Pallet Calculator

Work out how many cartons fit on a pallet, how many layers you can stack, and the finished pallet height and weight.

Optional limit for the boxes only

How to use the Pallet Calculator

  1. Enter the pallet length and pick its unit.
  2. Enter the pallet width and pick its unit.
  3. Enter the pallet deck height and pick its unit.
  4. Enter the max total height (incl. pallet) and pick its unit.
  5. Enter the box length and pick its unit.
  6. Enter the box width and pick its unit.
  7. Enter the box height and pick its unit.
  8. Enter the box weight and pick its unit.
  9. Enter the max load weight and pick its unit – Optional limit for the boxes only.
  10. Press Calculate. The result updates automatically as you type, and you can switch the result unit at any time.

About the Pallet Calculator

A good pallet pattern reduces the number of pallets you ship, which lowers freight cost and warehouse space. The standard North American GMA pallet is 48 × 40 in; European EUR pallets are 1200 × 800 mm. Common height limits are around 60–72 in for LTL and racking, and many carriers cap a pallet at roughly 2,000–2,500 lb.

Avoid overhang: boxes hanging past the pallet edge lose much of their stacking strength and get damaged by forklifts. For heavy or tall loads, interlock alternate layers by rotating the pattern, and stretch-wrap the stack. The result here assumes all layers use the same pattern and that boxes can carry the weight above them.

Formula

Boxes per layer = best arrangement of box footprints on the pallet
Layers = ⌊(Max height − Pallet height) ÷ Box height⌋
Boxes per pallet = Boxes per layer × Layers

The calculator tries every split where part of the layer has boxes lengthwise and the rest are turned 90°. For 16 × 12 in boxes on a 48 × 40 in pallet, two rows of three boxes plus one row of four turned boxes gives 10 per layer, filling 100% of the deck. Boxes are kept upright.

Example calculation

Using the default values:

  • Pallet length = 48 in
  • Pallet width = 40 in
  • Pallet deck height = 6 in
  • Max total height (incl. pallet) = 60 in
  • Box length = 16 in
  • Box width = 12 in
  • Box height = 10 in
  • Box weight = 20 lb

the calculator returns:

  • Boxes per pallet: 50 boxes
  • Boxes per layer: 10 boxes
  • Layers: 5 layers
  • Loaded height: 56 in
  • Weight of boxes: 1,000 lb
  • Pallet footprint used: 100%

Frequently asked questions

How many boxes fit on a 48 × 40 pallet?

It depends on the box size. 16 × 12 in boxes fit 10 per layer; 12 × 10 in boxes fit 16 per layer. Multiply by the number of layers your height limit allows.

How tall can a pallet be?

Many shippers stay at or below 60 in total height for LTL and warehouse racking, though trailers allow stacks up to about 100 in.

How much weight can a pallet hold?

A typical wooden GMA pallet carries about 2,500 lb in transit, but check your pallet rating and the carrier limit.

Last updated: · Category: Shipping & Logistics calculators

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