GuidesTwelveRead before you send
Pallet guides from the docks
Twelve guides answer the questions that come before a pallet request: what a stamp means, why wood goes mouldy, how many fit a trailer, what a pallet weighs and how a business gets rid of a pile.
Pick your question
| If you are asking | Read |
|---|---|
| What does the stamp on this pallet mean? | Reading the ISPM 15 stamp |
| Does my load need heat treatment? | Heat-treated or untreated |
| What do export loads from Rhode Island need? | Export pallets |
| Why is the wood going dark? | Mould and moisture |
| Are wood pallets right for a cold room? | Cold rooms and seafood |
| What are those patches on the deck? | Plugs, plates and companion stringers |
| Stringer or block? | Stringer or block |
| How many fit a trailer? | Pallets per trailer |
| How much does one weigh and carry? | Weight and capacity |
| What moves the price? | What decides price |
| I have a pile to get rid of. | How to get rid of pallets |
| What do I specify for food? | Food-grade pallets |
None of the guides gives a price, because a fair price needs the size, grade, count and distance of a particular pile.
Stringer or block
Stringer or block is the first build question. Stringer pallets are the common, repairable standard. Block pallets take forks from every side and suit heavier or awkward loads. Which you want depends on your dock.
Side by side
| Trait | Stringer | Block |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Three or more parallel timbers | Parallel and perpendicular stringers |
| Fork entry | Two sides, or four if notched | Any side |
| Repair | Plugs, plates, companion stringers | Harder; a failed block is structural |
| Used stock | Abundant | Scarcer |
| Typical load | General | Heavy, drums and totes |
How to choose
- Ask what your equipment can lift, and from which sides.
- Ask whether racks or conveyors assume a build.
- Ask whether the load is heavy or awkward.
- If nothing forces block, stringer is simpler to buy and repair.
The 48 x 40 default
Most 48 x 40 stock around the bay is stringer-built. The 48 x 48 and the Euro pallet more often come as block builds. See stringer pallets and block pallets for the detail, and four-way for entry.
If you do not know, send what you can measure: the size, whether the sides are open, and the weight of a loaded pallet. That is usually enough to answer the question.
Three questions that settle it
- Do forks need to reach the pallet from the side? If yes, consider block or notched stringer.
- Is the load heavy or concentrated on points, such as drums? If yes, favour block.
- Will the pallet be repaired and reused many times? If yes, favour stringer, which is easier to patch.
Most warehouse loads answer no, no and yes, which is why the stringer 48 x 40 became the default. Docks with unusual equipment answer differently, and a short note in the request is enough to steer the choice.
Where the two meet
Many pallets sit between the two ideals. A stringer pallet with deep notches behaves like a block pallet for entry, though not for strength. A block pallet with only three blocks per side is lighter than a full one. Names help, but the best test is a fork truck and a loaded sample.
Cost also shapes the choice. Stringer pallets use simpler cuts and fewer parts, so they are cheaper to make and to mend. Block pallets use more timber and more fasteners, and a damaged block can write off the whole unit. That cost difference is part of why docks with high pallet turnover favour stringers.
If you are unsure, ask for a mixed trial: a few of each, used on your actual line for a week. Your own forklift drivers will tell you in days which they prefer.
Quick answer
Standard loads on standard docks: stringer. Heavy, awkward or four-sided handling: block. If you cannot decide, order a few of each and test them.
One request, either side of the desk.
Sources, last reviewed November 2026: