Not sure which grade?
Describe the lane and the load and we will recommend — usually a cheaper grade than you asked for.
What we mean when we write a letter on your paperwork.
Grade A / #1
Looks nearly new. Light weathering at most.
- · All boards present and sound
- · No plugs, no companion boards
- · Stringers unbroken
- · Clean, consistent colour
Best for: Customer-facing freight, retail DCs, anything that gets photographed.
Grade B / #2
Visibly used. Honest, serviceable, strong.
- · May carry plugs or companion boards
- · Repaired stringers permitted
- · Minor weathering & staining
- · Full structural integrity
Best for: Internal moves, bulk raw material, construction, yard storage.
Combo / A-B mix
Mixed. We agree the ratio in writing before shipping.
- · Blend of A and B stock
- · Mixed board origin
- · Consistent dimensions
- · Graded to an agreed ratio
Best for: Volume buyers who need price certainty more than cosmetic match.
Core / As-is
Exactly as it came off the dock.
- · Unsorted, un-repaired
- · Sold by the trailer load
- · Buyer does the grading
- · Lowest cost per unit
Best for: Recyclers, dismantlers and remanufacturers with their own lines.
And what they ordered before we talked to them.
Of customers who arrive asking for A-grade exclusively, around two-thirds move at least part of their volume to B within six months. Not because we pushed, but because the first B-grade release performed identically on internal lanes and cost roughly a third less.
The full argument, with numbers- An automated conveyor or AS/RS has tight profile tolerances
- The platform appears on a retail floor as merchandising
- A food or pharma programme documents cosmetic criteria
- A customs officer's judgement is in play on export
- Your customer has written it into the purchase order
- The move is internal, plant to plant or dock to yard
- The platform stages raw material rather than finished goods
- It is going to a construction site and may not come back
- You are buying in bulk and price certainty matters more than match
- Nobody outside your building will ever see it
The grading matrix in full.
Criterion by criterion, with the rated-load row that settles most arguments.
| Criterion | Grade A / #1 | Grade B / #2 | Combo | Core / as-is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plugs permitted | No | Yes | In the B portion | N/A — unsorted |
| Companion boards | No | Yes | In the B portion | N/A |
| Stringer repair | No | Yes, plug or plate | In the B portion | N/A |
| Missing boards | None | None | None | Possible |
| Weathering | Light | Visible | Mixed | As received |
| Dimensional tolerance | ±⅜ in | ±½ in | ±½ in | Unchecked |
| Protruding fasteners | None | None | None | Possible |
| Rated load | Full | Full | Full | Unknown |
| Indicative price index | 100 | 62–70 | 75–85 | 30–45 |
| Re-stamped with passport | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Price index is relative, with A-grade set at 100, and moves with the market. Note that rated load is full on A, B and Combo alike — grade is a cosmetic and repair-history statement, not a strength one. Grades explained in full.
| Support condition | What governs | Share of static rating | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor, full contact | Crushing | 1.00 | The largest published figure and the least useful one. |
| Fork tines, in motion | Bending + dynamic shock | 0.35–0.45 | The dynamic rating. What matters for nearly every operation. |
| Racked across stringers | Stringer bending | 0.30–0.40 | Stringers span the beams. The stronger racking orientation. |
| Racked along stringers | Deck board bending | 0.15–0.25 | Deck boards span unsupported. Frequently halves usable capacity. |
| Racked, sustained months | Creep | 0.12–0.20 | Progressive, non-recovering deflection. Floor storage never reveals this. |
| Double stacked | Lower platform crushing | Static rating of lower unit | Do not apply a dynamic rating to a platform carrying another platform. |
Factors are indicative multipliers against the floor-supported static figure, for a standard recycled 48 × 40 GMA stringer platform. Racking orientation alone can halve the usable number.
| Type | Withdrawal resistance | Drive speed | Typical use | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth shank | Low | Fastest | One-way economy platforms | Loosens over repeated cycles. Acceptable where the platform will not return. |
| Helical / screw shank | Good | Moderate | Hardwood assembly | Twists as it drives, cutting a thread. Strong in dense species. |
| Stem threaded (annular ring) | Excellent | Moderate | All our repairs, durable builds | Rings bite against withdrawal. The industry workhorse and our default. |
| Staple | Low–moderate | Very fast | Collars, light assembly | Fine for non-structural joints. Not used on deck-to-stringer joints here. |
| Steel plate, through-nailed | Highest | Slow | Stringer break repair | Strongest repair available. Check conveyor clearance before specifying. |
One line in a specification — “stem-threaded fasteners, staggered pattern, driven flush, no protrusion” — is the difference between a platform that lasts two years and one that lasts five. The long version.