◆ Dimensions, ratings & deep guides
The pallet size chart.
Everything about pallet dimensions in one place: standard North American sizes in inches and millimeters, EUR/EPAL export references, load-rating math, and mini-guides on measuring, racking and going custom. Bookmark it.
The North American standard is 48×40 inches (1219×1016 mm). Most 'standard pallet' questions end there.
Ask about a size or spec
1-min quote● Answer first
The one number to remember: 48×40
If someone hands you 'a standard pallet' in the US, it's a 48×40-inch GMA stringer pallet. It fits standard 53-ft trailers, standard racking, and the floor-load patterns most warehouses are built around. Every other size exists because some load or industry couldn't live on 48×40 — and we stock those too.
◆ North American sizes
Standard pallet dimensions chart
Inches and millimeters side by side, with the industry each size grew up in and where you'll actually see it. Millimeters are rounded at 25.4 mm per inch.
| Size (in) | Size (mm) | Common name / industry | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40 | 1219 × 1016 | GMA / grocery | Groceries, CPG, general freight — the US standard |
| 42 × 42 | 1067 × 1067 | Telecom / paint | Telecom reels, paint, drums, chemicals |
| 48 × 48 | 1219 × 1219 | Drum / chemical | 55-gal drums, chemicals, heavy square loads |
| 40 × 48 | 1016 × 1219 | Military / retail | Retail, military, cement — 48×40 turned 90° |
| 48 × 42 | 1219 × 1067 | Chem / beverage | Chemicals, beverages, some retail DCs |
| 40 × 40 | 1016 × 1016 | Dairy / square | Dairy, square unit loads |
| 36 × 36 | 914 × 914 | Beverage / compact | Beverage, small-footprint retail, tight racking |
| 44 × 44 | 1118 × 1118 | Drum / chemical | Drums and chemical loads needing overhang |
| 48 × 45 | 1219 × 1143 | Automotive | Automotive parts and assemblies |
| 48 × 20 | 1219 × 508 | Half / display | Retail half-pallet displays, quarter builds |
48×40 is our highest-volume stock. Anything on this list we either keep or remanufacture — see pallet types for how construction pairs with these footprints, or buy pallets to get a quote.
✈ Export references
Metric & international sizes
If you ship overseas, the destination often expects a metric footprint. These are the big international standards — inches shown for reference, but the mm figure is the one that's official.
| Size (in, approx) | Size (mm) | Standard / region | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47.2 × 31.5 | 1200 × 800 | EUR / EPAL 1 (Europe) | The European pool standard — 4-way block pallet |
| 47.2 × 39.4 | 1200 × 1000 | EUR 2 / ISO | Common international / ISO, closest to 48×40 |
| 45.9 × 45.9 | 1165 × 1165 | AU standard (Australia) | Australian standard footprint |
| 43.3 × 43.3 | 1100 × 1100 | Asia / ISO | Common across Asia-Pacific shipping |
The EUR/EPAL 1200×800 pallet is a licensed pooled block pallet — construction and stamps are controlled. For export you'll also need heat-treated (ISPM-15) wood. Note your destination in the quote and we'll match footprint and treatment.
⚖ Load ratings
Static vs dynamic vs racking load
Dimensions tell you if a load fits. Load ratings tell you if it holds. These three numbers are not the same — and spec'ing the wrong one is how shelves collapse.
| Rating | What it measures | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| Static load | Weight a pallet holds when resting flat and stationary on the floor. | Highest rating |
| Dynamic load | Weight it can carry while being moved by forklift or jack. | Lower than static |
| Racking (edge) load | Weight it holds supported only on its two ends in a rack beam. | Lowest — spec this for racking |
The order is always the same: static ≥ dynamic ≥ racking. If your pallets go into beam racking, the racking number is the only one that keeps you safe — and it's where block pallets usually win.
✎ How-to
How to measure a pallet correctly
Sounds trivial. It isn't — length-vs-width order trips up half the orders we see.
Length always comes first
By convention the stringer length is the first number and the deck-board length is the second. So a 48×40 pallet has 48-inch stringers running front-to-back and 40-inch deck boards spanning side-to-side. Say "40×48" and you've described the same pallet turned 90° — which changes how it loads a trailer.
Measure the deck, not the overhang
Measure the outer footprint of the top deck. On wing pallets, note whether you mean the deck or the overhanging wings — they're different numbers. Height is measured floor to top of deck; note it if you're racking or double-stacking.
- 1
Length
Measure along the stringers (or blocks). First number.
- 2
Width
Measure across the deck boards. Second number.
- 3
Height
Floor to top of the top deck. Matters for racks & stacking.
✎ Origins
Why 48×40 became the US standard
It wasn't an accident — it's grocery logistics fossilized into lumber.
Grocery drove it
The Grocery Manufacturers Association standardized 48×40 so cases of consumer goods would palletize efficiently across a shared supply chain. When grocery moved, everyone downstream followed.
It fits the truck
Two 48×40 pallets sit neatly across the ~99-inch inside width of a standard trailer. The math of trailers, racks and doorways all reinforced the same footprint.
Network effects locked it in
Once racking, conveyors and pallet jacks were built around 48×40, switching got expensive. Standards persist because everything else is shaped to them.
✎ How-to
Choosing a size for racking
Racking is where the wrong pallet size — or the wrong load rating — bites hardest.
Match the beam, mind the overhang
Beam racks support a pallet on its two ends. The footprint has to land on the beams with the right overhang (or none), and the racking load rating — not the static one — is what governs how much you can store. Undersized pallets fall through; oversized ones foul the uprights.
When block pallets earn it
Because block pallets are stiffer across the unsupported span, they typically carry more in beam racking than a comparable stringer pallet. For deep, heavy or automated racking, spec block. See the trade-offs on pallet types.
✎ Export
Metric vs imperial & export sizes
Ship internationally and the rules change twice: the footprint and the wood treatment.
Footprint follows the destination
Europe expects EUR/EPAL 1200×800 mm; much of Asia and ISO shipping uses 1200×1000 or 1100×1100 mm. Sending a 48×40 into a EUR-pooled system means it won't swap — confirm before you build.
ISPM-15 / heat treatment
Solid-wood export packaging must be treated (heat-treated is the norm) and stamped ISPM-15. We stock HT pallets and can source ISPM-15-marked units — note "export" in your quote. Details on the grades page.
★ Mini-guide
Custom sizes: when standard won't do
Standard sizes are cheap because they're everywhere. But if a 48×40 wastes half your trailer or your product hangs off the edge, custom pays for itself fast.
Your product doesn't fit
Overhang crushes edges; undersize wastes deck. Build to the product footprint.
You're losing trailer cube
A footprint that tiles better into your trailer can cut freight per unit.
Machinery or odd loads
Long, heavy or oddly shaped goods often need a purpose-built base.
Reuse-heavy loops
A tougher custom build can outlast several cheap standard ones.
→ Keep exploring
Related pages
? Common questions
Pallet size FAQ
What is the standard pallet size?
In North America the standard pallet is 48×40 inches (1219×1016 mm) — the GMA grocery pallet. It's the most common footprint by far and fits standard trailers, racking and floor-load patterns. In Europe the standard is the EUR/EPAL pallet at 1200×800 mm.
What are the dimensions of a 48x40 pallet?
A 48×40 GMA pallet measures 48 inches long by 40 inches wide (1219×1016 mm), typically about 4.5–6 inches tall, and weighs roughly 30–70 lb depending on wood species and grade. The 48-inch stringers run front-to-back; the 40-inch deck boards span side-to-side.
How many pallets fit in a truck?
A standard 53-ft dry van fits 26 pallets on the floor at 48×40 single-stacked (two rows of 13), or 30 if you turn them. Double-stacking roughly doubles that if load and height allow. Turning a pallet to load 40×48 changes how many fit — orientation matters.
What is the difference between EUR and GMA pallets?
The GMA pallet is 48×40 inches and dominates North America. The EUR/EPAL pallet is 1200×800 mm (about 47.2×31.5 in), is a block-style 4-way pallet, and dominates Europe. They're not interchangeable in pooled systems — for export, confirm which footprint the destination expects.
Can I get a custom pallet size?
Yes. When a standard size wastes trailer space or doesn't fit your product, we remanufacture to custom dimensions from reclaimed lumber. Give us the product footprint, load weight and handling equipment and we'll spec it.
Ready to keep pallets in the loop?
Buying, selling, recycling or hauling — tell us what you've got and we'll turn it around fast.