Stringer vs block pallets: construction, entry and when to use each

A stringer pallet rides on long beams, called stringers, that run the full length of the pallet. A block pallet stands on blocks (nine on a standard 48x40) with boards running in both directions. Stringer pallets cost less to build for the same strength and make up most U.S. production. Block pallets let both forklifts and pallet jacks in from all four sides, and the two largest North American rental pools, CHEP and PECO, run on them.

How each one is built

Stringer pallets

Woodpack Global's Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets defines a stringer as a continuous beam running the length of the pallet that supports and spaces the deck boards. The common 48x40 GMA-style pallet uses three stringers, seven top deck boards and five bottom deck boards. Stringers can be solid or notched for side entry. See 48x40 GMA pallet specs for full dimensions.

Block pallets

On a block pallet, blocks do the spacing. Boards called stringerboards run the full length of the pallet between the top deck boards and the blocks. PECO's published spec for its 48x40 block pallet shows what that involves:

• 9 top deck boards, 3 top stringerboards and 5 bottom deck boards
• 9 blocks
• 48 x 40 x 5.56 inches, rated at 2,800 lb

Compare that with 3 stringers and 12 deck boards on a GMA-style stringer pallet. John Clarke, a pallet engineer, has written that block pallets cost more to build than stringer pallets of equal strength.

Side-by-side

	Stringer (GMA-style 48x40)	Block (pooled-style 48x40)
Main supports	3 stringers	9 blocks under 3 stringerboards
Entry	Two-way or partial four-way	Full four-way on perimeter-base designs
Pallet jack entry	Two ends only	All four sides
Height	About 4-3/4 in.	About 5.6 in. (CHEP and PECO specs)
Weight	Varies; new hardwood GMA-style averaged 40 lb in one study	Varies; PECO lists its block pallets at 65–68 lb
Build cost for equal strength	Lower	Higher
Share of new U.S. wood pallets, 2016	76%	21%
Recycled price, delivered, full truckload	Grade B $4.75–$6.75, Grade A $6.75–$8.75	$6.25–$8.50

Prices are per pallet for 48x40s, as published October 15, 2026. The 2016 shares come from a national survey published in BioResources; skids made up the other 3%.

Two-way, partial four-way and full four-way

Woodpack Global sorts pallets into three entry types:

• Two-way: openings only at the two ends. An unnotched stringer pallet.
• Partial four-way: openings on all four sides, but the side openings do not take all common handling equipment. A notched stringer pallet, or a block pallet with overlapping bottom boards.
• Full four-way: all four sides open to standard handling equipment. A block pallet with perimeter bottom boards.

On a notched stringer pallet, only forklifts can use the side notches. Pallet jacks go in from the ends. A full four-way block pallet takes forklifts and pallet jacks from any side. Not every block pallet is full four-way, so check the bottom deck before you assume.

Strength, racking and repairs

Stringer pallets have a known weak spot. A fracture at the stringer notch is one of the most common kinds of damage to GMA-style pallets, according to a Virginia Tech and USDA Forest Service study. The same study found that standard repairs (metal plates and companion stringers) restore bending strength when properly applied. Notched stringers also trade strength for access: Clarke has written that notching cuts a stringer's strength in half.

Block pallets avoid notches entirely. CHEP says its 48x40 block design allows free-span racking in either direction. Its pallet is designed to carry 2,800 lb with a uniformly distributed load, and loaded pallets can be block stacked up to five high, not to exceed 10,000 lb. PECO rates its 48x40 block pallet for edge racking on the 40-inch width with a 34- or 36-inch span, or on the 48-inch width with a 44-inch span.

Neither class is automatically stronger. Strength comes from design, lumber and fasteners. When a pallet will sit in racks, ask the supplier for a rated capacity for your load and support condition.

Block pallets in pooling: CHEP and PECO

The two largest North American rental pools are built on 48x40 wood block pallets:

• CHEP pallets are blue. Customers rent them from a shared pool, and CHEP recovers and repairs them as needed. CHEP's 48x40 is built mainly from kiln-dried Southern Yellow Pine.
• PECO pallets are red. PECO described itself in 2022 as North America's second-largest rental pallet pool, with a managed pool of about 22 million block pallets and about 90 locations in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Its customers include major grocery and consumer goods manufacturers.

With a pooled pallet you rent the platform rather than own it. Recycled block pallets outside the pools are also sold outright, so you can run block pallets without a rental program. If you are weighing a rental program against buying, start with our pooling cost tool and the guide to CHEP, PECO and white wood.

How many fit on a truck

Chesapeake Pallets (our sister company) loads 616 stringer pallets or 520 block pallets on a full 53-foot truck. Block pallets stand taller, about 5.6 inches against about 4-3/4 for a GMA-style stringer pallet, which is one reason fewer fit in the same trailer. Try the numbers in the truckload calculator, or read how many pallets fit on a truck.

When each one makes sense

Choose stringer pallets when:

• Forklifts do most of your handling.
• Delivered cost per pallet is the priority.
• Pallets go out one way and do not come back.
• You want the widest choice of recycled grades. Stringer pallets were 76% of new U.S. wood pallets in 2016 (block: 21%), so far more of them are in circulation to be recycled.

Choose block pallets when:

• Your dock runs on pallet jacks and needs entry from any side.
• Loads must rack in either direction without notches.
• A customer's routing guide calls for pooled or block pallets.
• You are joining a rental pool such as CHEP or PECO.

FAQ

What is the main difference between stringer and block pallets?

Stringer pallets rest on three long beams. Block pallets rest on nine blocks with boards running both ways, which gives perimeter-base designs full four-way entry for forklifts and pallet jacks.

Can a pallet jack go into the side of a stringer pallet?

No. Notched stringers let forklift tines in from the sides, but pallet jacks can only enter from the two ends.

Are CHEP and PECO pallets block pallets?

Yes. Both pool 48x40 wood block pallets with full four-way entry. CHEP's are blue and PECO's are red, and customers rent them from the pool rather than buy them.

How many block pallets fit on a truck?

Chesapeake Pallets loads 520 block pallets or 616 stringer pallets on a full 53-foot truck. Block pallets are taller, which is one reason fewer fit.

Are block pallets stronger than stringer pallets?

Not automatically. Block pallets cost more to build than stringer pallets of equal strength. Compare rated capacities for your actual load and racking.