Pallet Load Calculator
Plan a full pallet load, cartons per layer, layers, total units and stack height, and see it build in 3D.
How the pallet load calculator works
Where a simple box count stops at "how many fit," this planner builds the whole load: cartons per layer, number of layers, total units, and the finished stack height you'll hand to a forklift. The default footprint is the GMA 48 × 40 in pallet.
The sequence is:
- Cartons per layer, the better of the two floor orientations:
- floor(48 / L) × floor(40 / W) vs floor(48 / W) × floor(40 / L)
- Layers,
floor((max height − 5.6 in deck) / cartonH) - Total units = cartons per layer × layers
- Load height = layers × cartonH + 5.6 in deck
Worked example (page defaults)
A 16 × 12 × 10 in carton on the GMA pallet, capped at a 60 in total height:
- Orientation A:
floor(48/16) × floor(40/12) = 3 × 3 = 9per layer - Orientation B:
floor(48/12) × floor(40/16) = 4 × 2 = 8per layer - Cartons per layer = 9
- Cargo height = 60 − 5.6 ≈ 54.4 in →
floor(54.4 / 10) = 5layers - Total = 9 × 5 = 45 cartons
- Load height =
5 × 10 + 5.6 = 55.6 in
The 3D preview stacks those 45 cartons layer by layer so you can see the top tier and any gap left under your height cap.
GMA pallet reference
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) |
| Deck height | ~5.6 in |
| Own weight | ~37 lb |
| Dynamic load rating | ~2,800 lb |
What it does and doesn't model
Like the rest of this family, it uses a single orientation per pallet (column stacking) and does not interlock layers or mix carton sizes, for a mixed shipment, total the volume with the CBM calculator instead. It plans geometry, not weight: once you know the unit count, check it against the pallet's load rating in the pallet weight calculator, or isolate just the layer pattern in the TI-HI calculator. When the loaded pallet is ready to ship, the container load calculator tells you how many of them fit in a 20ft or 40ft box.