Pallet types
GMA pallet: the 48 x 40 grocery standard
Reviewed
A GMA pallet is the 48 x 40 in (1219 x 1016 mm) partial four-way stringer pallet from the 1992 grocery industry specification: three notched stringers, 7 top and 5 bottom deckboards about 5/8 in thick with 5-1/2 in lead boards. A typical build is 4.75 in tall, takes 84 nails and weighs about 59 lb in green mixed hardwood.
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What is a GMA pallet?
GMA stands for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, whose 1992 specification settled the 48 x 40 in stringer pallet as the grocery standard. The footprint is also in ISO 6780 and ANSI MH1, and the 48 x 40 is by far the most common US pallet size: MH1 summaries put 48 x 40 and 40 x 48 at over a third of all pallets produced. "GMA pallet" is now used loosely for any 48 x 40 stringer pallet of this layout.
How a GMA pallet is built
A GMA-style 48 x 40 as it appears in published PDS spec sheets:
| Component | Count | Size (actual, in) |
|---|---|---|
| Top lead boards | 2 | 5/8 x 5-1/2 x 40 |
| Top interior boards | 5 | 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 40 |
| Bottom lead boards | 2 | 5/8 x 5-1/2 x 40 |
| Bottom interior boards | 3 | 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 40, clustered between the notches |
| Stringers | 3 | 1-3/8 x 3-1/2 x 48, two notches each |
| Nails | 84 | 2-1/4 in helically threaded, 0.112 in wire |
Derived numbers:
- Height: 0.625 + 3.5 + 0.625 = 4.75 in.
- Top gaps: (48 - 28.5) / 6 = 3.25 in.
- Notches: 9 in long, 1-1/4 in deep, 6 in from each end, 3/4 in radius.
- Nails: 3 per lead-board joint and 2 per interior joint: 48 top + 36 bottom = 84.
- Lumber: about 13.5 board feet (4.9 top, 3.7 bottom, 4.8 stringers).
- Weight: about 59 lb in green mixed hardwood, about 37 lb once dried to 12% moisture.
How much weight can a GMA pallet hold?
It depends entirely on how it is supported. Vendor claims for GMA pallets conflict (racked figures from 2,500 to 2,800 lb appear, for example), so treat marketing numbers as illustrative. In one published PDS analysis of a GMA-style 48 x 40 at medium load variability in dry service, the safe loads were:
| Support condition | Safe load |
|---|---|
| Racked across the length, 44 in span | 1,558 lb |
| Racked across the width, 36 in span | 1,630 lb (1,006 lb at a 0.75 in deflection limit) |
| Forklift, entered from the end | 2,504 lb |
| Floor, stacked 1 high | 5,223 lb |
| Floor, stacked 4 high | 1,934 lb per pallet |
Those numbers apply to that design and lumber only. Get a rating for your design from a PDS analysis or a physical test.
When to use a GMA pallet
- US grocery, consumer goods and retail distribution.
- Any customer that specifies "48 x 40 GMA" or "grocery pallet".
- General freight where a standard, easily sourced pallet is enough.
When not to use one
- Where the customer requires pooled block pallets (Costco requires them and accepts purpose-built pallets only by exception).
- Heavy rack loads beyond what the design has been checked for.
- Exports to Europe, which use the Euro pallet.
GMA stringer vs 48 x 40 block pallet
| GMA stringer | 48 x 40 block | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Partial 4-way | Full 4-way |
| Pallet jack from sides | No | With a unidirectional base |
| Parts | 3 stringers, 12 boards | 9 blocks, 3 stringerboards, deck and base boards |
| Typical use | One-way and closed-loop grocery | Pooled programs |
How to specify a GMA pallet
- Size 48 x 40, stringer length first.
- Deck boards: count, thickness (5/8, 11/16 or 3/4 in), lead and interior widths.
- Stringers: section, notch spec.
- Nails: length, wire diameter, shank type.
- Lumber species, grade, moisture; new, recycled or combo.
- Heat treatment if exported, and any retailer program. Home Depot's supplier standard has called for a PDS analysis or an ASTM D1185 test and a minimum capacity of 2,800 lb; confirm with the current vendor guide.
See the 48 x 40 stringer pallet page for the drawing and cut list, and the GMA standard page for the specification history.
Questions
- What are the dimensions of a GMA pallet?
- 48 x 40 in (1219 x 1016 mm), about 4.75 in tall with 5/8 in decks and 3-1/2 in stringers.
- How much does a GMA pallet weigh?
- About 59 lb in green mixed hardwood and about 37 lb once dried to 12% moisture content. Softwood versions are lighter.
- How many nails are in a GMA pallet?
- 84 on the standard 7-top, 5-bottom, 3-stringer layout: 48 in the top deck and 36 in the bottom.
- Is a GMA pallet 4-way?
- Partial 4-way: forklifts from all four sides through the notches, pallet jacks only from the 40 in ends.