freightcalcsCarton fit per pallet layer: GMA vs Euro
How many of each common box size fit on one pallet layer. Part of freightcalcs.com.
How many of each common box size fit on one pallet layer. Part of freightcalcs.com.
How many cartons fit on a pallet layer depends on the carton's footprint. This table gives the maximum for 48 of the most common shipping carton sizes on a standard GMA 48×40 in pallet and a Euro 1200×800 mm pallet, with the best orientation and the floor-area utilization each achieves. Multiply the per-layer count by your stack height (layers) to get total cartons per pallet — plan the full stack on our TI-HI calculator.
Same footprint, very different results: a 12×10 in case fills a GMA pallet perfectly (16 per layer, 100%) but leaves a Euro pallet at 11 per layer. Metric cases in 100 mm steps (30×20, 40×30, 60×40 cm) hit 100% on Euro. That mismatch is the single biggest lever on pallet cube efficiency.
The same box fills a GMA pallet layer completely (16, 100%) but leaves a Euro pallet at 11 per layer (89%). Orientation is shown in two shades.
| Carton (in) | Carton (cm) | GMA / layer | GMA util | Euro / layer | Euro util |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6x6x6 | 15.2x15.2x15.2 | 48 | 90.0% | 35 | 84.7% |
| 8x6x4 | 20.3x15.2x10.2 | 40 | 100.0% | 28 | 90.3% |
| 9x6x4 | 22.9x15.2x10.2 | 34 | 95.6% | 25 | 90.7% |
| 7x7x6 | 17.8x17.8x15.2 | 30 | 76.6% | 24 | 79.0% |
| 8x8x8 | 20.3x20.3x20.3 | 30 | 100.0% | 15 | 64.5% |
| 10x8x6 | 25.4x20.3x15.2 | 24 | 100.0% | 15 | 80.6% |
| 11.8x7.9x7.9 | 30x20x20 | 20 | 96.9% | 16 | 100.0% |
| 9x9x9 | 22.9x22.9x22.9 | 20 | 84.4% | 15 | 81.7% |
| 11x8x6 | 27.9x20.3x15.2 | 20 | 91.7% | 14 | 82.8% |
| 12x9x6 | 30.5x22.9x15.2 | 17 | 95.6% | 12 | 87.1% |
| 10x10x10 | 25.4x25.4x25.4 | 16 | 83.3% | 12 | 80.6% |
| 12x10x8 | 30.5x25.4x20.3 | 16 | 100.0% | 11 | 88.7% |
| 13x10x8 | 33.0x25.4x20.3 | 14 | 94.8% | 10 | 87.4% |
| 13.8x9.8x7.9 | 35x25x20 | 13 | 91.8% | 10 | 91.1% |
| 14x10x8 | 35.6x25.4x20.3 | 13 | 94.8% | 9 | 84.7% |
| 11x11x11 | 27.9x27.9x27.9 | 12 | 75.6% | 8 | 65.1% |
| 11.8x11.8x11.8 | 30x30x30 | 12 | 87.2% | 8 | 75.0% |
| 13x11x8 | 33.0x27.9x20.3 | 12 | 89.4% | 8 | 76.9% |
| 12x12x8 | 30.5x30.5x20.3 | 12 | 90.0% | 6 | 58.1% |
| 12x12x12 | 30.5x30.5x30.5 | 12 | 90.0% | 6 | 58.1% |
| 14x12x10 | 35.6x30.5x25.4 | 11 | 96.2% | 6 | 67.7% |
| 15.7x11.8x7.9 | 40x30x20 | 10 | 96.9% | 8 | 100.0% |
| 15.7x11.8x11.8 | 40x30x30 | 10 | 96.9% | 8 | 100.0% |
| 15x12x10 | 38.1x30.5x25.4 | 10 | 93.8% | 6 | 72.6% |
| 16x12x8 | 40.6x30.5x20.3 | 10 | 100.0% | 5 | 64.5% |
| 16x12x12 | 40.6x30.5x30.5 | 10 | 100.0% | 5 | 64.5% |
| 17x11x8 | 43.2x27.9x20.3 | 9 | 87.7% | 6 | 75.4% |
| 17.7x11.8x9.8 | 45x30x25 | 8 | 87.2% | 6 | 84.4% |
| 19.7x11.8x11.8 | 50x30x30 | 8 | 96.9% | 6 | 93.8% |
| 18x12x8 | 45.7x30.5x20.3 | 8 | 90.0% | 5 | 72.6% |
| 18x12x12 | 45.7x30.5x30.5 | 8 | 90.0% | 5 | 72.6% |
| 20x12x12 | 50.8x30.5x30.5 | 8 | 100.0% | 4 | 64.5% |
| 14x14x14 | 35.6x35.6x35.6 | 6 | 61.2% | 6 | 79.0% |
| 18x14x12 | 45.7x35.6x30.5 | 6 | 78.8% | 4 | 67.7% |
| 24x12x12 | 61.0x30.5x30.5 | 6 | 90.0% | 3 | 58.1% |
| 16x16x16 | 40.6x40.6x40.6 | 6 | 80.0% | 2 | 34.4% |
| 20x16x12 | 50.8x40.6x30.5 | 6 | 100.0% | 2 | 43.0% |
| 22x14x9 | 55.9x35.6x22.9 | 5 | 80.2% | 4 | 82.8% |
| 23.6x15.7x11.8 | 60x40x30 | 5 | 96.9% | 4 | 100.0% |
| 23.6x15.7x15.7 | 60x40x40 | 5 | 96.9% | 4 | 100.0% |
| 24x16x12 | 61.0x40.6x30.5 | 5 | 100.0% | 2 | 51.6% |
| 18x18x16 | 45.7x45.7x40.6 | 4 | 67.5% | 2 | 43.5% |
| 18x18x24 | 45.7x45.7x61.0 | 4 | 67.5% | 2 | 43.5% |
| 20x20x20 | 50.8x50.8x50.8 | 4 | 83.3% | 2 | 53.8% |
| 24x18x12 | 61.0x45.7x30.5 | 4 | 90.0% | 2 | 58.1% |
| 24x18x18 | 61.0x45.7x45.7 | 4 | 90.0% | 2 | 58.1% |
| 26x16x12 | 66.0x40.6x30.5 | 3 | 65.0% | 2 | 55.9% |
| 24x24x24 | 61.0x61.0x61.0 | 2 | 60.0% | 1 | 38.7% |
GMA pallet = 48×40 in (1219×1016 mm). Euro pallet = 1200×800 mm (47.2×31.5 in). Counts assume cartons flush to the pallet edge with no overhang and a single orientation per stack level; util = carton floor area × count ÷ pallet floor area.
Uses the same packing engine as our 3D pallet load calculator. Enter the carton footprint (length × width); height sets how many layers stack. For the full 3D stack and weight limits, use the pallet calculator or CBM calculator.
Each pallet footprint is packed with the carton footprint in both orientations. A recursive guillotine search then splits the pallet into sub-rectangles and tries interlocked (mixed-orientation) patterns, keeping whichever arrangement fits the most cartons. It is the same engine that powers the 3D load plans across freightcalcs, and every figure in this table was independently re-checked with a second, exhaustive packer. Counts are for one layer within the pallet footprint and assume no overhang; real loads may differ with pallet lip, carton bulge, or column-stack rules.
It depends on the carton footprint. On a GMA 48×40 pallet, a 12×10×8 in carton fits 16 per layer at 100% floor use, while a 16×12 in carton fits 10. A Euro 1200×800 pallet fits fewer of most US carton sizes because its footprint is smaller (9.4 sq ft vs 13.3 sq ft). Multiply the per-layer count by the number of layers you can stack to get total cartons per pallet.
A GMA pallet is 48×40 in (1219×1016 mm) with a 13.3 sq ft footprint; a Euro pallet is 1200×800 mm (47.2×31.5 in) with a 9.4 sq ft footprint. US carton sizes usually pack more efficiently on GMA, while metric cartons sized in 100 mm increments (300×200, 400×300, 600×400) fill a Euro pallet to 100%.
The pallet footprint is packed with the carton footprint in both orientations, then a recursive guillotine search tries interlocked (mixed-orientation) patterns to beat a simple grid. The result is the maximum cartons that fit on one layer within the pallet footprint, assuming no overhang.
Pallet load calculator · TI-HI calculator · CBM calculator · Pallet sizes · GMA pallet · Euro pallet · Pallet overhang · Cube utilization