The grading scale isn't about looks — it's about reliability, repair history and how many trips are left in the wood.
Pallet grades confuse a lot of buyers because the labels sound like a school report card. In reality, grade is a shorthand for structural condition, repair history, and cosmetic consistency — in that order of importance.
Grade A (often called #1) pallets are structurally excellent, lightly repaired or unrepaired, and visually consistent — usually with seven top boards and no plugs. They behave almost like new wood at a fraction of the embodied carbon.
Grade B (#2) pallets are fully sound and safe to load, but show their history: mixed board colors, visible repairs, more wear. For most internal and regional shipping, Grade B is the smart-money choice.
Below the lettered grades sit recycled combos and cores — mixed dimensions priced for economy or destined for our repair and reclaim lines. Nothing here is 'worse' wood; it's wood matched to the right job.
The greenest, cheapest pallet is almost never the new one. It's the right grade for your actual trip length — and that's a conversation worth having before you order.
Reuse beats replace almost every time — for your budget and the planet. When in doubt, ask us to spec it.