Free tool · No login
Pallet & Container Load Calculator
Enter your cartons, pick a pallet, container, or trailer, and get the optimal stacking pattern in interactive 3D — with a printable load sheet and an estimated freight class.
Initializing 3D stage…
Cargo manifest
Cargo manifest
Load planning is where freight money is won or lost
Every inch of unused pallet height and every awkward carton orientation compounds across a shipment. A load that cubes out at 70% instead of 90% doesn't just look sloppy on the dock — it means more pallets, more trailer positions, and a worse density-based freight class on the invoice.
The planner above runs a bin-packing optimization across every carton orientation you allow, respects weight limits and fragile-on-top rules, and builds the load layer by layer the way a forklift crew actually would. What you see in the 3D stage is what goes on the truck.
It's the same discipline we apply to every pallet that leaves our Los Angeles–area warehouse, whether it's B2B retail routing or outbound freight.
What the optimizer accounts for
Orientation search. Tries every allowed rotation of every carton to maximize cube.
Support rules. Cartons need solid footing below them — no floating overhangs.
Weight limits. Caps each pallet or vehicle at your max cargo weight.
Fragile handling. Fragile SKUs ride the top layer with nothing stacked above.
Layer sequencing. Outputs layers in forklift build order, bottom to top.
Mixed SKUs. Different carton sizes pack together in one optimization pass.
Pallet, container & trailer reference
The footprints and defaults behind the planner's presets — interior dimensions, typical max cargo weights.
Pallet standards
| Pallet | Footprint | Typical max load |
|---|---|---|
| GMA 48 × 40 | 48" × 40" | 2,500 lb |
| Square 48 × 48 | 48" × 48" | 2,500 lb |
| Telecom 42 × 42 | 42" × 42" | 2,200 lb |
| Automotive 48 × 45 | 48" × 45" | 2,500 lb |
| EUR 1 · 1200 × 800 | 47.2" × 31.5" | 2,200 lb |
| EUR 2 · 1200 × 1000 | 47.2" × 39.4" | 2,200 lb |
Containers & trailers (interior)
| Equipment | L × W × H | Typical payload |
|---|---|---|
| 20 ft container | 232.5" × 92.5" × 94.5" | 47,900 lb |
| 40 ft container | 474.9" × 92.5" × 94.5" | 59,000 lb |
| 40 ft high cube | 474.9" × 92.5" × 106.3" | 58,600 lb |
| 53 ft dry van | 630" × 98.5" × 108" | 45,000 lb |
| 48 ft dry van | 576" × 98.5" × 108" | 45,000 lb |
| 26 ft box truck | 312" × 96" × 96" | 10,000 lb |
NMFC freight class by density
Density is total weight divided by total cubic feet, pallet included. Denser loads get lower classes and cheaper LTL rates — one more reason tight stacking pays.
| Class | Density (lb/ft³) | Typical freight |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | ≥ 50 | Very dense, durable freight |
| 55 | 35–50 | Bricks, hardware, flooring |
| 60 | 30–35 | Car parts, bottled goods |
| 65 | 22.5–30 | Boxed books, canned food |
| 70 | 15–22.5 | Food items, machinery |
| 77.5 | 13.5–15 | Tires, bathroom fixtures |
| 85 | 12–13.5 | Crated machinery, cast parts |
| 92.5 | 10.5–12 | Computers, refrigerators |
| 100 | 9–10.5 | Boat covers, wine cases |
| 110 | 8–9 | Cabinets, framed art |
| 125 | 7–8 | Small appliances |
| 150 | 6–7 | Auto sheet metal, bookcases |
| 175 | 5–6 | Clothing, stuffed furniture |
| 200 | 4–5 | Mattresses, aluminum parts |
| 250 | 3–4 | Bamboo furniture, plasma TVs |
| 300 | 2–3 | Wood cabinets, setup chairs |
| 400 | 1–2 | Deer antlers, light fixtures |
| 500 | 0–1 | Ping pong balls, bags of chips |
Pallet & load planning FAQ
How many boxes fit on a pallet?+
It depends on three things: your carton dimensions, the pallet footprint, and your maximum load height. On a standard GMA 48" × 40" pallet stacked to 66 inches, a 16" × 12" × 10" carton typically fits around 60–66 units depending on orientation. The planner on this page computes the exact number for your cartons — including mixed SKUs, rotation locks, and fragile-on-top rules — and shows the arrangement in 3D.
What is the standard pallet size in the US?+
The GMA pallet at 48" × 40" is the North American standard and accounts for the vast majority of grocery and retail freight. Other common footprints are 48" × 48" for drums, 42" × 42" for telecom and paint, 48" × 45" for automotive, and the European EUR 1 (1200 × 800 mm) and EUR 2 (1200 × 1000 mm) pallets. All of them are presets in the planner.
How high can you stack a pallet?+
Most warehouses and carriers cap pallets between 60 and 72 inches of total height, with 48–60 inches common for LTL freight so pallets can be double-stacked in the trailer. Amazon FBA caps single pallets at 72 inches including the pallet itself. The planner lets you set any maximum load height and packs to it.
How is freight class calculated?+
LTL freight class is driven primarily by density: total weight divided by total cubic feet, including the pallet. Dense freight (over 30 lb/ft³) falls into low classes like 55–60 and ships cheap; light bulky freight (under 6 lb/ft³) lands in classes 150–500 and costs far more per pound. The planner estimates your NMFC class from the finished load's real dimensions and weight.
What does cube utilization mean?+
Cube utilization is the percentage of the available load volume your cartons actually occupy. If your pallet envelope is 48" × 40" × 66" and your cartons fill 80% of that space, you're paying to ship 20% air. Better carton orientation and layer patterns raise utilization, which directly reduces the number of pallets — and the freight bill.
How many pallets fit in a 53-foot trailer?+
A 53-foot dry van floor-loads 26 standard 48" × 40" pallets in two straight rows, or up to 30 if they're turned and pinwheeled. Double-stacking low pallets can bring it to 52–60. A 48-foot trailer takes 24 straight-loaded; a 26-foot box truck around 12. The trailer presets in the planner use real interior dimensions.
How many pallets fit in a shipping container?+
A 20-foot container floor-loads about 10 standard GMA pallets or 11 EUR 1 pallets. A 40-foot container takes 20–21 GMA pallets or 24–25 EUR 1 pallets. High-cube containers add a foot of height, which matters when you can stack cartons higher rather than adding pallets.
Can the planner handle fragile items or boxes that can't be rotated?+
Yes. Mark a carton line as fragile and the optimizer keeps it on the top layer with nothing stacked above it. Lock rotation and the carton keeps its orientation — useful for this-side-up product, retail display cases, or print-facing packaging.
Can I download the loading instructions?+
Yes — one click generates a PDF load sheet with a shipment summary, per-pallet stats, and layer-by-layer top-down diagrams in build order, color-coded by SKU. Hand it to the forklift crew and the load gets built exactly as planned.
Is the load planner really free?+
Completely. No login, no email, no carton limits that matter in practice. We build tools like this because load planning is what our Paramount, CA warehouse does all day — and some of the brands who use the planner decide they'd rather have us do the loading.