Overall height
Overall height is the total height of a pallet from the bottom of its lowest part to the top of its top deck. For a stringer pallet it is top deck + stringer height + bottom deck: a GMA-style 48x40 is 0.625 + 3.5 + 0.625 = 4.75 in. The EPAL 1 Euro pallet is 144 mm.
Also called pallet height, height
Reviewed
How to calculate overall height
| Construction | Formula |
|---|---|
| Stringer pallet | top deck + stringer height + bottom deck |
| Skid | top deck + runner height |
| Block pallet | top deck + top stringerboard + block + bottom stringerboard (if any) + bottom deck |
Examples:
| Pallet | Overall height |
|---|---|
| GMA-style 48x40 stringer (5/8 in decks, 3-1/2 in stringers) | 4.75 in |
| EPAL 1 Euro pallet | 144 mm (about 5.7 in) |
Why overall height matters
- Fork entry: height sets the opening for tines and pallet jacks
- Unit load height: trailers, racks and retailer programs often cap the total height, so the pallet's height eats into product height (the PDS example unit load is 50 in of boxes on a 4.75 in pallet, 54.75 in overall)
- Truckloads of empties: shorter pallets stack more per trailer
- Automation: conveyors and AS/RS systems have fixed clearances
Size in the Uniform Standard is stated as length x width x overall height. See pallet dimensions explained and pallet footprint.
Questions
- How tall is a standard pallet?
- A GMA-style 48x40 stringer pallet is about 4-3/4 in tall. Block pallets are often taller; the EPAL Euro pallet is 144 mm (about 5.7 in).
Related
- Pallet footprintA pallet footprint is its length x width, with length (the stringer or stringerboard direction) stated first. 48x40 is the most common North American footprint.
- Pallet dimensions explained: length, width and heightPallet dimensions are stated length x width, with length being the stringer direction. Learn how height, actual vs nominal sizes and metric sizes work.
- 48 × 40 pallet48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) pallet specs with drawings: stringer pallet 59 lb, block pallet 96 lb, skid 79 lb. Nail counts, board feet and parts lists for each build.
- How many pallets fit on a truck?A 53 ft trailer holds 26 standard 48x40 pallets loaded straight (two across, 13 rows) or up to 30 turned. How to calculate pallets per truckload for any size.
- OverhangOverhang is how far a pallet deck extends past the outer stringers or blocks, forming a wing. Zero overhang means flush. Not the same as load overhang.
- Pallet Design System (PDS)The Pallet Design System (PDS) is Woodpack Global's Windows software for designing and rating wood pallets. First released in 1984; now at version 6.12.
Sources
- Guide to Understanding the PDS Specification and Analysis (stringer, inches)
- EPAL Euro pallet specification
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition