Strapping and Corner Boards for Stone, Brick and Block Yards

Stone, brick and block are some of the hardest loads a strap will ever hold. Pallets are heavy for their size, and the edges are hard and often sharp. Many yards store stock outdoors for weeks before it ships. Most of the problems yards bring to us, like snapped straps, crushed corners, rust staining and loads that shift on the truck, come back to three choices: which strap, how it's sealed, and whether corner boards go under it. This guide covers all three.

Start with the load, not the strap

Three questions narrow the choice fast:

• How heavy and how rigid is the pallet? A cube of brick or block is dense and doesn't compress. Natural stone can be irregular, with voids a strap can settle into.
• How long will it sit, and where? Pallets stored outside face rain, freeze-thaw and sun. Steel can rust and stain light-colored stone, and any strap left out in the weather for a long time is worth checking before the load moves.
• How will it be strapped? A hand tensioner and seals at the yard, a battery tool, or a strapping machine. The strap has to match the tool.

Steel strapping: still the default for the heaviest loads

Steel has the highest break strength and almost no stretch, which is why it has long been the standard on brick cubes and heavy block. It holds its tension on a load that won't settle. The trade-offs:

• It needs steel seals and a crimper or sealer, or a sealless tool.
• Cut ends are sharp. Crews need gloves and eye protection when cutting it off.
• It can rust, which matters on light stone stored outside.

We carry PAC portable steel strapping coils and stock steel strapping coils. For pallet or truckload quantities, use the metal strapping quote form.

Polyester (PET) strapping: the common steel replacement

Polyester strapping is strong, holds tension well over time and doesn't rust. Many yards have moved to it from steel on block and pavers. It's lighter to handle, the cut ends are far less dangerous, and it won't stain the product.

• Embossed vs. smooth surface. PAC polyester comes in both. The embossed surface is textured, and the smooth version suits some tools and seals. Check which surface your tool and seals are made for.
• Strength. Break strength rises with width and thickness. For example, our stocked single coil of 5/8" x 0.035" embossed polyester is rated at 1,400 lb.

For most block and brick pallets, polyester sized correctly is a practical alternative to steel. Some yards still prefer steel on their heaviest, sharpest-edged loads.

Woven cord and composite strapping: for irregular stone and hand strapping

Woven polyester cord strapping and composite strapping are tensioned by hand and closed with buckles, with no seals or crimpers needed. They conform to irregular shapes, don't cut into soft stone faces, and are easy for crews to apply and remove. That makes them a good fit for natural stone, flagstone and mixed loads.

Options we carry: regular-duty and heavy-duty woven cord strapping, and composite cord strapping.

Polypropylene: light loads only

Polypropylene strapping (hand grade and machine grade) is the lowest-cost option. It stretches, and it loses tension on heavy loads. In a masonry yard it belongs on bundling and light accessory pallets, not on brick or block.

Why corner boards matter as much as the strap

A strap under tension concentrates its force on the edges of the load. On stone and block that causes two problems: the strap can be cut by a sharp edge, or the corner of the product chips under the strap. Corner boards (edge protectors) spread that force along the edge, protect the product, and stiffen the stack so it's less likely to shift.

• Size. Pick a leg length that covers the edge and a total length matched to the pallet height. For example, a 3" x 3" leg, 48"-long, .125"-thick corner board suits a 48"-tall stack.
• Quantity. Corner boards are usually bought by the pallet. Custom leg lengths, total lengths and thicknesses are quoted on the corner boards pallet quantity page.

Seals, tools and the details that cause failures

• Match the seal to the strap. Seal width and type must match the strap width and material. See steel seals and plastic strapping seals.
• Tension to the load, not to the tool's maximum. Over-tensioning cuts into corners and can crack block. Under-tensioning lets loads shift.
• Count and place straps consistently. Put straps in both directions on heavy cubes, and keep them clear of pallet stringers where forks can cut them.

Buying strapping for a yard: minimums and freight

PAC strapping ships from the manufacturer. The line has a $400 minimum order, with a couple of stocked single items as exceptions. PAC freight is charged by order value, starting at $250, and costs double to the western states listed at checkout. Alaska and Hawaii are quoted separately. Most yards consolidate a season's strapping, seals and corner boards into one order to make the freight worthwhile.

For truckload or repeat programs, send your widths, quantities and ship-to ZIP through the strapping quote form. To compare materials in more depth, see our strapping buying guide: steel vs. polyester vs. polypropylene vs. cord.

Quick picks for a stone, brick or block yard

• Brick cubes and heavy block: steel or heavy polyester, with corner boards.
• Pavers and block stored outside: polyester (no rust staining), with corner boards.
• Natural stone, flagstone and irregular loads: woven cord or composite strapping with buckles.
• Light accessories and bundles: polypropylene.

Browse the full range in strapping, or send us your load and we'll recommend a strap, a seal and a corner board to match.