Cube utilization
Also called: cube efficiency, space utilization, cube out
Cube 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.
In depth: Cases per pallet (Ti-Hi)
Cube utilization measures how much space you are paying to ship or store that holds nothing.
How to calculate it
Cube utilization = volume of product ÷ available volume × 100
| Level | Available volume |
|---|---|
| Pallet | Pallet length × width × maximum load height allowed |
| Trailer or container | Inside length × width × height |
| Warehouse slot | Rack opening dimensions |
Example: a 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) pallet with a 60 in (1524 mm) load height limit has 115,200 in³ (66.7 ft³, 1.89 m³) of available space. A load of cases totalling 92,160 in³ (53.3 ft³, 1.51 m³) uses 80% of it.
What limits it
- Case sizes that do not divide evenly into the footprint (underhang or voids)
- Height limits set by the rack, the trailer or the customer
- Weight limits: dense product "weighs out" before it "cubes out"
- Pallet height, which uses space without holding product
Why it matters for pallet design
The pallet sets the footprint and takes up height. A custom footprint that matches the case pattern, or a lower-profile pallet, can raise cube utilization across every shipment. See the cases per pallet and pallets per truck calculators.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
Give the case size, the maximum load height, and the trailer or container type. Ask for the ti-hi that results.
Common confusions
"Cubing out" means a trailer is full by volume before it reaches its weight limit. "Weighing out" is the opposite.
Related
- 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.
- GlossaryWhat is ti-hi?Ti-hi describes how cases are stacked on a pallet: the ti is the number of cases in each layer and the hi is the number of layers. Ti times hi gives the cases per pallet; for example, a 10 × 5 ti-hi is 50 cases.
- GlossaryPallet positionA pallet position is the space for one pallet: a floor spot in a trailer or container, or a slot in a warehouse rack. Carriers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) often count capacity and charge storage by pallet position.
- CalculatorsCases per pallet (Ti-Hi)Cases per layer, layers, total cases, load height, gross weight and cube utilization for any case and pallet size, with the layer pattern.
- CalculatorsPallets per truck and containerHow many pallets fit in a 53 ft or 48 ft trailer, a box truck, or a 20 ft, 40 ft or 45 ft container, straight, turned or mixed, with a top-view load plan.
- GuidesHow many pallets fit in a truck? 53 ft and 48 ft trailer countsA 53 ft dry van holds 26 standard 48 × 40 in pallets loaded straight (two across, 13 rows) or 30 loaded turned (15 rows), single stacked. Double stacking doubles that if the loads allow. A 48 ft trailer holds 22 to 24 straight or 28 turned. Weight often runs out first, at about 42,000 to 45,000 lb of cargo.
More in Loading and shipping
- GlossaryColumn stackingColumn 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. 262 words.