, full 4-way and better for racking and automation.
Stringer pallet | Block pallet | |
|---|---|---|
Frame | 3 (sometimes 4) stringers | 9 blocks plus stringer boards |
Forklift entry | 2-way; partial 4-way if notched | Full 4-way |
Pallet jack entry | From the ends only | From all four sides |
Weight (48 × 40 wood) | ~33–48 lbs | Heavier - PECO's block pallet weighs 65–68 lbs |
Cost | Lower | Higher |
Typical use | US grocery and general freight (GMA pallet) | Pooled pallets (CHEP, PECO), EUR pallets, automated warehouses, heavy racking |
Share of new US wood pallets (2021) | 77% | 19% |
What is a block pallet?
A block pallet is a pallet whose top deck sits on blocks - usually nine, at the corners, edge centers and middle - instead of long stringers. The openings between blocks allow forks and pallet jacks in from all four sides. The blue CHEP and red PECO pallets and the European EUR pallet are block pallets.
2-way vs. 4-way pallets
"2-way" and "4-way" describe how many sides the forks can enter from.
2-way: forks enter only from the two ends, between the stringers. A stringer pallet without notches is 2-way.
Partial 4-way: a stringer pallet with notched stringers. A forklift can enter from all four sides - through the notches on the long sides - but a pallet jack only from the ends, because its wheels can't clear the bottom deck on the sides. The GMA pallet is partial 4-way.
Full 4-way: a block pallet. Forklifts and pallet jacks can enter from all four sides.
What is a 4-way pallet?
A 4-way pallet is a pallet that forklift forks can enter from all four sides. Block pallets are true 4-way - pallet jacks work from every side too. Notched stringer pallets are "partial" 4-way: forklifts from four sides, pallet jacks only from the two ends.
4-way entry saves time in tight docks, trailers and racking, where the forklift can't always approach from the end - one reason pooled and automated operations use block pallets.
Other construction types
Type | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
Single-face | Top deck only, no bottom deck | Lighter and cheaper; can't be stacked or racked like a full pallet - see skid vs. pallet |
Double-face | Top and bottom decks | Standard for freight, stacking and racking |
Reversible | Both decks are identical and either can carry the load | Can be used either side up |
Non-reversible | The bottom deck is lighter than the top | The usual GMA design; must be used top side up |
Flush | Deck boards end flush with the stringers or blocks | Standard for most freight |
Wing | Deck boards extend past the stringers | Used with slings and cranes, e.g. for bags or building materials |
Solid deck | No gaps between top deck boards | For small cartons, bags or loose items that could fall through |
Open deck | Gaps between deck boards | Standard; lighter and lets air circulate |
Plastic pallets
Plastic pallets are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP), often with recycled content. They're molded in one piece or a few welded pieces, so there are no nails or splinters, and they're easy to wash.
They come in three main kinds:
Nestable - light (about 10–15 lbs), stack inside each other when empty; for one-way shipping and export. Not for racking.
Stackable - can carry a loaded pallet on top but aren't rated to span rack beams.
Rackable - reinforced (sometimes with steel) to sit on rack beams; about 35–50 lbs, with racked ratings of about 1,500–3,000 lbs. Heavy-duty models are rated up to 30,000 lbs static and 5,000 lbs dynamic - more than a wood pallet.
Plastic pallets cost roughly $25–80 new, depending on type, and last 200 or more trips in a closed loop. They're exempt from ISPM-15 and are widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, automated warehouses and pools such as iGPS. For the trade-offs, see wood vs. plastic pallets and our plastic pallets buying guide, or buy plastic pallets.
Presswood, metal and corrugated pallets
Presswood (molded wood) pallets are molded from wood fiber. They're nestable, light for their strength and - because they're manufactured wood - exempt from ISPM-15, which makes them popular for one-way export. Litco's Inca pallets, for example, weigh 34–41 lbs and are rated for 1,500–2,500 lbs dynamic and 4,500–7,500 lbs static. They aren't rated for racking.
Metal pallets are made of aluminum (about 48–56 lbs for a 48 × 40) or steel (about 100 lbs). They're used for heavy loads, hygienic applications and long-running closed loops, where their cost is spread over many years.
Corrugated pallets are made of heavy fiberboard. They're very light, recyclable with cardboard and exempt from ISPM-15, but they're for dry, one-way, lighter loads - air freight, some export shipments and retail displays.
How are wooden pallets made?
Lumber in: pallet plants buy low-grade lumber and cants (squared logs) from sawmills, or operate their own mills.
Cut stock: the lumber is resawn into stringers and deck boards; stringers are notched and chamfers cut.
Assembly: automated nailing machines or assembly lines nail deck boards to stringers or blocks. A 48 × 40 GMA-style pallet takes roughly 10–12 board feet of lumber.
Treatment: pallets for export are heat treated in a kiln and stamped under ISPM-15; some are kiln dried (KD) to lower moisture.
Marking and shipping: stamps, customer marks and then bundling by the truckload.
Large manufacturers run dozens of plants - PalletOne, for example, has about 100 locations - but many smaller local shops build and repair pallets too.
New, remanufactured and recycled. A new pallet is built from new lumber. A recycled pallet is a used pallet sorted and repaired - graded A, B or C. A remanufactured (combo) pallet is rebuilt from salvaged components of broken pallets. See pallet grades explained.
Special-purpose pallets
Food-grade pallets. There's no FDA standard for a "food-grade pallet." FSMA sanitation rules (21 CFR 117) require equipment and materials to be kept clean and not contaminate food, and food companies and retailers set their own pallet specs - typically clean, dry grade A or new wood, heat treated rather than MB-fumigated, or plastic.
Export pallets. Solid-wood pallets must be ISPM-15 heat treated and stamped; plastic, presswood, metal and corrugated are exempt - see our ISPM-15 guide.
One-way vs. reusable. One-way pallets are built light and cheap because they won't come back; reusable pallets are built heavier for many trips.
Drum pallets. Square 48 × 48 pallets hold four 55-gallon drums; square 42 × 42 pallets are also common.
Display and half pallets. Smaller footprints (such as 48 × 20 or 24 × 20) that go straight onto the store floor.
Pallet collars. Hinged wooden frames that stack on a pallet to create a crate with walls; common in Europe, used in the US for loose or fragile goods.
For every footprint, see standard pallet sizes and dimensions.
Which pallet type should you use?
Your situation | Pallet type |
|---|---|
Domestic grocery or general freight | 48 × 40 GMA wood stringer pallet (new or grade A/B used) |
Retail DC, heavy racking, automated warehouse | Wood block pallet, rackable plastic, or pooled CHEP/PECO |
Export | ISPM-15 heat treated wood, or plastic / presswood (exempt) |
Food or pharmaceutical | Plastic, or new / clean grade A heat treated wood per customer spec |
Closed loop between your own sites | Plastic or durable block pallets |
Large retailer requires pooled pallets | CHEP or PECO rental (how pooling works) |
One-way to receivers outside a pool | Used white wood grade A/B - lowest cost per trip |
Drums, totes, heavy machinery | 48 × 48 drum pallet, heavy block pallet or skid |
Used grade B 48 × 40 pallets averaged $6.00 and grade A $7.90 on the Repackify pallet price index (October 1, 2026), against $18.81 for new. Buy wood pallets or buy plastic pallets from vetted suppliers.
Frequently asked questions
What are pallets made of?
Most pallets are made of wood - mainly softwood such as Southern Yellow Pine, plus oak and mixed hardwoods. Others are made of plastic (HDPE or polypropylene), pressed wood fiber, aluminum or steel, or corrugated fiberboard.
What wood are most pallets made of?
Softwood. In 2021, 81% of the lumber in new US pallets was softwood - mainly Southern Yellow Pine, Douglas fir and SPF. Hardwoods such as oak and mixed hardwoods made up 19%.
Are pallets hardwood or softwood?
Both, but new pallets are now mostly softwood: 81% in 2021, up from 55% in 2016 and 40% in 2008. Older recycled pallets are more likely to be hardwood.
What is a 4-way pallet?
A pallet that forklift forks can enter from all four sides. Block pallets are full 4-way, including for pallet jacks; notched stringer pallets are partial 4-way - forklifts from four sides, pallet jacks only from the ends.
What is the difference between stringer and block pallets?
A stringer pallet is built on three long beams (stringers); a block pallet sits on nine blocks. Stringer pallets are cheaper and more common (77% of new US wood pallets); block pallets are stronger and full 4-way.
What are plastic pallets made of?
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP), often with recycled plastic content. Rackable models may be reinforced with steel.
What is a food-grade pallet?
There's no official FDA "food-grade" pallet standard. In practice it means a clean, dry pallet that won't contaminate food - usually plastic or new or grade A heat treated wood, never MB-fumigated - meeting the food company's or retailer's specification.
How are pallets made?
Wood pallets are made by cutting lumber into stringers and deck boards, notching the stringers and nailing the parts together, usually on automated nailing lines. Export pallets are then heat treated and stamped under ISPM-15.