Pallet with single layer top deck having inserts therein and related methods

A cargo layer for a pallet comprising:

• a pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board therebetween;
• said at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board having opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced apart openings at least partially extending through the opposing sidewalls;
• said pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards having opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through at least one of the sidewalls of each outer deck board;
• the plurality of spaced apart openings in the sidewalls of each horizontally positioned outer deck board being aligned with the plurality of spaced apart openings in an adjacent sidewall of said at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board;
• and
• a plurality of inserts in the plurality of spaced apart openings.

A method for making a pallet comprising:

• forming a cargo layer comprising a pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board therebetween,
• the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board having opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced apart openings at least partially extending through the opposing sidewalls,
• the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards having opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through at least one of the sidewalls of each outer deck board, and
• the plurality of spaced apart openings in the sidewalls of each horizontally positioned outer deck board is aligned with the plurality of spaced apart openings in an adjacent sidewall of the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board;
• inserting a plurality of inserts in the plurality of spaced apart sets of aligned insert openings;
• forming a base layer comprising a plurality of horizontally positioned deck boards orthogonal to the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board in the cargo layer;
• and
• coupling a plurality of spaced apart support structures between the base and cargo layers and forming gaps therebetween for receiving a lifting member.