Pallet types
Euro pallet (EPAL 1): dimensions, construction and specs
Reviewed
The EPAL 1 Euro pallet is a 1200 x 800 x 144 mm (47.2 x 31.5 x 5.7 in) wood block pallet built from 11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 nails, weighing about 25 kg. Its safe working load is 1,500 kg, and only EPAL licensees may build and mark it.
On this page
What is a Euro pallet?
The Euro pallet is the standard wood pallet of European logistics. The genuine article is the EPAL 1, built to the European Pallet Association's specification by licensed manufacturers and marked with the EPAL oval. The 1200 x 800 mm footprint is also one of the six sizes in ISO 6780. Related sizes in the EUR family include 1200 x 1000 mm (EUR 2 and EUR 3) and the 800 x 600 mm half pallet (EUR 6).
How a Euro pallet is built
The EPAL 1 is a block pallet whose top deckboards run the 1200 mm length, the opposite of North American block pallets.
| Component | Count | Size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Top deckboards | 5 | 3 at 145 wide + 2 at 100 wide, 22 thick, 1200 long |
| Stringerboards | 3 | 800 long x 145 wide x 22 thick |
| Bottom deckboards | 3 | 2 at 100 wide + 1 at 145 wide, 22 thick, chamfered |
| Blocks | 9 | 6 at 145 x 100 x 78, 3 at 145 x 145 x 78 |
| Nails | 78 | EPAL-approved, with two-letter head marks, at least 20 mm from edges |
That is 5 + 3 + 3 = 11 boards and 9 blocks. The height adds up as 22 (top) + 22 (stringerboard) + 78 (block) + 22 (bottom) = 144 mm. The bottom boards run in one direction, a unidirectional base.
| Property | EPAL 1 |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 1200 x 800 mm (47.24 x 31.5 in) |
| Height | 144 mm (5.67 in) |
| Weight | About 25 kg (55 lb) |
| Safe working load | 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) |
| Bottom pallet in a stack, on a flat surface | Up to 5,500 kg |
| Static load quoted by EPAL | 4,000 kg |
| Treatment | ISPM 15 heat treatment (required since 2010) |
EPAL also requires dry wood to reduce mold risk.
Markings
The left block carries the EPAL oval, the center block the producer code, year and month and the IPPC treatment information, and the right block the EUR oval. A control staple and repair nails complete the marking.
When to use a Euro pallet
- Shipping into European retail and distribution, where 1200 x 800 mm is the working footprint.
- Customers who specify "EPAL" or "EUR" on the purchase order.
When not to use one
- North American grocery and retail, which run on the 48 x 40 GMA pallet.
- When the customer only needs the footprint. A "Euro-size" 1200 x 800 block pallet can be built by any shop, but it cannot carry EPAL marks.
EPAL 1 vs a Euro-size block pallet
| Licensed EPAL 1 | Euro-size block pallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 1200 x 800 mm | 1200 x 800 mm |
| Construction | Fixed EPAL specification | Any design |
| Marks | EPAL and EUR ovals | Manufacturer's own; no EPAL marks |
| Builder | EPAL licensee only | Any pallet shop |
In the US, Oak Creek Wood Products (the first, in 2024) and Hinton Lumber are EPAL licensees according to their own announcements.
How to specify a Euro pallet
- State "EPAL 1 licensed" or "Euro-size 1200 x 800 block pallet": they are different orders.
- For a Euro-size design: deckboard direction, board sizes, block sizes, bottom style.
- ISPM 15 heat treatment (always required on EPAL).
- Moisture: kiln dried or dry wood.
- Load, stacking and racking.
- Quantity and delivery.
palletdesign.ai has an EPAL 1 geometry template (11 boards, 9 blocks, 78 mm blocks) for Euro-size designs; see the 1200 x 800 pallet page. Only a licensee can supply a marked EPAL pallet.
Questions
- What size is a Euro pallet?
- 1200 x 800 x 144 mm, or about 47.2 x 31.5 x 5.7 in.
- How much does a Euro pallet weigh?
- About 25 kg (55 lb) for an EPAL 1.
- What is the load capacity of a Euro pallet?
- EPAL gives a safe working load of 1,500 kg, and up to 5,500 kg on the bottom pallet of a stack on a flat surface. Other conditions, such as racking, need their own rating.
- Can any pallet company make Euro pallets?
- Any shop can build a 1200 x 800 Euro-size pallet, but only EPAL licensees may build and mark EPAL pallets.