Used 48 x 20 half plastic pallets
Used 48 x 20 plastic half pallets, 1200 x 500 mm, are retail-ready display bases. They are exactly half a 48 x 40, cut along the width.
- Footprint
- 48 x 20 in (1200 x 500 mm) half pallet
- Metric
- 1219 x 508 mm
- Deck area
- 6.7 sq ft
- Use
- North American retail-ready display bases
What 48 x 20 half is for
A half pallet is a display base. The 48 x 20 inch footprint is half of a 48 x 40, with the long side kept and the width halved, which makes two of them cover the footprint of one standard pallet. Retailers use them in North America for display bases that go from the truck to the store floor.
Because a half pallet carries a small display and not a full load, ratings are a minor question and condition is a bigger one. A scuffed base on a store floor looks worn, so the grade a retail buyer wants is closer to like new than the one a warehouse accepts.
Where it fits
| Use | Why it fits | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Retail displays | Goes from truck to store floor | Ask for like-new decks |
| Mixed rows with a full pallet | Two make one GMA footprint | Check the heights match |
| Promotions | Small and quick to build | Count the lot by the dozen |
Deck area against the common footprints
Worked out in inches, 48 x 20 half is 1219 by 508 mm and 6.7 square feet of deck.
| Footprint | Deck area | Compared with GMA |
|---|---|---|
| 48 x 20 half (this page) | 6.7 sq ft | 50% of a 48 x 40 |
| 48 x 40 | 13.3 sq ft | 100% of a 48 x 40 |
| 48 x 48 | 16.0 sq ft | 120% of a 48 x 40 |
| 45 x 45 | 14.1 sq ft | 105% of a 48 x 40 |
| 43 x 43 | 12.8 sq ft | 96% of a 48 x 40 |
| 42 x 42 | 12.3 sq ft | 92% of a 48 x 40 |
What to watch in a used lot
A request for this footprint is answered with a written lot description. This site states no price and no stock list.
- Check the deck for scuffs a shopper would see
- Check that two halves make a level pair
- Ask whether branding is moulded in
Half pallets and displays
Half pallets are chosen for displays, partial loads and the points where a full pallet would block traffic. A lot of them sells in a different way from a full footprint: a buyer usually wants a particular display pattern rather than a truckload. Say how the pallets will be used, since a display that stays in a store aisle needs different wear from one that travels.
Ask whether the pallet nests, how many fit in a stack, and whether both long edges have the same fork-entry arrangement.
Handling a narrow pallet
A pallet only 20 inches wide is harder to balance on a fork. Check that your forks can be set close enough and that the load does not overhang the deck. A narrow pallet is also more likely to tip when stacked, so keep stacks low and use stretch wrap or straps on tall display loads.
A kit for the walk-around
- A steel tape that reads both inches and millimetres.
- A torch for the underside, where hairline cracks hide in shadow.
- A straight edge about a metre long to test decks for bow and dishing.
- Gloves, because burrs and weld beads cut skin.
- A phone, a pen and a numbered sheet so every pallet checked gets a mark.
Sorting a lot into piles
- Pile one: whole pallets with flat decks, square corners and no repairs.
- Pile two: whole pallets with a repair or a mismatched piece, kept separate and counted.
- Pile three: pallets with a crack through a load path, set aside for repair or scrap.
- Pile four: marked pallets that may belong to someone else, held until the owner is known.
- Write the pile count on a board by the stacks, and photograph it each morning.
Walk-around checklist
The same four stops for every lot, in order. Tick each as you go.
- 1Deck: flat, no rocking on the floor
- 2Corners: surface gouges only
- 3Runners: whole along their length
- 4Fork pockets: open on the sides the footprint is used with
- Footprint measured: 1219 x 508 mm
Words used on this page
- Fork pocket
- Opening in the pallet where the forks go.
- Runners
- Bottom rails that touch the floor or rack and carry the load.
- GMA pallet
- The 48 x 40 in North American standard footprint.
- Welding repair
- Plastic is hard to glue, so cracked parts are normally welded.
What the sources say
- ISO 6780 lists 1016 x 1219 mm for North America, 1000 x 1200 mm for Europe and Asia and 800 x 1200 mm for Europe. en.wikipedia.org
- North American plastic pallets in the common sizes are about 5 to 6 in tall. blog.containerexchanger.com
- That Nelson model is under 5 in tall, which the page says suits air freight, and works with automation and most roller conveyors. nelsoncompany.com
- HDPE is the most common resin in plastic pallets; PP is more rigid and the page recommends it for unsupported racking. nelsoncompany.com
How a request works
- Pick the footprint, then the grade you can live with.
- Say what the pallets will carry and how many you need.
- Read the written lot description that comes back.
- Agree the lot before anything moves.
The four grades, in a line each
- Like new. A few trips only. Clean, no cracks, no missing parts, deck and runners flat.
- Used and clean. Many trips, scuffs and colour variation, but whole and usable for general-purpose or closed-loop work.
- Repaired. A cracked or chipped part welded or swapped. Some designs use snap-lock parts for repair.
- Mixed lot. Mixed makers, colours and sizes sold by the truckload, sorted by footprint.
Questions people ask
What is a 48 x 20 pallet?
A half pallet, 1200 x 500 mm, used for retail-ready display bases.
Is it half of a 48 x 40?
Yes, with the 48 inch side kept and the width halved.
Which grade for displays?
Like new suits displays best.
Ask for a lot
Pick a footprint and a grade. The reply describes a matched lot in writing.