48 × 48 pallet (drum pallet): dimensions, weight and specs
A 48 × 48 in pallet (1219 × 1219 mm) is the standard drum pallet. It holds four 55-gallon drums in a 2 × 2 pattern and is also common for bulk bags and totes. Typical builds use 4 stringers and 3/4 in top decks, and weigh roughly 45 to 90 lb.
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 48.00 in
- Height
- 4.875 in
- Lumber
- 20.4 bd ft
- Est. weight
- 89 lb (40 kg)
- Fasteners
- 128
Every dimension is editable. Get the drawing free, or request a quote.
Dimensions
| Inches | 48 × 48 in |
|---|---|
| Millimetres | 1219 × 1219 mm |
| Centimetres | 121.9 × 121.9 cm |
| Feet | 4 × 4 ft |
| Footprint area | 16.00 sq ft (1.486 m²) |
Pallets per floor (single stacked)
| Equipment | Straight | Turned | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| 48 ft dry van | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| 26 ft box truck | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| 20 ft container | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 40 ft container | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 45 ft high cube | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Straight = length along the trailer. Floor positions only, with no gaps for load bars or overhang. Weight often limits first. Open the calculator
The 48 × 48 in pallet (1219 × 1219 mm) is the standard drum pallet in North America. Its main job is carrying four 55-gallon drums, and it is also used for bulk bags (FIBCs), intermediate bulk containers and other heavy square loads. Industry lists usually rank it third among North American sizes.
What are the dimensions of a 48 × 48 pallet?
A 48 × 48 pallet is 48 in (1219 mm) square. A drum build with a 3/4 in top deck, 3-1/2 in stringers and a 5/8 in bottom deck is 4-7/8 in (124 mm) tall; builds with thicker decks or taller stringers run up to about 6 in (152 mm). On a square pallet the spec must say which way the stringers run.
Typical build at 48 × 48
Drum loads are heavy and concentrated at the drum chimes, so a 48 × 48 is usually built heavier than a 48 × 40.
| Component | Typical drum build |
|---|---|
| Top deckboards | 9 boards, 3/4 in thick, tight gaps so chimes don't fall between boards |
| Bottom deckboards | 5 boards, 5/8 in thick |
| Stringers | 4 × 1-1/2 × 3-1/2 × 48 in |
| Fasteners | 2-1/2 in nails for the thicker deck |
| Overall height | 4-7/8 in |
This matches the 48 × 48 drum template, which is set up for a 2,200 lb drum load. Open it in the designer to change the deck, stringer count or load. Lighter-duty 48 × 48 pallets with 3 stringers and 5/8 in decks are common for bulk bags and totes.
How much does a 48 × 48 pallet weigh?
The drum build above uses about 20.4 board feet. That works out to roughly 44 lb (20 kg) in dry softwood, 59 lb (27 kg) in kiln-dried hardwood, and up to about 90 lb (41 kg) in green hardwood. These are density estimates. A 3-stringer, 7-board version is closer to 15 board feet and proportionally lighter. See pallet weight.
How much weight can a 48 × 48 pallet hold?
Four full 55-gallon drums of a water-like liquid weigh roughly 2,000 lb or more, and denser products weigh more. The pallet has to carry that as four concentrated loads, not a uniform load. Ratings come from the manufacturer (PDS analysis or ASTM D1185 testing) and differ by support condition: floor-stacked, on a forklift, or spanning rack beams. Tell the supplier "4 × 55 gal drums, X lb each, racked across the width on a 42 in span" or whatever your case is. See pallet load capacity.
Close top-board gaps and a solid deck under each drum chime reduce board breakage. Specify maximum gap width when you order.
Who uses 48 × 48 pallets?
- Chemicals and oils: 55-gallon steel and plastic drums, 5-gallon pails in bulk.
- Food ingredients: drums of syrups, oils and concentrates.
- Bulk bags and IBCs: many 1,000 L and 275 gal totes sit on a footprint close to 48 × 40 or 48 × 48.
See chemicals for industry pallet practice.
Fit in trucks and containers
Two 48 × 48 pallets side by side take 96 in, which fits inside a standard 53 ft dry van but is too wide for a 20 ft or 40 ft ISO container (inside width about 92 in). In containers, 48 × 48 pallets go in single file or you switch to a narrower size. The table above gives the counts, and heavy drum loads often hit the trailer weight limit before the floor is full.
Related sizes
- 44 × 44 and 42 × 42: smaller squares for drums, pails and chemicals.
- 1200 × 1200: the metric equivalent used for drums and bulk bags outside North America.
- 1140 × 1140: the CP3 and CP9 chemical pallets, sized to fit two across a shipping container.
Specifying a 48 × 48 pallet for a quote
- Size and stringer direction.
- Load: drum count and size, weight per drum, and whether drums are steel or plastic.
- Top deck: board count, thickness, maximum gap.
- Stringers: count (3 or 4), size, notched or not.
- Handling: forklift entry sides, pallet jack use, racking and beam span.
- ISPM 15 if exported.
The RFQ checklist covers the rest.
Drawing and parts listEdit in the design app
48×48 drum template, generated from the model. Every dimension is editable.
Pallet
- Type
- Wood stringer
- Footprint
- 48.00 × 48.00 in
- Overall height
- 4.875 in
- Classification
- 48.00 x 48.00, Stringer-Class, Double-Face Non-Reversible, Flush, Partial 4-Way, Reusable, New Manufacture
Construction
- Build
- Wood stringer pallet
- Wings
- Flush
- Top deck
- 9 boards × 0.75 in (3/4); leads 5.50 in (5-1/2), interior 3.50 in (3-1/2)
- Bottom deck
- 5 boards × 0.625 in (5/8); interior grouped between notches
- Stringers
- 4 × 1.50 in (1-1/2) wide × 3.50 in (3-1/2) tall
- Notches
- Partial 4-way: 1.25 in (1-1/4) deep × 9.00 in (9) long, 6.00 in (6) from each end, R 0.75 in (3/4)
- Lumber
- Mixed Hardwood, Standard & Btr, green, new
- Fasteners
- 128 × 2.50 in (2-1/2) helical, 0.112 in wire, per Uniform Standard Table 5
Requirements
- Load
- 2,200 lb, drums
- Handling
- forklift, pallet jack
- Racking
- Not racked
- Floor stack
- 1 high
- Use
- Reusable / multi-trip
- Environment
- Standard
- ISPM-15
- Domestic only
- Certified rating
- Not required
- Food contact / fire
- No / no listing
Order
- Quantity
- Not specified
- Ship to
- —
- Needed by
- —
Frequently asked questions
How many drums fit on a 48x48 pallet?
Four 55-gallon drums fit in a 2 × 2 pattern. A standard steel 55-gallon drum is about 23 in in outside diameter, so two across take about 46 to 47 in of the 48 in deck.
How much does a 48x48 pallet weigh?
A heavy drum build with 9 top boards at 3/4 in and 4 stringers uses about 20 board feet, so it weighs roughly 45 lb in dry softwood up to about 90 lb in green hardwood (estimates). Lighter 3-stringer builds exist for lighter loads.
Can a 48x48 pallet be racked?
Yes, if it is designed for it. Four drums put about 2,000 lb or more on concentrated footprints, so the rack rating needs its own analysis. Ask for a racked rating with drums as the load type.
Is a 48x48 pallet an ISO size?
No. 48 × 48 is a North American (ANSI MH1) size, not one of the six ISO 6780 footprints. The nearest metric size is 1200 × 1200 mm.
Sources and references
Related
- TypesDrum pallet: 48 × 48 pallets for four 55-gallon drumsA drum pallet is a heavy-duty pallet sized to carry 55-gallon (208 L) drums, most often a 48 × 48 in (1219 × 1219 mm) square pallet holding four drums. It needs tight deckboard gaps so drum chimes cannot drop between boards, and extra stringers because four filled drums can weigh about 2,000 lb (900 kg) or more.
- TypesDrum pallet: 48 × 48 pallets for four 55-gallon drumsA drum pallet is a heavy-duty pallet sized to carry 55-gallon (208 L) drums, most often a 48 × 48 in (1219 × 1219 mm) square pallet holding four drums. It needs tight deckboard gaps so drum chimes cannot drop between boards, and extra stringers because four filled drums can weigh about 2,000 lb (900 kg) or more.
- SizesUS pallet sizes: the standard North American dimensionsThe standard US pallet is 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm), the GMA pallet, used for grocery, retail and most general freight. Other common North American sizes are 42 × 42, 48 × 48, 48 × 42, 40 × 40, 48 × 45, 44 × 44, 36 × 36 and 48 × 36 in, each tied to particular industries.
- Sizes44 × 44 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 44 × 44 in pallet (1118 × 1118 mm) is a square North American size used for drums, bulk bags (FIBCs) and chemicals. It fits two across an ISO shipping container, which a 48 × 48 does not. Typical wood builds are 3 or 4 stringers, about 4.75 to 5 in tall.
- Sizes1200 × 1200 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 1200 × 1200 mm pallet (47.2 × 47.2 in) is a square metric pallet used for drums, bulk bags (FIBCs), IBCs and heavy industrial loads. It is not one of the six ISO 6780 sizes. It is roughly the metric counterpart of the 48 × 48 drum pallet, and it is too wide to fit two across an ISO container.
- IndustriesPallets for the chemical and plastics industryChemical loads (drums, pails, IBCs and 25 kg bags) need heavier, tighter-decked pallets than grocery. Europe uses the CP1 to CP9 block pallets; North America uses 48 × 48 in drum pallets, 42 × 42 and 44 × 44 in sizes and heavy 48 × 40s. Deck gaps and load type matter as much as weight.
- GuidesHow much weight can a pallet hold? Static, dynamic and racking capacityIt depends on how the pallet is supported. A typical 48 × 40 wood pallet safely carries about 1,500 to 2,800 lb (680 to 1,270 kg) in racking or on forks, and several times that on a flat floor. A EUR pallet is rated 1,500 kg. Only the manufacturer's rating for your support condition is authoritative.
More in North American sizes
- Sizes48 × 40 pallet (GMA): dimensions, weight and specsA 48 × 40 in pallet (1219 × 1016 mm) is the North American standard, also called the GMA pallet. The typical build is a partial 4-way stringer pallet about 4.75 in tall with 7 top and 5 bottom deckboards on 3 notched stringers. Pooled 48 × 40 block pallets (CHEP, PECO) share the same footprint.
- Sizes42 × 42 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 42 × 42 in pallet (1067 × 1067 mm) is a square pallet used mainly for paint and coatings, telecom equipment and chemicals. It is one of the six ISO 6780 footprints. The usual build is a 3-stringer wood pallet about 4.75 to 5 in tall.
- Sizes48 × 42 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 48 × 42 in pallet (1219 × 1067 mm) is a North American size used mainly for chemicals and beverages. It is built like a GMA pallet with 42 in deckboards: typically 3 notched stringers, 7 top and 5 bottom boards, about 4.75 to 5 in tall.
- Sizes40 × 40 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 40 × 40 in pallet (1016 × 1016 mm) is a square North American size associated with the dairy industry. It is usually a 3-stringer wood pallet about 4.75 in tall, weighing roughly 27 to 56 lb depending on species and moisture.
- Sizes48 × 45 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 48 × 45 in pallet (1219 × 1143 mm) is the North American automotive size, used for parts shipments and returnable containers. Wood versions are built like a GMA pallet with 45 in deckboards; plastic 48 × 45 pallets are common in closed automotive loops.
- Sizes36 × 36 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 36 × 36 in pallet (914 × 914 mm) is a small square North American pallet used mainly in beverage distribution and for compact loads. A typical build has 5 top and 3 bottom deckboards on 3 stringers, about 4.75 in tall, and weighs roughly 20 to 41 lb.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 730 words.