The six, in inches and millimetres
| Size | Millimetres | Surface | Where it is used | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 x 40 | 1,219 x 1,016 | 13.3 sq ft | Nearly everywhere; the GMA standard | 48 x 40 |
| 48 x 45 | 1,219 x 1,143 | 15.0 sq ft | Automotive | 48 x 45 |
| 48 x 48 | 1,219 x 1,219 | 16.0 sq ft | Chemicals and drums | 48 x 48 |
| 42 x 42 | 1,067 x 1,067 | 12.3 sq ft | Beverage | 42 x 42 |
| 48 x 42 | 1,219 x 1,067 | 14.0 sq ft | Chemical and beverage | 48 x 42 |
| 800 x 1200 mm | 800 x 1,200 | 10.3 sq ft | Euro pallet; imports | Euro |
No official standard
PHS says no universally accepted standards for pallet dimensions exist, and the GMA organisation no longer governs pallet specifications, per Millwood. ISO accepts the 48 x 40 as the North American standard size. In practice the habit of the industry sets the size, and it is the size your racks, trailers and conveyors expect.
How to choose
- Match the footprint your racks and customer already use.
- If your product is square, 42 x 42 or 48 x 48 wastes less space.
- If you ship in nine 16 x 12 inch boxes a layer, 48 x 40 is built for it.
- If the freight comes from overseas, expect 800 x 1,200 mm.
Which Utah docks use which
The Ogden automotive-safety plants lean toward 48 x 45; beverage shippers toward 42 x 42 and 48 x 42; chemical makers toward 48 x 48 and 48 x 42. The rest of the Wasatch Front, from West Valley City to Lehi, is mostly 48 x 40.
Not sure? The stack finder suggests one from what you ship.
Which size should I stock if I am unsure?
The 48 x 40, since racks, trailers and suppliers are tuned to it.
Are metric sizes common here?
Only on imported freight. Euro pallets arrive on containers and are not a local standard.
Why are some sizes drawn square?
Because they are square. The 42 x 42 and 48 x 48 are the same length and width.
Choosing without a tape measure
If you cannot measure the pallets on hand, find the footprint printed on your racking specification, your carrier's guide or your customer's receiving rules. Any one of the three will name it. Where all three disagree, measure one pallet and trust the tape.
- Racking specification: names the pallet the beams were set for.
- Carrier guide: names the pallet a trailer pattern assumes.
- Customer receiving rules: name the pallet they will accept.
Fitting a footprint to a trailer
A standard 53-foot dry van is about 100 inches wide inside, so two rows of 48 x 40 pallets fit across with room to spare, and the long side can face the door in either orientation. Square and wider footprints change the pattern and the count, which is why a plant that switches sizes should redraw its load plan before ordering.
Metric and inch sizes together
Four of the six footprints are written in inches because North American trade works in inches, and the Euro pallet is written in millimetres because it was designed in them. The conversion is simple: divide millimetres by 25.4. The point of the drawings is to let you compare shapes without doing the arithmetic.
48 x 48
A 48 x 48 pallet is a square, 1,219 mm each way, and is often used in the chemical sector. It offers 16 square feet of deck, the most of the six common sizes.
- Inches: 48 x 48
- Millimetres: 1,219 x 1,219
- Surface: 16.0 sq ft
- Typical sector: Chemicals
Why square
Four drums fit in a square. So do four cube-shaped containers, and the load does not have a weak long axis. A 48 x 40 is stronger along its length.
Comparison
| Point | 48 x 48 | 48 x 40 |
|---|---|---|
| Deck area | 2,304 sq in | 1,920 sq in |
| Shape | Square | Rectangle |
| Typical load | Drums, cubes, chemicals | Cartons |
| Used stock | Scarce | Plentiful |
Local relevance
Used 48 x 48 stock is scarcer than 48 x 40 stock. A dock that does receive it, such as a manufacturing tenant in the Freeport Center or a steel fabricator in West Jordan, can offer it for sale.
Buying and selling it
- As a buyer, expect to ask for new or custom stock, and send a weekly count.
- As a seller, a stack of sound 48 x 48 is worth naming in the request, because few listings carry it.
- Either way, say block or stringer, since drum loads are heavy.
Chemical products have their own packaging rules; ask your supplier what the pallet must carry. The load capacity guide has figures. Compare all six on the size chart.
Why is 48 x 48 used for drums?
Four drums sit neatly in a two-by-two square on it.
Is used 48 x 48 stock easy to find?
No. It is scarcer than 48 x 40, so say whether new is acceptable.
Do I need a block build?
Often yes for heavy drums, since block pallets handle weight and repeated handling well.
Racking and trailers for a square
A square deck uses space differently from a rectangle. In a trailer, a 48 x 48 leaves a narrow gap beside two rows. In racking, beams spaced for a 48 x 40 may not support a 48 x 48 across the right span. Check with whoever installed the racks before changing size, and write the answer into the request.
48 x 42
A 48 x 42 pallet measures 1,219 by 1,067 mm and ranks fifth in North American production. The trade uses it for chemical and beverage shipping.
- Inches: 48 x 42
- Millimetres: 1,219 x 1,067
- Surface: 14.0 sq ft
- Production rank: 5th in North America
Between the 40 and the 45
Two inches wider than a 48 x 40 and three narrower than a 48 x 45. This is a size that fits where a standard pallet leaves wasted deck space but a 48 x 45 would be too wide for the rack bay. Its fifth place in production shows it is not a rarity.
| Size | Width | Deck area | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 x 40 | 40 in | 1,920 sq in | First |
| 48 x 42 | 42 in | 2,016 sq in | 5th |
| 48 x 45 | 45 in | 2,160 sq in | 7th |
Who might need it here
Shippers of liquids and beverages sit along the I-15 corridor, such as distribution tenants in West Valley City and food and beverage makers in Ogden. Whether a given dock uses this size is for the dock to say; treat the industry link as a hint, not a rule.
Sorting the ask
- Give the exact footprint, 48 x 42, with a count.
- Say whether you need block, as many beverage lines do.
- Mention if the pallets must be clean, dry and free of odours.
- If they must be heat-treated for export, say so; see heat-treated pallets.
Supply of used 48 x 42 is thinner than 48 x 40, so ask early and be flexible on grade. A custom order is the fallback and is covered at custom pallets. Compare all six on the size chart.
What to write
- 48 x 42 in inches, with the grade.
- The product, in a word, such as drums, cartons or cased drink.
- Whether 48 x 40 or 48 x 45 would be accepted if 48 x 42 is scarce.
- The rough monthly count, so a supplier can see the scale.
Because the size sits between two better-known ones, many sellers will not carry it as a line. The request should read like a specification, not a shopping list, so the answer can be a yes, a no or a close alternative.
Who uses 48 x 42?
Chemical and beverage shippers, per trade references.
Is it the same as a 42 x 48?
The same footprint. Say both dimensions in inches so nobody guesses.
What if no 48 x 42 is on hand?
Say whether a 48 x 40 or 48 x 45 would be accepted as a fallback.
A middle footprint in a rack
Racking is rated by pallet depth, so a 48 x 42 loaded with the long side to the aisle uses two more inches of beam depth than a 48 x 40. In a tight bay that matters, and the same pallet loaded the other way presents a different overhang. Decide the orientation first, then write it down.