How it is built

Three stringers lie side by side, 48 inches long.
Top deck boards run across them.
Bottom boards run across them underneath.
Nails or screws hold every joint.

The stringers carry the load. The frame is parallel timbers, and the deck boards spread weight between them. That is why a split stringer matters more than a split deck board.

Forks and entry

A plain stringer pallet takes forks from the two ends, between the stringers. Cut notches into the stringers and it takes forks from the sides too, which makes it a four-way pallet. A forklift driver can tell at once: if the sides have openings, they are notched.

Where it works well

General warehouse and trailer loading.
Light to medium loads.
Stock that is repaired often; the stringer is easy to patch.
Racking built to the pallet's length.

Repairs to a stringer pallet use plugs, plates and companion stringers; see the repair guide. A cracked stringer is the one damage that needs a close look before a pallet is called usable.

Compared with block

A stringer pallet is simpler and lighter than a block pallet, and it is repaired more easily. A block pallet takes forks on every side and handles heavier loads. Stringer or block compares the two across use cases.

Inspecting a stringer pallet

Sight along each stringer from the end to check it is straight, press on the middle of every deck board, and look for stringers that have started to split near the nails. Notches cut for four-way access are weak points, so look for cracks radiating from them. Pallets with a stringer that is cracked through should be repaired with a companion timber or taken out of use.

Stringers and lumber

The stringers are usually cut from stronger lumber than the deck boards, since they bear the load. Look at the grain: straight grain without large knots resists cracking, while knots at the edge of a stringer are weak points. Pallets with knotty stringers should be treated as a lower grade whatever the deck looks like.

Where stringer pallets fail

The usual failures are a split stringer end from a careless fork, a loose deck board where nails have backed out, and rot at the base where the pallet sat in water. Look at those three places first when inspecting a stack.

Stringers and the long side

Because stringers run along the length, a stringer pallet is strongest when loaded along its long axis and weakest across its width. Place heavy products so that their weight bears on the stringers instead of the middle of the deck boards between them. Pallets built from salvaged lumber sometimes mix timber species, so tap a stringer: a dull thud suggests rot inside, while a bright ring suggests sound wood.

Two-way

A two-way pallet takes forks from two opposite sides. It is lifted by the deck boards, and it is the simpler and lighter of the two entry types.

What two-way means in practice

A fork truck driver approaches a two-way pallet from one end and lifts. From the sides the way is blocked by a solid stringer or a deck edge. The pallet has to be turned or approached correctly, and the dock layout has to allow for that.

Where it works

Straight-line racking, where the pallet always faces the aisle.
Trailer loading where pallets enter from the back.
Light and medium loads.
Docks with space to turn trucks.

Where it does not

A crowded cross-dock turning loads in a few feet of space wants four-way entry. A two-way pallet in the wrong place means a second move to put it right. In a high-volume building, where hundreds of pallets move in a shift, entry type becomes a real cost.

Compared with four-way

Two-way and four-way
Trait	Two-way	Four-way
Fork entry	Two sides	All four sides
Weight	Lighter	Usually heavier
Durability	Plain	Usually tougher
Repair	Easy	Depends on build

See four-way pallets for the other side of the table. Name the entry you need in every request.

Spotting a two-way pallet quickly

Walk around the pallet and look at each side. If two opposite sides show a continuous solid face, with the openings only on the other pair, the pallet is two-way. A fork operator who approaches from the closed side will meet resistance, so mark the entry direction on stacks that will be handled by several people. A small arrow chalked on the end board does the job.

Why two-way persists

Two-way pallets remain common because they are cheap, light and simple to build. On a straight-line dock with consistent handling, entry from two sides is all that is needed. The cost saving is real where volume is high and the layout is simple.

Two-way and long loads

Long or narrow products, such as lumber or tubes, are often laid along the stringers on a two-way pallet. The simple frame supports them well and the limited entry hardly matters, since forks always approach from the end.