What the finder does, and what it does not
The finder works from the sizes in our catalogue and the ranges that box makers and sellers publish. It does not know what is on a dock today. It carries no prices and no stock counts, because a spec is a question to answer before a quote, not a promise of a pallet.
Choose the pallet footprint first. It is the box's length and width matched to a pallet, and it decides whether the box fits your racks, your trailer and your conveyor. The common one is 48 x 40 in. Auto suppliers also ship on 48 x 45 in, and square 48 x 48 in boxes are common for bulky parts.
Then the inside height. Height decides how many parts go in a box, so it ties to your standard pack quantity, the number of parts a container holds under your customer's packaging spec. Pick the band that holds your tallest part stack with a little room at the top.
The wall count is how many layers of corrugated board make the side walls, from 2 to 5. More walls carry more stacking load. Sellers cite 800 to 1,200 lb for 2-wall, 1,000 to 1,600 lb for 3-wall, 1,500 to 2,200 lb for 4-wall and 2,000 to 3,000 lb for 5-wall. Those are ranges, not ratings. The maker's stamp on the box is what counts.
The bottom is the last choice. A full flap bottom has flaps that overlap into a solid base, for dense parts and small pieces. A partial flap bottom has flaps that meet without overlapping, so the box rides on a slip sheet or a solid pallet. A sleeve and tray comes apart for return.
How the weight check works
Enter the gross weight of a loaded box and the finder compares it to the range sellers cite for the wall count you picked. At or under the low end, it says so. Inside the range, it tells you to read the stamp, because where a box falls in the range depends on the maker. Above the range, it flags the weight and suggests a higher wall count.
Leave the wall count on not sure and the finder lists which wall counts have a cited range that reaches your weight. A weight above 3,000 lb is above anything sellers cite for a gaylord, and the answer is to split the load.
Corrugated gives up strength in damp air. Industry guidance puts the loss near half of the compression strength when humidity climbs from 50% to 90%. Cut stack heights well below the dry figure for damp storage or long holds.
Then send the spec
When the matches look right, press Request this spec. It opens the request page with your footprint, height band, walls, bottom and weight written into the notes. You add how many, your ZIP and how to reach you. If you have a drawing or a customer packaging sheet, say so in the notes and name it there.
Not sure of the spec? Start at the grade sheet, the guide to the maker's stamp or the backup pack checklist. Or send what you have. A footprint and a photo of the stamp are enough to start.
Reading the line it writes
The finder builds one line of text from your choices: footprint, inside height, wall count, bottom and grade. Inside versus outside matters, because two of three new-box listings give interior dimensions and one does not say (Packaging Price octagon listing, retrieved 12 November 2026; Packaging Price 48 x 40 x 36 listing, retrieved 12 November 2026; Cary Company 48 x 40 x 48 listing, retrieved 12 November 2026). Footprint matters because a box built for a 48 x 45 in pallet will overhang a 48 x 40 in one. Wall count and ECT matter because the listed triple-wall boxes range from ECT-90 to ECT-155.
Footprints the finder asks about
The footprint choices follow the pallet sizes ranked by production: 48 x 40, 40 x 40, 48 x 48, 48 x 45 and 36 x 36 in (Wikipedia, Pallet, retrieved 12 November 2026). A standard 48 x 40 x 6 in wood pallet is listed with a dynamic capacity of 1 short ton, so pair a heavy spec with a stronger pallet. The finder only writes the line; it does not check that your pallet and your box agree.
- Container Exchanger, the gaylord box guide
- The Cary Company, gaylord boxes: history and handling
- Paper Index Academy, corrugated and humidity