Pallet Calculator
Enter case dimensions, pick a pallet footprint and set a maximum stack height to get cases per layer, layers per pallet and the total case count.
Includes the pallet deck.
Building the pallet is a pricing decision
How many cases go on a pallet determines how many pallets a shipment needs, and the pallet count drives both trailer length and total density. Both of those feed directly into what an LTL carrier charges. A pallet build is usually treated as a warehouse question, but it is one of the few levers a shipper controls that moves the freight bill.
The calculation has two halves. Across the deck, it is a tiling problem: how many case footprints fit on the pallet footprint, testing both orientations because rectangles tile differently depending on which way they face. Up the stack, it is simpler — subtract the pallet deck from the height limit and divide by case height.
Worked example
A 12 × 10 × 8 inch case on a 48 × 40 GMA pallet, with a 60-inch height limit.
Per layer: 4 across × 4 deep = 16 cases, testing both orientations.
Layers: 60 inches minus 5.5 for the pallet leaves 54.5 usable, ÷ 8 inch case height = 6 layers.
Total: 16 × 6 = 96 cases per pallet.
Bigger cases lose twice
A 16 × 12 × 12 case on the same pallet, even with a taller 72-inch limit, fits only 9 per layer across 5 layers — 45 cases. Larger cases waste more deck area to unusable edge and stack fewer layers high, so the penalty compounds in both directions.
Common pallet footprints
| Footprint | Deck area (ft²) |
|---|---|
| 48" x 40" (GMA standard) | 13.33 |
| 42" x 42" | 12.25 |
| 48" x 48" | 16.00 |
| 48" x 45" | 15.00 |
| 40" x 48" (turned GMA) | 13.33 |
| 36" x 36" | 9.00 |
Keep going
- Once you know the pallet count, the linear feet calculator turns it into the trailer length carriers bill against. Linear Feet Calculator
- Adding layers raises density and can drop the freight class; the density calculator shows exactly where a tighter build lands. Freight Density Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a standard pallet size?
In North America the dominant standard is the 48 × 40 inch GMA pallet, originally specified by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and now the most widely handled footprint in the region. Plenty of other sizes remain in use — 42 × 42 and 48 × 48 are common in specific industries — which is why the footprint is selectable here.
How many cases fit on a pallet?
Work out how many fit in one layer by testing both orientations of the case footprint against the pallet, then divide the usable stack height by the case height to get the number of layers, and multiply. This calculator does both and keeps whichever orientation fits more per layer.
Should the stack height include the pallet itself?
Your height limit does, so the calculation subtracts the pallet deck before working out layers. A standard wooden pallet is roughly 5 to 6 inches tall, so a 60-inch limit leaves about 54 inches of usable stacking space.
Why does case orientation change the count?
Because rectangles tile differently depending on which way they face. A 12 × 10 case laid one way may leave several inches of unusable edge; turned 90 degrees it may tile cleanly. Testing both directions routinely finds an extra case or two per layer, which compounds across every layer on the pallet.
Does a tighter pallet lower my freight cost?
Often, yes. More cases in the same footprint raises the weight per cubic foot, and since July 2025 NMFC freight class is driven primarily by that density. Pushing a pallet across a subprovision boundary drops the class, and the class sets the rate.
Layer counts assume cases are stacked squarely in a single orientation per layer. Interlocked or pinwheeled patterns, column stacking and overhang rules can change what actually fits and what your carrier will accept.
Related Calculators
- Linear Feet Calculator — Loading & Trailer Space
- Freight Class Calculator — Freight Classification
- Freight Density Calculator — Freight Classification
- CBM Calculator — Dimensions & Weight