Grade B pallets
Grade B, also called grade 2, is a used pallet that has been repaired with replaced deck boards, plates or plugs. It is the workhorse of the used stack.
Turn it over and look
A 3D model built from the dimensions in the table. It loads when you ask.
What Grade B means
- Also called
- Grade 2
- Repairs
- Replaced deck boards, plates or plugs
- Deck board spacing
- At least 4 inches
- Stringers
- May be repaired, and plugs may be larger than 1 1/4 inches
A Grade B has had work done. A cracked deck board was replaced, a split stringer was plated, or a plug was set into a damaged area. The point of the grade is that the work was done properly: the pallet came back to a usable state, and the repairs are visible rather than hidden.
What the repairs are
- Plug. A piece set into a broken area of a board. A plug can be anywhere from 6 to 24 inches long.
- Plate. A metal plate nailed across a split so the two sides act as one.
- Replaced board. A new or reclaimed deck board in place of a cracked one.
The repairs guide draws each one and says when a repair is worth doing and when the pallet should be a core.
Where Grade B works
For most of the freight on Metro Detroit docks, a good Grade B is the sensible choice. Automotive parts moving between suppliers, steel and machined components, chemicals in drums on the 48 x 42, furniture from Monroe and general warehouse stock all ride on repaired pallets without trouble. It costs less than a Grade A in the same size, and the load it carries is set by the pallet's construction, not by its grade name.
When to pick Grade A instead
- The pallet will be seen by the customer.
- The line is automated and edges must be clean.
- The freight is food or consumer goods, where splinters and rust marks cause complaints.
Selling and buying Grade B
A tidy stack of Grade B in one size is the easiest used stock to place. If you are selling, sort out any with loose boards or open splits first; those drop to Grade C or to cores. If you are buying, say the size, the count and whether the repairs matter for your freight. Buy used pallets or sell used pallets.
Questions about Grade B
Is a repaired pallet weaker?
Not if the repair is sound. A plug or plate restores the part, and a replaced board is as strong as the original.
How many repairs are too many?
There is no fixed number in the sources used here. If the pallet flexes or boards are loose, it is Grade C regardless of the count.
What is the 4-inch spacing rule?
Grade B pallets need deck board spacing of at least four inches. Closer or wider gaps mean the deck has been altered badly.
The practical middle
Grade B is the grade most stacks are made of, because pallets that have been in service for a while have usually had some work done. A buyer who insists on Grade A will pay for that preference. One who accepts a good Grade B gets the same job done for less. For Metro Detroit supplier docks shipping parts to a plant, it is the sensible default.