- Footprint
- 48 x 48 in
- Inside height
- 36 in
- Volume
- 48 cu ft
- Listed by one distributor
- 1,400 lb, triple wall
What this size is
A square footprint is a different pallet. It is common where parts are bulky and awkward, and for goods that cross borders on 48 x 48 in pallets. If your racks or your receiving plant are set for it, nothing else will do, and it does not fit the standard 48 x 40 pallet without overhang.
The listed figure is lower than the 48 x 40 box even though the box is larger. A bigger panel with the same board is a weaker panel, which is a likely reason. If you need to put dense parts in a square box, ask for a higher wall count rather than assuming triple wall is enough.
The numbers
| Field | Value | How it is worked |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 48 x 48 in | Length by width, matched to a pallet |
| Inside height | 36 in | Floor of the box to the top of the walls |
| Volume | 48 cu ft | 48 x 48 x 36 = 82,944 cu in. Divided by 1,728 cu in per cu ft that is about 48 cu ft. |
| Listed by one distributor | 1,400 lb | One distributor's triple-wall figure, not a maker standard |
| Wall counts cited at this height | 2-wall, 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
- Bulky parts that suit a square pallet.
- Cross-border packs that use a square pallet.
- Octabin-like loads that do not need an eight-sided wall.
- Warehouse stock moved on a 48 x 48 in pallet.
Ask what pallet the box sits on. A 48 x 48 in box on a 48 x 40 in pallet overhangs by 8 in. Virginia Tech work found effective box compression strength decreases as pallet overhang increases.
How many fit on a 53-foot trailer
Computed, not promised. For the 48 x 48 x 36 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 42 in tall. Check your carrier's trailer, since inside dimensions vary.
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| Best orientation | 13 rows of 2 across |
| Boxes on the floor | 13 x 2 = 26 |
| Height per layer | 36 + 6 = 42 in |
| Layers that fit | 2 (108 / 42, rounded down) |
| If every layer is allowed | 52 |
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 a square box fit a trailer well?
Filling the 48 x 48 x 36 in box by height
| Fill height (in) | Cubic feet | Share of full |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 8.0 | 16.7% |
| 12 | 16.0 | 33.3% |
| 18 | 24.0 | 50.0% |
| 24 | 32.0 | 66.7% |
| 30 | 40.0 | 83.3% |
| 36 | 48.0 | 100.0% |