Pallet Calculator

Using the pallet calculator

The calculator answers one practical question: if every box is the same size, how many can go on a single pallet? Fill in the form from top to bottom.

• Metric is the unit for all lengths: mm, cm, dm, in or ft. Weights are in kilograms for the metric choices and pounds for inches and feet.
• Box width, length and height are the outside dimensions of one box, including any bulge. Their order does not matter, because the calculator tries every alignment.
• Box weight is optional. Add it to get the total load weight.
• Pallet type lists common international sizes. Choose Custom to type in your own width and length.
• Max. weight is optional. If the full load would be heavier, a warning row appears.
• Max. height is the highest point of the loaded pallet measured from the floor, so it includes the pallet itself. It starts at 1650, which is in millimeters; if you switch units, the number in the box is converted to the new unit for you (1650 mm becomes 165 cm, for example).

The result lists the number of boxes, how full the available volume is, the number of layers, the pallet and box volumes, the load weight, and a sentence describing which box edge should run along which pallet edge.

The calculator subtracts the pallet's own height (about 145 mm, or 150 mm for the Australian size) from the maximum height and fills what is left. If the maximum height is not greater than the pallet height, it shows an error instead.

How the box count is found

Packing arbitrary shapes into a container optimally is a hard problem, so the calculator uses a deliberately simple scheme: all boxes on the pallet point the same way. A box has three different edges and the pallet has three directions (width, length and height), which gives exactly six ways to line them up.

1. Take one alignment, for example box length along the pallet width.
2. Divide each pallet dimension by the box edge placed along it and round down. That is how many boxes fit side by side in each direction.
3. Multiply the three whole numbers together to get the total for that alignment.
4. Repeat for all six alignments and keep the largest total. When two alignments tie, the first one in the calculator's list is reported.

boxes = ⌊W ÷ a⌋ × ⌊L ÷ b⌋ × ⌊(H − pallet height) ÷ c⌋a, b, c are the box edges placed along the pallet width W, length L and loading height H.

The utilization figure is the combined volume of the boxes divided by the volume available above the pallet deck, expressed as a percentage. Because each ratio is rounded to two decimals before it is rounded down, a box that misses a whole fit by a fraction of a percent is still counted. This means utilization can occasionally read a little above 100%, which is a sign that the fit is extremely tight and should be checked on a real pallet.

Worked example

Cartons measure 300 mm wide, 400 mm long and 200 mm high and weigh 5 kg each. They go on a 800 × 1200 mm EUR pallet with a 1650 mm height limit. The loading height is 1650 − 145 = 1505 mm.

Two alignments reach 60 boxes. The calculator reports the first of them: the 400 mm edge runs along the 800 mm pallet width (2 boxes), the 200 mm edge along the 1200 mm length (6 boxes) and the 300 mm edge points up (5 layers, 1500 mm of the 1505 mm available).

• Boxes per layer: 2 × 6 = 12, over 5 layers = 60 boxes.
• Box volume: 0.3 × 0.4 × 0.2 = 0.024 m³; usable pallet volume: 0.8 × 1.2 × 1.505 = 1.4448 m³.
• Utilization: 60 × 0.024 ÷ 1.4448 = 99.67%.
• Load weight: 60 × 5 = 300 kg, not counting the pallet.

Standard pallet sizes

Pallet footprints differ between regions. The sizes below are built into the calculator, listed with their approximate inch equivalents. For a size that is not here, choose Custom and enter the exact width and length.

International sizes are described in ISO 6780. The weight a pallet can carry depends on its material, design and how the load is spread, and the safe figure for a given pallet is set by its manufacturer. As a rough guide, a wooden EUR pallet is commonly rated around 1,500 kg for forklift handling, and plastic pallets are often rated lower.

Maximum utilization versus easy stacking

The count above assumes one uniform orientation. Mixed layouts, in which some boxes are rotated within a layer to use leftover space, can sometimes squeeze in a few more boxes, but they are slower to build, harder to describe to warehouse staff and easy to get wrong. The Stacking type selector is included for compatibility; this calculator evaluates the uniform arrangement in both cases.

Pick the plan that suits how the pallet is made. A tidy repeating pattern that is 97% full is often cheaper in labor than a complicated one that is 99% full. Use the result as an upper bound for the simple layout and as a benchmark if you try mixed layouts by hand.

Practical checks before you load

• Overhang. Boxes that stick out past the pallet edge are easily crushed and often rejected by carriers. Use the exact box size and keep to the pallet footprint.
• Real box dimensions. Filled cartons can bulge by a few millimeters. Measure a loaded box rather than relying on the design size.
• Weight distribution. Put heavy cartons at the bottom and spread weight evenly across the deck.
• Stack strength. Corrugated boxes lose strength over time under load, so check the stacking rating of the bottom layer.
• Height limits. Trailers, containers and racking each have their own limits. Use the lowest one for the Max. Height field.
• Wrap and corner boards. Stretch film and edge protectors add a few millimeters of thickness that this calculator does not model.

To estimate how many pallets a shipment needs, divide the number of boxes by the result and round up. If you are working out box volumes for a different container shape, the volume of a box calculator is a quick companion.