Notch
A notch is a cutout in the lower edge of a stringer that lets fork tines enter a stringer pallet from the side, making it partial four-way. The Uniform Standard recommends an opening about 2 in high (including the bottom deck) and 9 in long, with radiused corners between 1/2 and 1-1/2 in.
Also called fork notch, stringer notch
Reviewed
How notches are specified
Each notched stringer usually has two notches, described by depth, length, location from the stringer end and corner radius.
| Parameter | Uniform Standard guidance | GMA-style 48x40 example |
|---|---|---|
| Opening height | about 2 in to the top of the notch, including the bottom deck | 1-1/4 in notch + 5/8 in deck = 1-7/8 in |
| Length | about 9 in, with a flat top of at least 7 in | 9 in |
| Location | set by design | 6 in from each end |
| Corner radius | 1/2 to 1-1/2 in; square notches not acceptable | 3/4 in |
| Tolerance | size 1/8 in, location 3/8 in |
Read along the side view, the GMA-style stringer measures 6 / 9 / 18 / 9 / 6 in.
Why notches matter
Notches trade strength for access. They remove wood from the bottom of the stringer, so when the pallet is racked across its length the reduced section at the notch can govern capacity. Bottom deckboards must not intrude into the notch zone. Notches admit forklift tines but not pallet-jack wheels from the side, which is why notched pallets are partial four-way. The notched stringers guide covers layout in detail.
Questions
- How deep are pallet notches?
- Commonly 1 to 1-1/2 in deep. With a 5/8 in bottom deck, a 1-1/4 in notch gives the roughly 2 in opening the Uniform Standard recommends.
- Can a pallet jack use the notches?
- No. Notches only admit forklift tines from the side. A pallet jack needs wheel openings in the bottom deck, which notched pallets have only at the ends.
Related
- 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.
- StringerA stringer is the continuous beam that runs the length of a stringer pallet under the deckboards. A GMA 48x40 uses three 1-3/8 x 3-1/2 x 48 in stringers.
- Fork tineA fork tine is one of the two steel arms of a forklift that slide into a pallet's openings. PDS's default example tine is 4 in wide and 42 in long.
- Notched stringers: dimensions, rules and strengthNotched stringers give a stringer pallet partial 4-way entry. Typical notch: 9 in long, 1-1/4 in deep, 6 in from each end, with a 1/2 to 1-1/2 in radius.
- 48 × 40 stringer pallet drawing and specs48 × 40 in stringer pallet: 4-3/4 in tall, about 59 lb, 84 nails, 13.5 board feet. To-scale drawing, parts list and cut sizes.
- OverhangOverhang is how far a pallet deck extends past the outer stringers or blocks, forming a wing. Zero overhang means flush. Not the same as load overhang.
Sources
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition
- Guide to Understanding the PDS Specification and Analysis (stringer, inches)