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Free tool · 3D pallet stacking

Pallet Calculator

How many cartons fit on a pallet — and how many pallets fit in the truck. Grid-fit layers, height and weight caps, then send the loaded pallet straight into the freight class calculator.

Both carton orientations tried GMA, Euro & square pallets 53'/48'/box-truck fit Free, no account

Cartons → pallet

Pallets → trailer

Floor positions—
Total pallets—

Straight loading pattern; pinwheeling 48 × 40s can reach 28–30 floor spots — see the trailer math.

Live 3D pallet build

Drag to rotate · scroll to zoom · drawn to scale
Layer pattern updates as you type — orientation is chosen automatically.

Load planning basics

How the pallet math works

Each layer is a grid fit: how many carton footprints tile the pallet deck, tried in both orientations, keeping the better one. Layers stack until your height cap (pallet included) or weight cap. Real-world tweaks: interlock ("brick") alternate layers for stability, keep heavy cartons low, and stay inside the deck edge — overhang gets measured and crushed. When the pallet's built, the hand-off button carries its exact dims and weight into the freight class calculator, because the next question is always "what does this cost to ship?"

Rules of thumb: a GMA 48 × 40 pallet weighs ~40 lb and handles ~2,500 lb dynamic; LTL carriers like stacks under 60 in; anything over ~96 in total height won't fit standard dry vans' usable ~110 in with margin for forks.

Stacking questions

Pallet FAQ

How many cartons fit on a pallet?
Per layer: how many carton footprints tile the pallet deck (try both orientations — the calculator does). Total: layers × per-layer count, capped by your max stack height and weight. A 48 × 40 pallet with 12 × 10 × 10 in cartons fits 16 per layer and 5 layers under 60 in — 80 cartons.
How many pallets fit on a 53-foot trailer?
26 standard 48 × 40 pallets single-stacked (two across, thirteen deep), 52 if freight allows double-stacking. Turning pallets sideways ("pinwheeling") can fit up to 30 floor spots. See the full math in our trailer guide.
How tall can I stack a pallet for LTL?
Most LTL carriers prefer under 96 in total and many rate anything over ~72 in as non-stackable (which raises your effective cube). 48–60 in is the sweet spot for stackable freight. Watch weight too: 48 × 40 GMA pallets are typically rated to ~2,500 lb dynamic load.
Does pallet overhang matter?
Yes — overhang crushes cartons, voids stacking, and carriers measure the extreme points, so 1 in of overhang on each side adds real cubic feet (and can bump your freight class). Size cartons to the deck or use a larger pallet.

Free quote request

Pallets planned? Get the LTL quote next

Your shipment summary rides along automatically — class, density, cube and weight — so you get an accurate quote the first time, without re-measuring anything.

  • Your calculated class & density are attached to the request
  • One email, no account, no spam — we reply within one business day
  • Works for single pallets through multi-pallet LTL shipments