A wooden pallet is the most common shipping platform in North America, and the right one depends on three things: size, construction, and grade. This guide covers the specifications that actually change price and performance so you can match a pallet to your load instead of overpaying for capacity you won't use.
Key takeaways
- The 48″ × 40″ GMA pallet is the U.S. standard — roughly 30% of all new pallets and the default for most freight.
- Block pallets allow true 4-way forklift entry; stringer pallets are 2-way (or partial 4-way when notched).
- Grade A pallets are inspected and like-new; Grade B (recycled) are repaired and still sound.
- For international shipments you need pallets treated and marked under ISPM-15. Pallet listings on Repackify record heat treatment in the Heat Treated (HT) field; for DH, MB or SF, ask the seller for the mark.
Pallets at a glance
Units per truckload
- 53' Dry Van
- 616
- 48' Flatbed
- 585
- Step Deck
- 524
- 26' Box Truck
- 185
- Pickup Truck
- 49
Grades & conditions
Key specs
- Dimensions
- Length (inches) × Width (inches) × Height (inches)
- Entry Type
- 4-Way, 2-Way
- Construction
- Block, Stringer
- Wood Type
- Southern Yellow Pine, Oak, Mixed Hardwood, Mixed Softwood, Recycled/Combo
- Heat Treated (HT)
- Varies
Standard pallet sizes
Pallet sizes are driven by what they carry and the trailers they ship in. A 53′ dry van is ~100″ wide inside, so a 48″ × 40″ pallet loads two-wide with room to spare. These are the sizes you'll encounter most:
| Size (in) | Common name | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40 | GMA / GMA #1 | Grocery, CPG, general freight |
| 42 × 42 | Drum pallet | 55-gal drums, paint, chemicals |
| 48 × 48 | Drum / IBC pallet | Drums, wide loads |
| 48 × 45 | Automotive | Auto parts |
| 40 × 48 | GMA (rotated) | Beverage, retail |
| 36 × 36 | Beverage / dairy | Kegs, dairy |
| 48 × 42 | Chemical / military | Chemicals, defense |
Stringer vs. block pallets
Construction determines how a forklift or pallet jack can pick the pallet up — and how much abuse it survives.
Stringer pallets
Built on three parallel stringers (typically 2×4 boards) running the length of the pallet. A basic stringer pallet is 2-way — forks enter only from the two ends. Cutting notches into the stringers makes it partial 4-way: a forklift can enter all four sides, but a pallet jack still only works from the ends.
Block pallets
Built on nine blocks (corners, edges, center) instead of solid stringers, giving true 4-way entry for both forklifts and pallet jacks. Block pallets are stronger and more common in pooled systems (CHEP, PECO), but cost more.
| Stringer | Block | |
|---|---|---|
| Forklift entry | 2-way or partial 4-way | True 4-way |
| Pallet-jack entry | 2-way only | 4-way |
| Relative cost | Lower | Higher |
| Durability | Good | Better |
| Typical use | General freight | Pooling, automation |
Pallet grades and what they mean
Grade is the single biggest driver of price on the used market. “Recycled” does not mean low quality — most warehouses run almost entirely on repaired pallets. What buyers pay for each grade right now is in the pallet price index, and every grade is compared in the pallet grade table.
| Grade | Condition |
|---|---|
| Grade A (#1) | Inspected, no damage, may be repaired once. Like-new. |
| Grade B (#2) | Repaired, plugged, or with companion stringers. Sound. |
| Recycled / mixed | Functional, cosmetic wear, mixed sizes possible. |
| New | Unused, consistent. |
Weight capacity
Capacity belongs to a pallet's design and to how it is supported, not to its grade, and confusing the support conditions causes failures. The NWPCA Pallet Design System rates one 48×40 hardwood stringer design, carrying an evenly spread load, at:
Another design, or a softwood build, rates differently. The pallet spec sheet cites the rating sheet; when a load comes near these figures, ask the seller for a Pallet Design System or ISO 8611 rating for the pallet you are buying.
Heat treatment & ISPM-15 (export)
Any solid-wood packaging crossing an international border must comply with ISPM-15: the wood is debarked, treated by one of four approved methods, and stamped with the IPPC “wheat” mark showing the country, the producer code and the treatment code. The codes are HT (heat treatment, 56°C for 30 continuous minutes through the whole board), DH (dielectric heating), MB (methyl bromide) and SF (sulphuryl fluoride), and all four are compliant. Domestic-only shipments don't require it. Kiln-dried (KD) wood is dried for moisture, which is not the same as HT: a KD stamp is not an IPPC mark. The ISPM-15 compliance guide covers the mark, the bark rule and the exemptions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a GMA pallet?
A 48-inch by 40-inch grocery-industry pallet — the most common standard in North America. GMA #1 is a top-grade inspected version.
Are recycled pallets safe to use?
Yes. Graded recycled pallets (Grade A and B) are inspected and repaired to defined standards and are what most warehouses run on.
Do I need heat-treated pallets?
Only for international shipments. ISPM-15 requires solid-wood packaging crossing a border to be treated and to carry the IPPC mark with one of four treatment codes: HT (heat treatment), DH, MB or SF. Pallet listings on Repackify record heat treatment in the Heat Treated (HT) field; for DH, MB or SF, ask the seller for the mark. Domestic freight does not require it.
How much does a wooden pallet weigh?
A standard 48×40 GMA pallet weighs roughly 33–48 lb depending on whether it's built from hardwood or softwood and how many boards it uses.