Pallet types
Winged pallet: overhanging decks for bags and slings
Reviewed
A winged pallet has deckboards that extend past its outer stringers, forming a wing or overhang. On a single-wing pallet only the top deck overhangs; on a double-wing pallet both decks do. Wings are used for bagged cement, feed, fertilizer and sugar and for loads lifted with bar slings.
On this page
What is a winged pallet?
A wing is the part of a deck that overhangs the outer stringer or stringerboard. The Pallet Design System records it as a "Wing" dimension on the spec sheet (0.00 on a flush pallet). There are two styles:
- Single-wing: the top deck overhangs, the bottom deck is flush with the stringers.
- Double-wing: the top and bottom decks both overhang.
Some web glossaries use "double-wing" to mean wings on two opposite sides, so define the term on the drawing.
How a winged pallet is built
On a stringer pallet the wing is made by setting the outer stringers in from the deckboard ends. A 48 x 40 in pallet with a 2 in wing has 40 in deckboards but its outer stringer faces sit 36 in apart.
| Feature | Flush pallet | Single-wing | Double-wing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top deck overhang | 0 | Yes | Yes |
| Bottom deck overhang | 0 | 0 | Yes |
| Outer stringer position | At the deck edge | Inset by the overhang | Inset by the overhang |
| Classification term | Flush | Single-Wing | Double-Wing |
Overhangs are typically a few inches, often 1 to 4 in, but no standard fixes the value, so put it on the drawing. palletdesign.ai models single- and double-wing stringer pallets with an overhang of up to 4 in and moves the stringers inward to suit.
Wings are normally on the deckboard ends (the sides along the stringers). Overhang past the lead boards at the pallet ends is unusual.
When to use a winged pallet
- Bagged products: cement, fertilizer, feed, seed and sugar. The wider top deck supports the bag footprint and gives stretch film and straps an edge to grip.
- Sling and crane lifting: bar slings hook under the overhanging top deck outside the stringers, which is common at ports and on job sites.
- Paper rolls and building materials that need the full deck width.
- Reducing split deckboard ends, since the nails sit farther from the board ends.
When not to use one
- Pallet-jack handling, especially with a double wing: bottom-deck wings make jack entry and strapping at floor level harder.
- Rack storage across the width, where the outer stringers sit inboard of the deck edge. Check how the pallet bears on the beams and confirm any rack rating.
- Tight trailer or container fits, if the overhanging deck is wider than the load.
Winged vs flush
| Winged | Flush | |
|---|---|---|
| Deck edges | Overhang the stringers | Line up with the stringers |
| Sling lifting | Yes (single or double wing) | No |
| Deck area over the same base | Larger than the base | Equal to the base |
| Pallet jack | Harder with a double wing | Normal |
| Common sizes | 48 x 40, 42 x 42, 48 x 48 and bag-specific sizes | All |
How to specify a winged pallet
- Wing style: single-wing or double-wing, and which sides.
- Overhang on each side, in inches.
- Stringer count, size and position (the inset follows from the overhang).
- Deckboard thickness: sling lifting calls for heavier top boards.
- Strap slots, if the load is banded.
- Load (bag weight and pattern), lifting method and stacking.
For the 48 x 40 base design, start at the 48 x 40 stringer pallet and add the wing. Industry pages cover building materials loads in more detail.
Questions
- What is a wing on a pallet?
- The part of the deck that overhangs the outer stringer or stringerboard. A single-wing pallet overhangs only on the top deck; a double-wing pallet overhangs on both decks.
- Why use a winged pallet?
- Wings add deck area for bagged goods, give stretch film and straps an edge to grip, and let bar slings lift the pallet from under the top deck.
- How much overhang does a winged pallet have?
- There is no standard value; a few inches is typical, often cited as 1 to 4 in. Put the exact overhang on the drawing.