Free pallet calculator · No signup · Updated November 2026
Pallet Calculator — Weight, Cube & Load Planning
Use this free pallet weight calculator to build a pallet from cases or check a finished load. Get the gross weight, layer plan, cube utilization, deck coverage, and LTL weight headroom — with density and 2025 freight class as secondary context.
- Build or check mode
- Layer and deck plan
- Empty pallet weight reference
- No signup or uploads
Pallet & load
Build a pallet from cases, or check a finished pallet. Results update as you type.
Units & conversion
Auto-converts when you switch.
Pallet and packaging includes the deck, wrap, corner boards, and any top cap. Overhang grows the measured envelope on every side.
Case & load
One case size per pallet plan.Leave cases to ship blank to fill one pallet to its calculated capacity. Enter a larger quantity to see the pallet count and the partial final pallet.
Measured pallet
Measure the finished handling unit.Include the pallet, packaging, and any overhang at the widest points. Density and class use these outer dimensions and the gross weight.
Ceilings
Optional weight ceiling.There is no universal pallet weight rating. Leave the weight ceiling blank unless your carrier, rack, or customer sets one.
Add a case size and a pallet to get started.
Quick answer
Fifty 16 × 12 × 10 in cases at 20 lb each on a 48 × 40 in GMA pallet with a 60 in ceiling produce 10 cases per layer × 5 layers = 50 cases. Gross weight is 1,037 lb. Cargo cube is 55.56 ft³ inside a 66.67 ft³ envelope — 83.3% cube utilization and 100% deck coverage. Density is 16.8 lb/ft³, or Class 70.
The 37 lb pallet finishes at 55.5 in, leaving 4.5 in of headroom. Density uses the 61.67 ft³ outer cube, not the cargo cube.
The method
How to calculate pallet weight and cube
This pallet calculator answers two different questions with four numbers. Gross weight is the weight on the floor. Cube utilization is how much of the allowed pallet envelope the cargo fills. Density is gross weight divided by the finished outer cube. They are related, but they are not the same number.
Cargo cube tells you how efficiently the cases fill the pallet. The outer cube is what the carrier measures and what density uses. Mixing them makes a pallet look denser than it is. The layer plan is a deterministic shelf pack, not a CAD plan: confirm the physical build with the loading crew.
Gross pallet weight
tare + packaging + (cases × case weight)
Use the handling unit as tendered, including wrap, corner boards, and top caps.
Cargo cube
cases × L × W × H ÷ 1,728
The volume of the cases themselves, before empty deck space and overhang.
Allowed envelope
(pallet L + 2 × overhang) × (pallet W + 2 × overhang) × max height ÷ 1,728
The full planning box, including the deck height and any overhang.
Cube utilization
cargo cube ÷ allowed envelope × 100
A reading of packaging efficiency, not a carrier charge or a density class.
Density and class
gross weight ÷ finished outer cube
The 2025 NMFC 13-tier density scale turns the result into a class estimate.
Layer plan
How many cases fit on a pallet? A 50-case example
A 48 × 40 in GMA deck is 1,920 in²; a 16 × 12 in case is 192 in². Area division says ten, but cases must fit as whole rectangles — a single grid gives nine and leaves 4 in unused. The calculator packs rows instead: two rows of three 16-in cases use 24 in of depth, and one row of four 12-in cases uses the remaining 16 in. That is 10 cases per layer.
Five layers fit under a 60 in ceiling because the deck is 5.5 in and each case is 10 in tall: (60 − 5.5) ÷ 10 = 5.45, rounded down. Finished height is 55.5 in.
Worked example · 50 cases
Cases per layer
10
Layers
5
Gross weight
1,037 lb
Cargo cube
55.56 ft³
Cube utilization
83.3%
Deck coverage
100%
Density
16.8 lb/ft³
2025 class
Class 70
Finished height
55.5 in
One case is 1.1111 ft³. Fifty cases are 55.56 ft³. The finished outer cube is 61.67 ft³. Density uses the larger outer cube; cube utilization uses the cargo cube.
Pallet weight reference
How much does a standard wooden pallet weigh?
A common 48 × 40 in GMA wooden pallet is about 37 lb (16.8 kg) empty. The 47.24 × 31.5 in EPAL Euro pallet is about 55 lb (25 kg). Wood species, moisture, board thickness, repairs, and supplier change the tare. The table gives empty pallet weight in lbs / kg for common footprints.
| Pallet | Footprint | Deck height | Empty weight (lb) | Empty weight (kg) | Deck area | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMA 48 × 40 in | 48 × 40 in | 5.5 in | 37 lb | 16.8 kg | 13.3 ft² | US grocery standard |
| Euro 47.2 × 31.5 in | 47.24 × 31.5 in | 5.7 in | 55 lb | 24.9 kg | 10.3 ft² | EPAL footprint |
| 48 × 48 in | 48 × 48 in | 5.5 in | 45 lb | 20.4 kg | 16 ft² | Drum and heavy-duty |
| 42 × 42 in | 42 × 42 in | 5.5 in | 33 lb | 15 kg | 12.3 ft² | Retail and beverage |
| 48 × 42 in | 48 × 42 in | 5.5 in | 40 lb | 18.1 kg | 14 ft² | Chemical and beverage |
GMA pallet weight in pounds is commonly planned at 37 lb; the EPAL Euro pallet weight in kg is about 25 kg. These are planning values, not manufacturer specifications. Confirm the tare on the pallet or with your supplier. A custom pallet keeps its own dimensions when you edit any field.
Material comparison
Plastic pallet weight vs wooden pallet weight
A nestable plastic pallet can weigh less than a GMA wood pallet; a heavy-duty rackable plastic pallet can weigh more. Plastic holds a consistent weight and does not absorb moisture. Wood is repairable and usually cheaper. Use the manufacturer’s tare for either.
Using the calculator
How to use this as a wood pallet weight calculator
Start with the GMA 37 lb default and overwrite it with the measured tare. A wooden pallet weight calculator is only as good as that tare: repairs, moisture, and board thickness can move it by several pounds. The same method works for 48 × 48, 42 × 42, and custom footprints.
Weight limits
LTL pallet weight limits
There is no single LTL pallet weight limit. Carriers publish per-handling-unit and per-shipment limits in their rules tariff, and receivers, racks, and lift equipment can set lower limits. Use the optional max gross weight field to make this an LTL pallet weight limit calculator for your carrier’s ceiling. The result shows the headroom or an over-weight flag; confirm the actual limit in the tariff before you ship.
A 53 ft trailer’s payload is a separate limit from a single pallet’s capacity. Once the pallet is built, use the linear feet calculator to see how much trailer floor it takes.
Known ceiling
Enter the carrier, rack, customer, or internal limit.
No ceiling
Leave it blank for planning-only gross weight.
Over-weight flag
Shown when the pallet exceeds the ceiling.
Secondary output
Pallet weight vs freight class
This tool answers “what does the pallet weigh, and how full is it?” Freight class answers “what rating basis applies?” Density and the 2025 class are secondary outputs; a pallet can be heavy and still rate poorly if it is bulky.
Density is gross weight divided by the finished outer cube. The 2025 NMFC scale has 13 density tiers. The calculator never returns the commodity-only classes 77.5, 110, 150, 200, or 500 from a density lookup.
For a multi-line shipment or a target-class comparison, use the freight class calculator, the 2025 chart, or the NMFC commodity lookup for the classification basis behind the density.
The measured example
A finished pallet measured at 48 × 40 × 60 in and 1,037 lb gross has 66.67 ft³ of outer cube and 15.6 lb/ft³. That maps to Class 70 on the 2025 density scale.
Gross weight
1,037 lb
Outer cube
66.67 ft³
Density
15.6 lb/ft³
The class is context for the rating conversation. It does not replace the carrier tariff, the NMFC item, or the accessorial rules.
How much does a standard wooden pallet weigh?
A common 48 × 40 in GMA wooden pallet is about 37 lb (16.8 kg) empty. An EPAL Euro pallet is about 55 lb (25 kg). Wood species, moisture, board thickness, repairs, and supplier change the tare, so measure the pallet or use the supplier’s empty weight in lbs or kg.
Is there an LTL pallet weight limit?
There is no universal LTL pallet weight limit. Carrier tariffs set per-handling-unit and per-shipment limits, and receivers, racks, and lift equipment can set lower ones. Enter your carrier’s ceiling in the max gross weight field; the calculator flags an over-weight pallet and shows the headroom.
How do I calculate pallet weight?
Gross pallet weight = pallet tare + packaging + (cases × case weight). Include wrap, corner boards, top caps, and banding. A 37 lb GMA pallet with fifty 20 lb cases is 1,037 lb gross.
How many cases fit on a pallet?
The calculator packs one case size into layers, tries both footprint rotations, and caps layers at the height ceiling. It returns cases per layer, layers, and cases per pallet, then applies an optional weight ceiling. Confirm stability with a physical build.
Plastic pallet weight vs wooden pallet weight — which is lighter?
It depends on the design. A nestable plastic pallet can weigh less than a GMA wood pallet, while a heavy-duty rackable plastic pallet can weigh more. Plastic holds a consistent weight; wood is repairable and usually cheaper. Use the manufacturer’s tare for either.
Related
Keep checking the load
LTL rating
Freight class calculator
Density, 2025 class, and the next cheaper tier.
Trailer planning
Linear feet calculator
Floor space, orientation, stacking, and lb/LF.
Parcel
Dimensional weight calculator
UPS, FedEx, and USPS billable weight.
Reference
2025 freight class chart
All 13 density tiers and the commodity-only classes.
Sources & scope
Pallet dimensions and tare weights are typical planning values, not manufacturer specifications. The GMA footprint is a US grocery standard; the EPAL Euro pallet specification lists 1200 × 800 × 144 mm and approximately 25 kg. The density scale and class structure come from the NMFTA 2025 NMFC changes. Pallet ratings, stacking strength, overhang rules, and carrier cubic-capacity rules vary by carrier, customer, and equipment. FreightClassHub is independent and not affiliated with the NMFTA or any carrier.
FreightClassHub editorial team · Updated