Guides
Pallet dimensions explained: length, width and height
Reviewed
Pallet dimensions are written length x width (x height), and the length is always the stringer (or stringerboard) direction, stated first. A 48 x 40 in pallet has 48 in stringers and 40 in deckboards; a 40 x 48 is a different pallet with the stringers running the other way. Overall height is the sum of the top deck, stringer or block, and bottom deck thicknesses, 4.75 in for a standard GMA-style 48 x 40.
On this page
Pallet sizes look simple until two people read "48 x 40" differently. The industry has a fixed convention, set out in the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets and used by pallet design software: length first, and length is the stringer direction.
Which dimension is the length?
| Term | Definition | On a 48 x 40 stringer pallet |
|---|---|---|
| Length (L) | Along the stringers (or stringerboards on a block pallet), stated first | 48 in (1219 mm) |
| Width (W) | Along the top deckboards, stated second | 40 in (1016 mm) |
| Height (H) | Floor to top of the top deck | 4.75 in (121 mm) for the GMA-style build |
So a 40 x 48 has 40 in stringers and 48 in deckboards. It covers the same floor area as a 48 x 40 but forks enter the other faces, it racks differently, and it fits a trailer differently. Always confirm which one you mean. The US military and some other users specify 40 x 48.
For panel-deck block pallets with no stringerboards, length is taken along the face grain of the plywood.
How overall height is calculated
Height is the stack of parts:
- Stringer pallet: top deck + stringer height + bottom deck. For the GMA-style 48 x 40: 5/8 + 3-1/2 + 5/8 = 4.75 in.
- Block pallet: top deck + stringerboard + block + bottom deck (plus a bottom stringerboard on some bases). For example 3/4 + 3/4 + 3-1/2 + 3/4 = 5.75 in.
- Skid (no bottom deck): top deck + runner height.
The overall height matters for fork entry, stack heights in trailers and warehouse clearances.
Fork opening size
On a two-way stringer pallet, the fork opening is the clear bay between stringers times the stringer height. For three 1-3/8 in stringers across 40 in, each bay is (40 - 3 x 1.375) / 2 = 17.94 in wide and 3-1/2 in tall. Through a notch, the opening height is the notch depth plus the bottom deck thickness: 1-1/4 + 5/8 = 1-7/8 in for the GMA-style pallet. The Uniform Standard recommends roughly 2 in to the top of the notch and 9 in long. See notched stringers.
How component sizes are written
| Component | Order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Deckboard | Thickness x width x length | 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 40 |
| Stringer | Width x height x length | 1-3/8 x 3-1/2 x 48 |
| Stringerboard | Thickness x width x length | 3/4 x 5-1/2 x 48 |
| Block | Width x height x length | 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 |
Actual vs nominal sizes
Pallet specs use actual sizes at the time of manufacture. That differs from construction lumber, where a "2x4" is really 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in. Pallet stock is usually cut to size from cants, so a "1x4" deckboard might be 5/8 in or 3/4 in thick and 3-1/2 in wide. Write the actual size on every spec. See nominal vs actual lumber.
Green lumber shrinks as it dries: roughly 1% in dimension for every 5% drop in moisture content below about 28%. A spec sheet's dimensions are at manufacture, and allowable variation is set by the tolerances (see pallet tolerances).
Metric sizes
ISO 6780 lists six footprints for international handling. Metric pallets are usually quoted in millimeters, length first.
| Size | Inches (approx.) | Common name or use |
|---|---|---|
| 1200 x 800 mm | 47.24 x 31.50 | EUR / EPAL 1, Europe |
| 1200 x 1000 mm | 47.24 x 39.37 | Europe, Asia, UK |
| 1219 x 1016 mm | 48 x 40 | North America (GMA) |
| 1165 x 1165 mm | 45.9 x 45.9 | Australia |
| 1100 x 1100 mm | 43.3 x 43.3 | Asia (Japan, Korea) |
| 1067 x 1067 mm | 42 x 42 | North America, Europe, Asia |
1 in = 25.4 mm, so 48 in is 1219.2 mm, normally written 1219.
Common North American sizes
| Size (L x W, in) | Typical use (commonly cited) |
|---|---|
| 48 x 40 | Grocery and consumer goods; the most common US size |
| 42 x 42 | Telecom, paint |
| 48 x 48 | Drums (four 55-gal) |
| 40 x 48 | Military, cement |
| 48 x 42 | Chemical, beverage |
| 40 x 40 | Dairy |
| 48 x 45 | Automotive |
| 44 x 44 | Drums, chemical |
| 36 x 36 | Beverage |
| 48 x 36 | Beverage, shingles, paper |
ANSI MH1 covers North American sizes; see choosing a pallet size for how to pick one.
Wings and overhang
A wing is deck that overhangs the outer stringer. A winged pallet's width is still measured across the full deck. Specify the overhang distance separately, and state whether only the top deck (single-wing) or both decks (double-wing) overhang.
Questions
- Is a pallet measured length by width?
- Yes. Pallets are stated length x width, and length is the stringer or stringerboard direction. A 48 x 40 has 48 in stringers and 40 in deckboards.
- Is a 48x40 pallet the same as a 40x48?
- No. They cover the same area, but the stringers run the other way, which changes which faces the forks enter, how it racks and how it loads in a trailer.
- How tall is a standard pallet?
- A GMA-style 48 x 40 stringer pallet with 5/8 in decks and 3-1/2 in stringers is 4.75 in tall. Block pallets are usually taller, around 5-3/4 in or more.
- What is 48x40 in millimeters?
- 1219 x 1016 mm. ISO 6780 lists it as one of six footprints for international handling.