The two most common types of pallets are classified under block and stringer pallets. Each has a different use case as well as a difference in pricing.
Stringer Pallets
The stringer pallet is the most common type of pallet used in the United States. Pallets with stringers are called stringer pallets because they use "stringers" to support the unit load. Typically, stringers consist of 2x4s or 3x4s sandwiched between the top and bottom deck boards.
It is important to specify the length (the stringer length) first, and the width, or the length of the deckboards second when specifying a stringer pallet. It is common for stringers to be notched to allow partial four-way fork entry, resulting in a "4-way" stringer pallet. A pallet without notches is known as a "2-way" pallet, since forks can be entered only from either end. A pallet jack's wheels can be inserted through chamfered bottom deckboards. In pallet terms, a skid is a stringer pallet without a bottom deck board.
Stringer pallets tend to be cheaper due to the wide scale manufacturing of them in the United States. They are also the most commonly recycled pallet. Used stringer pallets are often classified as Grade A or Grade B depending on condition.
Stringer Pallet Uses
- Grocery Stores
- Warehousing
- Lighter Loads
- One Way Shipping
Block Pallets
Block pallets are also known as "full 4-way entry pallets". They use blocks of solid wood, plywood, or plastic to support the unit load. Block pallets are often times referred to as Euro Pallets, EPals, and 9 Block Pallets. To support the top deck boards, block pallets typically use four to twelve blocks. There are thin stringers, which form a mat with the deck boards, between the blocks and the deck boards. A block pallet's length is determined by the stringer board's length and its width by the deckboard's length, just as a stringer pallet. There are different types of block pallets, including those with and without bottom deck boards, and those with full perimeter bases.
There is a wide variety of deck board configurations, numbers, widths, and spacing options available for stringer and block pallets. Alternatively, plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) can be used as deck material, otherwise known as a "panel deck" pallet.
Block pallets tend to be harder to recycle and often times more expensive than the stringer pallet.
Block Pallet Uses
- Heavy Duty Loads
- Solar Panels
- Automobile Industry
