Pallet Loading Calculator
Boxes per pallet from footprint, stack height, and weight limits.
What it does
Pallet loading starts with a simple question: how many identical boxes fit in one layer, and how many full layers can be stacked? The answer sets the carton count used for picking, purchase orders, and freight planning.
The tool above tests the box footprint in its entered orientation and rotated 90 degrees, then keeps the layout with more boxes per layer. It calculates full layers from the height above the pallet deck and caps the stack if the cargo weight limit is lower.
The result is a grid or column-stack estimate. Real pallets often use interlocked patterns, mixed orientations, or pinwheel layouts that fit more boxes than a single grid, while overhang, damaged corners, and unstable stacking can fit fewer.
Use the count as a planning baseline. Confirm the pallet's safe working load, the carrier's height limit, the carton compression strength, and any customer routing guide before you build the load.
How to use
- Choose metric or imperial units.
- Enter the pallet footprint and deck height.
- Enter the box length, width, and height in the same units.
- Enter the maximum total load height, including the pallet deck.
- Enter the box weight and the maximum cargo weight, or 0 to ignore weight.
- Read boxes per layer, full layers, total boxes, load height, cargo weight, and utilization.
Formula
- pallet length and width
- Usable top deck dimensions in the chosen unit.
- box length and width
- Footprint dimensions. The calculator also tries the box rotated 90 degrees.
- maximum height
- Total height limit including the pallet deck.
- box height
- Vertical height of one box in the stack.
- weight limit
- Maximum cargo weight, excluding the pallet, used to cap the layer count.
The floor function drops partial boxes and partial layers. The weight cap is floor(maximum cargo weight / box weight / boxes per layer). The smaller of the height-based and weight-based layer counts wins.
Worked example
Example: EUR pallet, 400 x 300 x 200 mm boxes
Pallet 1200 x 800 x 144 mm, box 400 x 300 x 200 mm, maximum height 1600 mm, box weight 12 kg, cargo limit 1000 kg.
- Layer in entered orientation: floor(1200 / 400) x floor(800 / 300) = 3 x 2 = 6.
- Layer rotated: floor(1200 / 300) x floor(800 / 400) = 4 x 2 = 8.
- Best layer: 8 boxes.
- Height layers: floor((1600 - 144) / 200) = floor(7.28) = 7.
- Weight cap: floor(1000 / 12 / 8) = 10 layers, so height controls at 7.
- Total: 8 x 7 = 56 boxes. Height: 144 + 7 x 200 = 1,544 mm. Cargo: 56 x 12 = 672 kg.
Reference table
| Pallet type | Metric footprint | Imperial footprint |
|---|---|---|
| EUR 1 / EPAL | 1200 x 800 mm | 47.2 x 31.5 in |
| GMA | 1219 x 1016 mm | 48 x 40 in |
| ISO 1200 x 1000 | 1200 x 1000 mm | 47.2 x 39.4 in |
| Half pallet | 800 x 600 mm | 31.5 x 23.6 in |
Limits
- Uses a single box orientation per layer. Interlocked, pinwheel, and mixed patterns can sometimes fit more boxes.
- Assumes no overhang and a rectangular load. Pallet chamfers, corner posts, and damaged boxes reduce usable space.
- Uses the cargo weight you enter and does not include the pallet's own weight, stretch wrap, or dunnage.
- Does not check carton compression strength, load stability, racking clearance, or carrier-specific height rules.
Common mistakes
- Entering the maximum cargo height instead of the total height including the deck.
- Forgetting to try the box rotated 90 degrees.
- Using inside carton dimensions instead of the outside dimensions.
- Ignoring the weight cap when the boxes are dense.
- Assuming a 100% utilization result means the load is stable or safe.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
EUR pallet, 300 x 200 x 150 mm boxes, maximum height 1800 mm, box weight 8 kg, cargo limit 1500 kg. How many boxes fit?
The best layer is 16 boxes, and floor((1800 - 144) / 150) = 11 layers. That gives 176 boxes, 1,794 mm high, and 1,408 kg.
Using the same boxes and height, but a 1000 kg cargo limit. What changes?
The height still allows 11 layers, but the weight cap is floor(1000 / 8 / 16) = 7 layers. The load drops to 112 boxes, 1,194 mm, and 896 kg.
Box 500 x 400 x 300 mm on a 1200 x 800 mm pallet, maximum height 1600 mm, 10 kg per box, no weight limit. How many boxes?
The best layer is 4 boxes, and floor((1600 - 144) / 300) = 4 layers. That gives 16 boxes, 1,344 mm, 160 kg, and 83.3% envelope utilization.
Questions
What is a pallet loading pattern?
It is the arrangement of boxes on the pallet footprint. A simple grid uses one orientation per layer; interlocked and mixed patterns can be more stable or fit more boxes.
What is the difference between TI and HI?
TI is the number of boxes per tier or layer. HI is the number of layers high. Multiplying TI by HI gives the total box count.
Should I include the pallet height in the load height?
Yes. Enter the maximum total height and the pallet deck height separately. The calculator subtracts the deck before counting box layers.
Does the calculator account for weight?
Yes, if you enter a maximum cargo weight above 0. The layer count is capped so the boxes stay within that weight.
Why is my real pallet count lower than the calculator result?
Overhang, unstable stacking, mixed SKUs, damaged cartons, and carrier height limits can all reduce the count. The calculator gives a geometric maximum for a simple grid.
Can I use this for a container or truck load?
Only for one pallet at a time. Container and truck planning also needs floor space, door clearance, axle limits, and pallet-to-pallet clearance.