Standard pallet height: empty pallets and maximum load heights

"Pallet height" means two different things. The first is the height of the empty pallet, which is a design dimension. The second is the height of the loaded pallet, which is set by racks, trucks, containers and receivers. This guide gives both, with the arithmetic so you can work out any design.

#How tall is an empty pallet?

An empty pallet's overall height is the sum of its layers: top deck, spacer (stringer or block plus any stringerboard), and bottom deck. For a stringer pallet:

height = top deckboard thickness + stringer height + bottom deckboard thickness

Plastic and metal figures are indicative from manufacturer catalogs. For example, one heavy rackable HDPE 48 × 40 is published at 5.6 in and a 1200 × 800 nestable at 140 mm. Always check the model's data sheet.

Across all common types, a standard pallet is about 4-3/4 to 6-1/2 in (120 to 165 mm) tall. If you only need one number for planning, use 6 in (150 mm).

#Why wood pallet heights vary

Three choices set the height of a stringer pallet:

1. Deckboard thickness. Pallet deckboards run from 1/2 in to 7/8 in (13 to 22 mm). Two decks means the difference counts twice.
2. Stringer height. Most stringers are 3-1/2 in (89 mm). Heavy-duty or tall-entry designs use 3-3/4, 4 or 5-1/2 in.
3. Deck style. A single-face pallet or skid has no bottom deck.

Block pallet height also depends on block height (EPAL uses 78 mm blocks, many North American block pallets use about 3-1/2 in) and on whether there is a bottom stringerboard.

#Entry height: the number forklifts care about

The entry height is the clear opening between the decks. Fork tines on a typical forklift are about 1-1/2 to 2 in thick, and a pallet jack's lowered height is usually about 3 in, so the opening must clear both.

The Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets recommends a notch opening of about 2 in (notch depth plus bottom deckboard). Notched openings are for forklift tines only. They are too low for pallet jacks.

#Maximum load height: what limits it

The loaded height of a unit load is limited by where it goes next. There is no single legal maximum pallet height.

Container and trailer figures are typical interior and door dimensions. Individual equipment varies by builder and age, so check the unit you are loading.

#Racking

In selective racking, the load plus pallet must fit under the next beam with room to lift. Most warehouses allow about 6 in (150 mm) between the top of the load and the underside of the beam above. For example, beams set 60 in apart (top of beam to top of beam) with a 4 in deep beam face leave a 56 in clear opening, so the load, including the pallet, should stay at about 50 in or less. See pallet racking and deflection.

#Trucks

A 53 ft dry van is about 108 to 110 in tall inside. Single-tier loads can be taller than you might expect, but tall, light loads waste the weight allowance and often shift. Double stacking works when each unit is about 50 in or less, the top of the lower load is flat and strong enough, and the combined weight stays within the trailer limit. The pallets per truckload guide covers the counts.

#Containers

Standard 20 and 40 ft containers are about 2,390 mm (94 in) tall inside, but the door opening is about 2,280 mm (90 in). High cube containers add about 300 mm. To double stack in a standard container, each unit needs to be roughly 1,100 mm (43 in) or less including the pallet. See pallets per container.

#Retailers

Retailers publish load height limits in their vendor or routing guides, and they change them. Amazon, Walmart, Costco and Home Depot each set their own limits for height, weight and overhang. Check the current guide before you build a load. Our retailer pages (Amazon, Walmart, Costco) summarize them with a review date.

#Choosing a load height

A good default for 48 × 40 loads in North America is 48 to 60 in total height, including the pallet. That range:

• fits most racking at common beam spacings;
• allows double stacking in a 53 ft trailer;
• keeps the load's center of gravity low enough for stable handling;
• keeps corrugated boxes in the range where stacking strength is usually adequate.

Go taller only when the product is light and stable, and when every receiver in the chain can take it.

#Specifying height on a pallet order

On an RFQ, state the maximum empty pallet height if your equipment needs it (for example, automated conveyors or low-clearance racking), the minimum entry height for your forks or pallet jacks, and the maximum loaded height. The designer calculates overall height from the board and stringer sizes you enter. Open the 48 × 40 template and change the deckboard thickness to see the effect.