Column stacking
Also called: columnar stacking, column stack
Column stacking is a stacking pattern where every case sits directly on top of the case below, with corners and walls aligned through the full height of the load. It keeps the most compression strength but is less stable than interlocking.
In depth: Pallet stacking patterns: column, interlock, pinwheel and brick
Corrugated cases carry most of their compression load through their vertical corners. Column stacking lines those corners up from the pallet to the top of the load.
Trade-offs
| Factor | Column stacking |
|---|---|
| Box compression strength | Highest of the common patterns |
| Stability | Lowest; columns can separate and lean |
| Needs | Stretch wrap, tier sheets, edge protectors or top frames |
| Deck interaction | Case corners land in the same place every layer |
Why it matters for pallet design
Because every corner bears at a fixed point on the deck, the pallet's deck spacing matters. If a column's corners land over a gap between deckboards, the bottom case loses support where it is strongest. A tier sheet on the deck, narrower gaps, or a layout that puts case corners over boards helps.
Why shippers choose it
Column stacking suits block stacking and tall loads where the bottom cases must carry a lot. Many loads use column stacking for most layers and an interlocked top layer or two to tie the columns together.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
State "column stacked" in the unit load description, with cases per layer and layers. PDS offers column and interlock as unit load options.
Common confusions
Column stacking a unit load is different from stacking unit loads on each other. That is block stacking.
Related
- GlossaryStacking patternA stacking pattern is the arrangement of cases on a pallet: how they are placed within each layer and how each layer relates to the one below. The main choices are column stacking, which maximizes box strength, and interlocking patterns, which improve stability.
- GlossaryInterlocking stackingInterlocking stacking is a stacking pattern where alternate layers are rotated or shifted so each case bridges the joints between cases in the layer below, like bricks in a wall. It ties the load together but reduces compression strength compared with column stacking.
- GlossaryStretch wrapStretch wrap is a thin, elastic plastic film, usually linear low-density polyethylene, wound tightly around a unit load under tension. It holds the cases together and to the pallet so the load stays stable in handling and transit.
- GuidesPallet stacking patterns: column, interlock, pinwheel and brickColumn stacking puts each box directly on the box below and keeps the most compression strength. Interlocking patterns (brick, pinwheel) rotate alternate layers so boxes overlap, which adds stability but can cut stacking strength sharply. Many loads use columns with tie sheets, or interlock only the top layers.
- GlossaryBlock stackingBlock stacking is storing unit loads directly on top of one another on the warehouse floor, in rows and columns, with no racking. The bottom pallet and the packaging carry the whole stack, so static load and box compression strength limit the height.
More in Loading and shipping
- GlossaryCube utilizationCube utilization is the share of the available volume, in a pallet footprint up to its height limit, a trailer or a container, that is actually filled with product. It is usually expressed as a percentage.
- GlossaryFloor loadingFloor loading is shipping cases or bags stacked directly on the floor of a trailer or container, without pallets. It fits more product in the vehicle but must be loaded and unloaded by hand or with special equipment. The term is also used for the load a floor can bear per unit area.
- GlossaryFreight densityFreight density is the weight of a shipment divided by the volume it occupies, measured at its outside dimensions with the pallet included. In the US it is given in pounds per cubic foot (pcf) and is the main factor in most LTL freight classes.
- GlossaryFTL (full truckload)FTL (full truckload) is a shipment that uses a dedicated trailer from origin to destination, with no terminal handling. A 53 ft dry van takes 26 standard 48 × 40 in pallets loaded straight or 30 turned, single stacked, subject to the legal weight limit.
- GlossaryLoad barA load bar is an adjustable steel or aluminum bar fixed across the inside of a trailer or container, either wedged between the walls or locked into wall track, to keep pallets from sliding during transit. Horizontal decking beams also let a second tier of pallets be carried.
- GlossaryLoad overhangLoad overhang is any part of a unit load that extends beyond the edges of the pallet's top deck. Unsupported case edges lose compression strength, get damaged in handling, and increase the measured size of the shipment.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 236 words.