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Glossary

Full four-way entry

Also called: full 4-way, true four-way, 4-way entry

Reviewed

Definition

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.

On this page
  1. How full four-way is achieved
  2. Why buyers specify it
  3. Cost

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.

Sources