Full four-way entry
Full four-way entry means both forklifts and pallet jacks can enter a pallet from all four sides. It comes from block construction: block pallets with a perimeter base, a unidirectional base with no crosswise bottom boards, or a panel bottom with cutouts are full four-way.
Also called full 4-way, true four-way, 4-way entry
Reviewed
How full four-way is achieved
A block pallet raises the top deck on blocks rather than solid stringers, so every side has open fork entries. The bottom deck is then arranged so jack wheels can drop to the floor on every side:
| Bottom style | Why it allows jacks from four sides |
|---|---|
| Perimeter base | boards only around the edges, open in the middle of each bay |
| Unidirectional base | bottom boards in one direction only |
| Panel with cutouts | openings cut where the wheels land |
Bottom boards that jack wheels roll over are chamfered.
Why buyers specify it
Distribution centers, pooled pallet systems and export lanes handle pallets from any direction, often with pallet jacks in trailers and at store level. Full four-way removes the need to turn pallets. The 48x40 pooled pallets used in North American grocery, the EPAL Euro pallet and most CP pallets are block designs for this reason.
Cost
Block pallets need more parts (blocks, stringerboards, mats) than a notched stringer pallet, so they typically cost more to build. See block pallet and stringer vs block pallets.
Questions
- Are all block pallets full four-way?
- No. A block pallet with an overlap bottom (bottom deckboards plus bottom stringerboards) is partial four-way, because the bottom boards block pallet-jack wheels on two sides.
Related
- BlockA pallet block is a spacer between the decks of a block pallet, usually 9 in a 3x3 grid. EPAL 1 blocks are 145 x 100 x 78 and 145 x 145 x 78 mm.
- Perimeter baseA perimeter base is a block-pallet bottom with boards around all four edges, like a picture frame. It gives full four-way forklift and pallet-jack entry.
- Partial four-way entryPartial four-way entry: forklifts enter from all four sides, pallet jacks from two. Notched stringer pallets like the GMA 48x40 are partial four-way.
- Block pallet: how it's built and when it beats a stringer palletA block pallet rests on 9 blocks joined by stringerboards, giving full 4-way fork entry. See how it is built, when to use it and what a quote needs.
- Stringer vs block pallets: differences, strength and costStringer vs block pallets: stringer pallets are lighter and cheaper with 2-way or partial 4-way entry; block pallets give full 4-way entry and suit pools.
- Green lumberGreen lumber is wood that has not been dried, with moisture content above about 28%. Green mixed hardwood pallets weigh about 4.37 lb per board foot.
Sources
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition
- PalletOne: anatomy of the block pallet