48 x 40 pallets: the standard on Mid-South docks

BOX 01What the numbers mean

A footprint of 48 x 40 inches is 1,920 square inches, which is 13.3 square feet when divided by 144.

BOX 02Why Memphis docks ship on it

The 48 x 40 pallet fits a standard 53-foot trailer two across, it fits racks built to the North American standard, and it is the pallet a buyer expects when no size is named. It is also the size with the largest supply of used pallets: the GMA pallet accounts for 30 percent of all new wood pallets produced in the United States.

In the metro, that means parcel and retail docks near the airport and the DeSoto County fulfillment belt are the heaviest users. Distribution and fulfillment has the detail.

BOX 03On a trailer

On an assumed 630 x 98 inch trailer interior, the better orientation puts 40 inches along the trailer and 48 across: 630 ÷ 40 gives 15 rows, 98 ÷ 48 gives 2 across, so 15 × 2 = 30 single stacked. Real loads vary with the trailer, the weight and the pattern.

The trailer-count guide shows both orientations for this size.

BOX 04Grades and builds

Most 48 x 40s are stringer pallets, which forks enter from two sides. Block versions exist for four-way entry. A used 48 x 40 can be Grade A for food and retail or Grade B for plant freight; see used pallets. For the build difference, read block versus stringer.

BOX 05Why 48 x 40 is the assumed size

Racks, conveyors, pallet jacks and shipping container plans in North America are built around this footprint, which is why it is the default.

That assumption has a cost. A load of 48 x 40 pallets that sits in a mixed pile with square or Euro pallets reads as a bad pile, though each size alone is fine. Separate sizes before you count and the pile reads better.

BOX 06Reading a 48 x 40 pile

Check four things on each: whether the stringers are cracked, whether any deck board is split from edge to nail, whether the pallet is damp and whether it carries a stamp. A pile in which most pallets pass those four checks is a Grade A or B pile and should be described that way; see Grade A and Grade B.

• Stack height: count the stacks and the pallets in a stack.
• Mixed footprints: count the other sizes apart.
• Build: stringer or block.

BOX 07Dimensions in other units

In millimeters, a 48 x 40 pallet is about 1,219 by 1,016. The footprint is 13.3 square feet, or about 1.24 square meters. A typical empty stringer pallet of this size weighs somewhere in the thirties of pounds, depending on the wood and the board count, though a particular pallet may differ. Weigh one if the figure matters to the load.

The fork openings are usually between three and four inches high on a stringer pallet, which is what a hand jack needs. A block pallet often has a taller opening.

BOX 08When 48 x 40 is the wrong answer

Some loads fit a 48 x 40 poorly: tall, narrow goods that tip, long goods that overhang and goods packed to a different footprint. If your product comes in cases sized for a 42 x 42 or a 1200 x 800, a 48 x 40 wastes floor space and can damage corners.

Check how your product is stacked. If it overhangs by an inch or more on any side, a different pallet is likely to protect it better. See the full list of sizes.

BOX 09Reading the name

The name "48 x 40" is shorthand and gives no information about the build. It says nothing about stringers or blocks, the number of boards or the entry. Two pallets of the same size can differ greatly in strength and cost. That is why a request pairs the size with a build and a grade.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association once championed this footprint, which is why it is often called the GMA pallet. The footprint outlived the association's involvement and stays the common one.

BOX 10Common mismatches

A rack beam built for 48 x 40 pallets will hold a 48 x 42, but a 48 x 48 will overhang. A pallet jack built for stringer pallets will not enter a block pallet from the side with the same ease. Mixing sizes in a rack or a trailer creates gaps, wasted cube and extra handling. Keeping a pile uniform pays off downstream.

FAQStraight answers