Pallet types
Drum pallet: 48 x 48 pallets for four 55-gallon drums
Reviewed
A drum pallet is a heavy-duty pallet sized for drums, most often 48 x 48 in (1219 x 1219 mm) for four 55-gallon drums. palletdesign.ai's drum template uses nine 3/4 in top boards, four 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in stringers and 2-1/2 in nails, which closes the top gaps to about 1-9/16 in so drum chimes can't drop into them.
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What is a drum pallet?
A drum pallet is a pallet designed around the footprint and point loads of drums. Four 55-gallon drums stand two by two on a 48 x 48 in pallet, which is why 48 x 48 is the usual drum size in North America. 44 x 44 in is also common for drums and chemicals. Plastic drum pallets, including spill-containment pallets with a sump, are a separate category; palletdesign.ai does not design those.
How a drum pallet is built
Drums bear on their rims (chimes), not their full base, so a drum pallet concentrates on two things: stiff top boards and small gaps. The 48 x 48 drum template in the designer:
| Component | Size | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Top deckboards | 3/4 in thick, 5-1/2 in leads, 3-1/2 in interior | 9 |
| Bottom deckboards | 5/8 in, clustered | 5 |
| Stringers | 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 48 in | 4 |
| Nails | 2-1/2 in | 128 at the Uniform Standard minimum (80 top, 48 bottom) |
With nine boards the top gaps are (48 - 35.5) / 8 = about 1-9/16 in. The designer warns when gaps under drums or point loads exceed 2.5 in; some sources recommend going below about 0.8 in so chimes cannot catch at all, which means a solid deck or near-solid layout.
The fourth stringer shortens the deckboard spans, and 3/4 in boards are stiffer under concentrated chime loads than 5/8 in stock. The template sets a 2,200 lb design load, about four drums of 550 lb.
When to use a drum pallet
- 55-gallon steel or plastic drums of chemicals, coatings, oils and food ingredients.
- Pails and smaller drums where rims could drop into standard 3 to 4 in gaps.
- Racked drum storage, with the rack direction and load checked.
- See the chemical and paint and coatings industry pages.
When not to use one
- Spill containment: a pallet with a sump is a plastic or steel catalog product with a stated sump volume.
- Cartons and cased goods: a standard GMA pallet is lighter and cheaper.
- European chemical flows that require a CP type; see CP pallets.
Drum pallet vs standard 48 x 40
| 48 x 48 drum pallet | 48 x 40 GMA | |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | Square, four drums | Rectangular |
| Top boards | 9 at 3/4 in | 7 at 5/8 in |
| Top gap | About 1-9/16 in | 3.25 in |
| Stringers | 4 at 1-1/2 in | 3 at 1-3/8 in |
| Nails | About 128 | 84 |
How to specify a drum pallet
- Size: 48 x 48 or 44 x 44 in, or the drum layout.
- Drum count, drum type and weight per drum.
- Maximum deck gap, or solid deck.
- Top board thickness, stringer count and section.
- Rack storage: direction and beam span.
- Stacking: how many loaded pallets high, on the floor or in transit.
- Heat treatment if exported.
Point loads from chimes make generic capacity numbers misleading. The designer's beam checks are indicative; confirm a racked drum pallet with a PDS analysis or physical test.
Questions
- What size pallet holds four 55-gallon drums?
- A 48 x 48 in pallet holds four 55-gallon drums two by two.
- How much gap is safe under drums?
- Keep deck gaps small enough that drum chimes can't drop in. The designer warns above 2.5 in, and some sources recommend under about 0.8 in or a solid deck.
- How many stringers does a drum pallet need?
- Four is a common choice on a 48 x 48 drum pallet: the extra stringer shortens the deckboard spans under the concentrated drum loads.