48 x 40 pallets, the GMA standard

What the numbers are

Empty weight and the loads a pallet carries are on pallet weight.

In a trailer

Turning the pallets so the 40-inch side runs along the trailer puts 30 on the floor, against 26 the other way. Two across fits either way, because 98 inches is room for two pallets and not three. The extra four come from the shorter side taking fewer inches of length per row. Other layouts are on pallets per trailer.

Why it sells

Every dock, rack and conveyor in the metro is set up for it. Dock doors, racks and conveyors in the metro are mostly set up around it, from fulfillment buildings to grocery receiving. That is also why used 48 x 40 stock is the easiest to find and the easiest to resell; see what a used pallet is worth.

Ask for it by grade as well as size. Grade A for food and retail, Grade B for outbound loads, and a four-way build if the dock uses pallet jacks from all sides.

Measuring one to be sure

Lay a tape along the stringer side first: it should read about 48 inches. Then measure across the deck boards, which should read about 40. Sizes drift by a fraction of an inch, and worn pallets shrink slightly, so a pallet within half an inch either way is treated as a match. If one measures 48 by 42 or 48 by 45, call it by that name, because docks reject pallets that do not match what they ordered.

Weight and capacity

A standard 48 x 40 wood pallet weighs between 33 and 49 pounds empty and carries 2,000 to 2,800 pounds on the move, more at rest. The range comes from the build, the wood and how dry it is.

The figures

The figures differ because each measures a slightly different pallet. Use the range, and use the lowest number if safety depends on it.

Dynamic and static

• Dynamic load is the weight the pallet carries while forks move it.
• Static load is the weight it holds sitting on a flat floor.
• Racking is a third case, with a beam load that depends on the rack.

What changes it

Wet wood weighs more. A pallet at 25% moisture can weigh noticeably more than one at 15%, which matters when a trailer is near its limit. Repairs add weight, and so do extra plates. A block pallet tends to be heavier than a plain stringer pallet.

Using the numbers

If a load is near the dynamic limit, ask for Grade A or new stock and a reinforced build. For a trailer, add the pallet weight to the load; see pallets per trailer for the floor count. Figures like these are a general guide, not an engineering spec.

Weighing a load the simple way

Add the pallet to the product. A pallet of forty 50-pound bags weighs two thousand pounds of product plus roughly forty more of wood, which already sits near the dynamic limit of a standard pallet. Weighing one loaded pallet on a floor scale takes minutes and removes guesswork. Record the figure on the request when the load approaches the limit.

Why weights vary

A pallet cut from heavy hardwood, a pallet nailed with extra fasteners and a pallet that has soaked up rain can differ by ten or twenty pounds from the standard. The range quoted by suppliers covers these differences. When weight matters, weigh a sample and use that number.

Rating labels

Some pallets carry a printed or stamped rating. Where one exists, use it in preference to a general range. Where none exists, assume the lowest figure in the range and keep a margin.