How to use the boxes per pallet calculator
- Choose inches or centimeters and enter the pallet length and width.
- Enter the box length, width and height.
- Enter the tallest stack of boxes allowed from the top of the pallet. Add a box weight or the number of boxes to ship if you want those figures.
- Read boxes per layer, the number of layers, and the total per pallet.
Formula
Boxes along the length = floor(pallet length / box length)
Boxes across the width = floor(pallet width / box width)
Boxes per layer = the larger of that grid and the same grid with the box turned 90 degrees
Layers = floor(stack height / box height), and boxes per pallet = boxes per layer x layers
Each layer uses one orientation of the box. The tool tries both and uses the one that fits more.
A 48 x 40 inch pallet with 12 x 10 x 8 inch boxes
On a 48 x 40 inch pallet, 12 x 10 inch boxes fit 4 along the length and 4 across the width, which is 16 per layer. The 40 inch stack height holds 5 layers of 8 inch boxes, so a pallet carries 80 boxes. The boxes cover 100% of the pallet floor.
With 13 x 7 inch boxes the first grid fits 3 x 5 = 15, but turning the box fits 6 x 3 = 18, so the tool uses the turned pattern and gets 18 per layer and 90 per pallet, covering 85.3% of the floor. Shipping 200 boxes of 12 pounds each needs 3 pallets and puts 1,080 pounds on a full pallet, with 20 boxes on the last.
How the layer pattern is chosen
The tool uses a simple grid, where every box on a layer faces the same way. It checks the box both ways and keeps the larger count. This is quick, easy for a warehouse crew to follow and often matches how pallets are really stacked.
Mixed patterns, where part of the layer is turned, can sometimes fit more boxes than a single grid. That kind of packing is a harder puzzle, and the tool does not attempt it, so treat the count as a dependable minimum for the single pattern.
What else limits a pallet
Carriers and warehouses set a maximum stack height and weight, and the bottom boxes must be strong enough to carry the ones above. The tool takes the height you give it and does not check weight limits, overhang, corner boards or the strength of the boxes.
If the box does not fit either way the tool says so instead of showing zero. For the volume of a shipment use the CBM calculator, for billable weight see the dimensional weight calculator, and for the total cost of getting goods to you use the landed cost calculator.
Assumptions and limits
- Boxes are rectangular, stand upright with the height you enter and do not overhang the pallet.
- Each layer is a single grid of boxes in one orientation.
- The stack height is the limit from the top of the pallet to the top of the load.
- Pallet weight limits and box strength are not checked.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes fit on a pallet?
Divide the pallet length and width by the box length and width, round down, multiply the two counts to get boxes per layer, then multiply by the number of layers that fit under the stack height.
Does the tool turn the boxes?
Yes. It tries the box both ways around on the layer and uses the pattern that fits more boxes.
What stack height should I use?
Use the limit your carrier or warehouse gives you for the load above the pallet. The tool does not assume one.
How many pallets do I need for a shipment?
Enter the number of boxes to ship and the tool divides by the boxes per pallet, rounds up and shows how many boxes are on the last pallet.