Where it is
On the heads of the construction nails across the deck and bottom boards.
What it proves
That EPAL-approved nails were used, verified by a neutral testing institute.
In detail
Nail counts differ by pallet: 78 on the EPAL 1, 133 on the EPAL 2, 84 on the EPAL 3, 69 on the EPAL 6 and 42 on the EPAL 7, plus 60 to 116 on the CP series. EPAL fixes the position of each nail to keep the pallet diagonally rigid, which is why counting nail heads on a deck is a quick plausibility check.
The head marking is easy to miss and hard to fake at scale. A pallet with plain round heads, or with an irregular nail pattern, is a hint that boards were replaced outside the licensed system. Combine it with the repair marking nail check before deciding.
Nails also matter for grading. EPAL's classification allows class C pallets at most one visible nail shank per component and two per pallet, and nail tips must not be visible.
Common misreadings
- Screw-type or ring-shank heads with no letters are not EPAL construction nails.