Pallet buying guides: grades, specs, costs and compliance

Pallet Forecast

Contribute Get PFX Pro

Buy with confidence

What procurement and warehouse teams need to know about specs, grades, compliance and cost. Short, sourced and free.

Buying

CHEP and PECO pallet pooling vs buying white-wood palletsHow CHEP and PECO pallet pooling works: who owns the pallets, how issue, daily hire and transfer fees add up, and when buying white-wood is the better fit.6 min read How to buy pallets in bulk: a step-by-step processHow to buy pallets by the truckload: write the spec, estimate usage, send a clear RFQ, compare delivered prices and run one test load before you commit.7 min read New vs recycled pallets: cost, consistency and when you need newNew vs recycled pallets compared on cost, consistency, availability and lead time, plus when export, food or automated-line programs actually call for new.7 min read Pallet receiving inspection checklist: how to check a delivered loadHow to inspect a pallet delivery against spec: count, grade, HT stamp, moisture, mold and contamination, plus how to refuse off-spec pallets.7 min read Plastic vs wood pallets: cost, weight, hygiene and fire code trade-offsAn honest comparison of plastic and wood pallets: purchase cost, weight, durability, hygiene, NFPA 13 sprinkler rules, ISPM 15 export rules and recycling.6 min read

Specs

48x40 GMA pallet specs: dimensions, boards and what to put on a spec sheetThe 48x40 GMA grocery pallet, part by part: stringers, notches, deck boards, lumber and weight, plus the GMA to CBA name change and a spec checklist.6 min read How many pallets fit on a truck? Loaded vs empty countsHow many 48x40 pallets fit on a 53' or 48' trailer, loaded straight or turned, plus how many empty pallets ship in one full truckload and why counts vary.6 min read Pallet glossary: the terms pallet buyers hearPlain definitions of the pallet terms buyers hear: stringer, block, lead board, GMA, core, combo, HT, ISPM 15, pooled, drop trailer, FOB, LTL and more.9 min read Pallet grades explained: Grade A vs Grade B vs AAA vs newWhat AAA, Grade A (#1), Grade B (#2) and new 48x40 pallets look like, where each grade fits, and how to write the grade into a purchase order.6 min read Pallet sizes chart: common U.S. and ISO pallet dimensions by industryCommon pallet sizes and the industries that use them, from 48x40 grocery to 42x42 paint and 48x45 automotive, plus the six ISO 6780 footprints.5 min read Stringer vs block pallets: construction, entry and when to use eachHow stringer and block pallets are built, what 2-way, partial 4-way and full 4-way entry mean, why CHEP and PECO pool block pallets, and which to buy.5 min read

Costs

What drives pallet prices: lumber, cores, labor and freightThe costs behind pallet prices and how each one moves: lumber, recycled core supply, labor, freight and diesel, seasonal demand, heat treatment and grade.7 min read

Compliance

Heat-treated pallets and ISPM 15: what the stamp means and when you need itWhat ISPM 15 requires for export pallets, how to read the IPPC heat-treatment stamp, the U.S./Canada exemption, and what heat treatment adds to your cost.7 min read

Selling

How to sell used pallets: what recyclers buy and how to get paidHow businesses with surplus pallets can sell them: which cores recyclers buy, what they won't take, how offers are priced, trailer drops and paperwork.6 min read Pallet disposal and recycling: what to do with broken and unwanted palletsOptions for broken or unwanted wood pallets: returns, recycler pickup, grinding into mulch or fuel, state landfill bans, and ways to cut pallet waste.5 min read