Pallet Calculator: How Many Boxes Fit on a Pallet
Enter a box size and get the Ti-Hi, boxes per pallet, loaded height and load weight on a 48 × 40 pallet or any other standard. Then see how many pallets fit in a 20ft or 40ft container.
Boxes per pallet, Ti-Hi and container fit
Enter one box size, choose a pallet and set the loaded height including the pallet deck. The calculator compares three layer patterns, checks the load rating, and fits the loaded pallets into a container.
Carton details
Pallet and limits
Result
| Pattern | Formula shown | Cartons/layer | Area utilisation | Result badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length-wise | floor(P_L/C_L) × floor(P_W/C_W) | — | — | — |
| Width-wise | floor(P_L/C_W) × floor(P_W/C_L) | — | — | — |
| Mixed / pinwheel | best mixed band formula | — | — | — |
What Ti-Hi Means and What This Calculator Checks
Ti-Hi is how warehouses and retailers describe a pallet pattern. Ti is the number of boxes in one layer. Hi is the number of layers. Boxes per pallet is Ti × Hi, as long as the load stays inside the height and weight limits.
Four checks before you trust a Ti-Hi
- The footprint fit: boxes per layer with no overhang unless your carrier allows it.
- The height fit: whole layers only, with the pallet deck counted in the loaded height.
- The weight fit: boxes × box weight against the pallet's movement-safe load.
- The trip fit: loaded height against the trailer or container door, and whether two pallets stack.
How Many Boxes Fit on a 48 × 40 Pallet
Common US carton sizes on a 48 × 40 pallet with a 5.6 in deck, a 60 in maximum loaded height and no overhang. Every row comes from the calculator above.
| Box size (L × W × H) | Ti (boxes per layer) | Hi (layers) | Boxes per pallet | Loaded height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 × 10 × 8 in | 16 | 6 | 96 | 53.6 in |
| 14 × 10 × 6 in | 12 | 9 | 108 | 59.6 in |
| 12 × 12 × 12 in | 12 | 4 | 48 | 53.6 in |
| 16 × 12 × 10 in | 10 | 5 | 50 | 55.6 in |
| 16 × 12 × 12 in | 10 | 4 | 40 | 53.6 in |
| 18 × 12 × 12 in | 8 | 4 | 32 | 53.6 in |
| 18 × 14 × 12 in | 6 | 4 | 24 | 53.6 in |
| 22 × 14 × 10 in | 5 | 5 | 25 | 55.6 in |
| 24 × 16 × 12 in | 5 | 4 | 20 | 53.6 in |
| 18 × 18 × 16 in | 4 | 3 | 12 | 53.6 in |
| 24 × 18 × 18 in | 4 | 3 | 12 | 59.6 in |
| 20 × 20 × 20 in | 4 | 2 | 8 | 45.6 in |
Why 12 × 12 × 12 gives 48
Twelve boxes cover 48 × 36 in of the deck, and four layers reach 53.6 in. A fifth layer would need 65.6 in.
Why height caps small boxes
A 14 × 10 × 6 in box gets nine layers because each layer adds only 6 in. Short boxes turn spare height into extra layers.
Change the height limit
Many receivers set their own maximum. Enter theirs in the calculator; 60 in here is an example, not a rule.
How Many Pallets Fit in a 20ft or 40ft Container
Floor positions for single-tier loads, from inside dimensions published by Ocean Network Express: 5,898 × 2,350 mm for a 20ft and 12,032 × 2,350 mm for a 40ft.
| Pallet footprint | 20ft standard | 40ft standard | 40ft high cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40 in (North America) | 9 | 20 | 20 |
| 1200 × 1000 mm (ISO / CHEP) | 9 | 22 | 22 |
| 1200 × 800 mm (EUR / EPAL) | 11 | 25 | 25 |
| 1100 × 1100 mm (Japan T11) | 10 | 20 | 20 |
Block and turn
A 48 × 40 pallet reaches 20 in a 40ft by running one lane turned sideways and one lane straight. Two straight lanes give only 18.
High cube adds height only
A 40ft high cube has the same floor as a 40ft standard. Its extra height matters only if your pallets can stack two high.
Double-stack test
Two loaded pallets must fit under 2,390 mm inside a standard box or 2,695 mm in a high cube, and each must clear the door.
Height is not the only stacking limit
A double stack also needs boxes strong enough to carry the pallet above. Ask your forwarder before you plan on it. The container loading calculator adds payload and loose-carton checks.
Source-Backed Pallet Sizes Used in This Tool
Pallet standards vary by market. Use the pallet your warehouse, retailer or carrier expects, then confirm any custom load rating with your pallet provider.
| Region | Standard | Footprint | Deck height | Movement-safe load | Static/stacking load | Source status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan / Asia | Japan T11 / JPR wooden 11-type | 1100 × 1100 mm | 144 mm | 1 t maximum load | Static/dynamic split not published | JPR wooden 11-type pallet |
| UK / Europe / CHEP markets | ISO / CHEP 1200 × 1000 | 1200 × 1000 mm | 162 mm | 1,500 kg maximum rating / safe working load | 6,000 kg max when stacking loaded pallets on solid surface | CHEP 1200 × 1000 wooden pallet |
| Europe | EUR / EPAL 1 | 1200 × 800 mm | 144 mm | 1,500 kg safe working load | Bottom pallet max 5,500 kg on solid, even surface | EPAL official Euro pallet source |
| United States / North America | CHEP 48 × 40 block / GMA-style | 48 × 40 in / 1219 × 1016 mm | 5.6 in / 141 mm | 2,800 lb uniformly distributed load in normal operating circumstances | Block stacked up to 5 unit loads high, not exceeding 10,000 lb | CHEP US 48 × 40 block pallet |
| Australia / New Zealand | CHEP Australia standard | 1165 × 1165 mm | 150 mm | Drive-in racking maximum payload 2,000 kg; not generic dynamic load | 10,000 kg static load | CHEP Australia wooden pallet |
Compare Three Explainable Layer Patterns
Length-wise
Use this when carton length divides pallet length cleanly. Formula: floor(P_L/C_L) × floor(P_W/C_W).
Width-wise
Use this when a 90° turn unlocks more rows. Formula: floor(P_L/C_W) × floor(P_W/C_L).
Mixed / pinwheel
Use this when one strip can use leftover space. Formula: max of mixed length-banded and width-banded counts.
Length-banded mixed
i × floor(P_W/C_W) + floor((P_L − i×C_L)/C_W) × floor(P_W/C_L)Enumerate i from 0 to floor(P_L/C_L), then keep the highest count.
Width-banded mixed
j × floor(P_L/C_L) + floor((P_W − j×C_W)/C_L) × floor(P_L/C_W)Enumerate j from 0 to floor(P_W/C_W), then keep the highest count.
Technical note
max(length-wise, width-wise, mixed)This is a transparent band heuristic for one carton size, not a universal global packing solver.
Deck Height Counts Before Cartons Are Added
- Max loaded height includes the pallet deck.
- Usable stack height equals max loaded height minus deck height.
- Carton layers must be whole numbers.
- Overhang defaults to 0 mm.
- Any overhang is carrier-dependent.
- Loaded height equals deck height plus layers × carton height.
Do not assume overhang is accepted
Some lanes, retailers and warehouses reject loads that exceed the pallet footprint. Use 0 mm unless your carrier or SOP gives a written allowance.
Check Movement-Safe Load Before Static Load
Product load
Cartons per pallet × carton gross weight.
Movement-safe load
The first cap to check for handling and transport.
Static load
A stacking or storage figure, not a shipping override.
Tare weight
Add pallet weight when estimating gross palletized weight.
| Pallet | Movement / dynamic / safe working load | Static / stacking load | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAL 1 / EUR 1200 × 800 | 1,500 kg safe working load | Bottom pallet max 5,500 kg when stacking laden pallets on solid, even surface | EPAL official source |
| CHEP 1200 × 1000 / UK industrial | 1,500 kg maximum rating / safe working load | 6,000 kg max when stacking loaded pallets on solid surface | CHEP AU source |
| CHEP North America 48 × 40 block / GMA-style | 2,800 lb uniformly distributed load in normal operating circumstances | Block stacked up to 5 unit loads high, not exceeding 10,000 lb | CHEP US source |
| JPR 1100 × 1100 wooden T11/Japan | 1 t maximum load | Static/dynamic split not published | JPR source |
| CHEP Australia 1165 × 1165 | Drive-in racking maximum payload 2,000 kg; not generic dynamic load | 10,000 kg static load | CHEP AU source |
2,000 Boxes From Ningbo to a Dallas, TX Warehouse
A US brand imports 2,000 cartons of kitchenware into a warehouse in Dallas, TX 75241. The receiver wants 48 × 40 pallets no taller than 60 in. Press Load example to reproduce it.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ti | floor(48/16) × floor(40/12) = 3 × 3, or turned floor(48/12) × floor(40/16) = 4 × 2; mixed band fills the gap | 10 boxes per layer |
| Hi | floor((60 − 5.6) / 10) | 5 layers |
| Boxes per pallet | 10 × 5 | 50 boxes, 55.6 in tall |
| Load check | 50 × 22 lb against the 2,800 lb CHEP rating | 1,100 lb, passes |
| Pallets needed | ceil(2,000 / 50) | 40 pallets |
| Container fit | 20 floor positions; 2 × 55.6 in exceeds 94.1 in inside height | Single tier, 2 containers |
What changes the answer
At a 72 in limit the same box gets six layers and 60 per pallet. That cuts the load to 34 pallets, but two 40ft containers are still needed, because 34 is more than 20.
A Mixed Pattern Can Beat Both Simple Orientations
| Pattern | Calculation | Cartons/layer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length-wise | floor(1200/220) × floor(1000/120) | 40 | Tie with width-wise |
| Width-wise | floor(1200/120) × floor(1000/220) | 40 | Tie with length-wise |
| Mixed band | One 120 mm strip holds 5, remaining width holds 40 | 45 | Highest among the three patterns |
Worked result
Seven layers fit above the 162 mm pallet deck. The pallet holds 315 cartons, reaches 1422 mm loaded height, uses 99.0% of the footprint, uses 93.2% of available cube and needs 4 pallets for 1,000 cartons.
Plan Boxes, Containers and Fulfillment
Planning pallet loads is one step. Locad helps ecommerce brands store, pick, pack and ship inventory from a distributed fulfillment network.
Pallet Calculator Questions
Need Fulfillment That Matches Your Pallet Plan?
Talk to Locad about warehousing, fulfillment and shipping workflows that help ecommerce brands move inventory without pallet-load surprises.