- Footprint
- 40 x 40 in
- Inside height
- 40 in
- Volume
- 37 cu ft
- Listed by one distributor
- 1,300 lb, triple wall
What this size is
A 40 x 40 in footprint is the smaller square pallet. It turns up in chemical, food ingredient and export trades, and in some plants whose racks were cut for it. If your pallet is 40 x 40 in, this is the box that fits it exactly, with no overhang and no waste.
It is also a mid-size answer when 36 in is too small and 48 in is too large. A 40 in cube holds a little more than a 36 in cube, and the listed figure moves with it: 1,300 lb here, 1,200 lb for the 36 in cube.
The numbers
| Field | Value | How it is worked |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 40 x 40 in | Length by width, matched to a pallet |
| Inside height | 40 in | Floor of the box to the top of the walls |
| Volume | 37 cu ft | 40 x 40 x 40 = 64,000 cu in. Divided by 1,728 cu in per cu ft that is about 37 cu ft. |
| Listed by one distributor | 1,300 lb | One distributor's triple-wall figure, not a maker standard |
| Wall counts cited at this height | 3-wall, 4-wall, 5-wall | Heights makers cite: 2-wall 30 to 36, 3-wall 34 to 40, 4-wall 36 to 41, 5-wall 36 to 46 in |
What it is used for
- Export packs on square pallets.
- Ingredient and chemical loads in a lined box.
- Mid-volume parts when 36 in is short.
- Plants with racks cut for 40 x 40 in.
A cube loads evenly but turns awkwardly on a conveyor. Check that your equipment takes a 40 in square before you order.
How many fit on a 53-foot trailer
Computed, not promised. For the 40 x 40 x 40 in box we use round working numbers for the trailer floor: 636 in long, 100 in wide and 108 in high inside, and a 6 in pallet under each box, which makes each layer 46 in tall. Check your carrier's trailer, since inside dimensions vary.
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| Best orientation | 15 rows of 2 across |
| Boxes on the floor | 15 x 2 = 30 |
| Height per layer | 40 + 6 = 46 in |
| Layers that fit | 2 (108 / 46, rounded down) |
| If every layer is allowed | 60 |
Stacking is limited by the box rating, the weight of the load and your carrier's rules, so the last line is a ceiling, not a plan. The trailer guide works the other sizes the same way.
Questions
What is the volume?
Does 40 x 40 fit a standard pallet?
Filling the 40 x 40 x 40 in box by height
| Fill height (in) | Cubic feet | Share of full |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5.6 | 15.0% |
| 12 | 11.1 | 30.0% |
| 18 | 16.7 | 45.0% |
| 24 | 22.2 | 60.0% |
| 30 | 27.8 | 75.0% |
| 36 | 33.3 | 90.0% |
| 40 | 37.0 | 100.0% |
Checking a 40 x 40 x 40 in request
- Confirm that the 40 in footprint is the inside measure.
- Ask for the wall count and the stamped weight limit.
- Check that the pallet under the box matches the 40 x 40 in footprint.
- Ask whether the height of 40 in is the inside height with the flaps open.