Pallet Calculator: Cartons per Pallet & Layer
Enter your carton’s size and weight and pick your pallet. You get cartons per layer, layers, Ti-Hi and the total per pallet, and how many pallets a shipment needs. Everything runs in your browser.
Cartons per pallet
45
9 per layer × 5 layers (Ti-Hi 9 × 5). The height limit stops the stack.
- Load weight
- 810 lb
- Space filled
- 83%
Turning the carton could fit 48 per pallet. Tick the box above to use it.
Every way up
| Way up | Ti × Hi | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Height up (as entered)(used) | 9 × 5 | 45 |
| Width upNot allowed | 12 × 4 | 48 |
| Length upNot allowed | 16 × 3 | 48 |
A planning estimate. It lays one grid per layer, so an interlocking pattern may fit a little more, and it ignores stability and carrier rules.
How the calculation works
- The carton’s footprint is laid on the pallet both ways round, and the better grid is the number per layer.
- The height you have for the load (the maximum loaded height less the pallet itself) is divided by the carton’s height to get the layers the height allows.
- The weight limit is divided by the weight of one layer to get the layers it allows. The fewer of the two is the number of layers.
- Cartons per layer times layers is the total per pallet. If the carton can be turned, all three ways up are tried and the best is used.
Worked example
A 16 × 12 × 10 in carton weighing 18 lb, on a 48 × 40 in pallet with a 60 in height limit (pallet included) and a 2,500 lb weight limit. It lays 9 to a layer and stacks 5 layers: 45 cartons, a Ti-Hi of 9 × 5, weighing 810 lb. The height limit stops the stack well before the weight limit does.
If the same carton can stand on its side, the best way up fits 48 instead, a gain of 3 per pallet. Across a few hundred pallets that is a real saving in pallets and freight, which is why the calculator tries every way up when you let it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate how many boxes fit on a pallet?
Work out how many cartons fit on one layer by laying the carton’s footprint on the pallet both ways round and taking the better grid. Then divide the height you have for the load by the carton’s height to get the number of layers. Multiply cartons per layer by layers.
What does Ti-Hi mean?
Ti-Hi describes a pallet pattern. Ti is the number of cartons in each layer (the tier), and Hi is how many layers high the load is stacked. A Ti-Hi of 9 × 5 means nine cartons a layer, five layers, 45 cartons.
What is the standard pallet size?
In North America the most common pallet is 48 × 40 inches. Other sizes are used for particular industries and regions, such as 42 × 42, 48 × 48 and the 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet. Choose yours in the calculator, or enter a custom size.
Why does turning the carton change how many fit?
A carton has three different faces it can stand on, and each leaves a different footprint and a different height. A carton that stacks four layers on its base may stack fewer, larger layers on its side, and the totals are often different. Only turn cartons that are not marked “this side up” or that cannot be damaged by it.
What does this calculator leave out?
It lays one grid per layer, so an interlocking or pinwheel pattern can sometimes fit a carton or two more. It also ignores load stability, the weight of the pallet itself, and the height and weight limits that your carrier or customer sets. Use it for planning and check those limits before you build the load.