48 x 45 pallets

Where the extra five inches go

Compared with a 48 x 40, this deck is five inches wider. That is room for larger parts containers and bins, or for stacking returnable crates with no overhang. Automotive suppliers use it alongside the 48 x 40 and the two sit in the same racks only when the racks are cut for both.

In a trailer

Turning the 45-inch side along the trailer puts 28 on the floor, against 26 the other way. Two across fits in both cases. A 48 x 40 trailer count of 30 is higher, which is part of the reason the standard size is cheaper to ship.

Rare locally

Few docks around the bay ask for 48 x 45 by name, so stock tends to be thin. A buyer who needs it should expect to wait for a pile to appear. A seller with a stack of them should say so and give a count; a stack is useful to the right dock.

What to send

• The size as 48 x 45.
• The grade, and whether the stringers are intact.
• How many, and whether more will come.
• The town.

If the dock can take a 48 x 40 in its place, say so. That widens the answer a great deal.

Checking a 48 x 45 before it ships

Measure the stringer side, then the deck across, and confirm the second reads roughly 45 inches rather than 40 or 42. Because a 48 x 45 can be mixed into a stack of 48 x 40 without being noticed from a distance, sort by width before counting. Photograph the end of the stack showing the board edges, so the width shows at a glance.

A cautious buyer

Because few docks use it, a buyer of 48 x 45 stock should confirm that the receiving customer accepts it. A parts supplier who ships on the wrong footprint may be refused at the plant gate. Check the customer's packaging manual before ordering.