Pallet Calculator
Enter your cartons and pallet to see how many fit per layer and per pallet, how many pallets you need and how each pallet is built.
Results
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Next steps with this cargo
Assumptions
Pallet presets and the default maximum loaded height (1,800 mm) are planning references; check the limits that apply to your pallets, racking and transport.
Cartons on upper layers must rest at least 75% on cartons below. Max weight on top counts the full weight of every carton above whose footprint overlaps.
This is an optimized planning layout and is not a certified cargo-loading or safety plan.
How the Pallet Calculator works
The calculator places cartons on the pallet with the same packing engine used for containers. It tries every allowed carton rotation and several packing strategies, including mixed arrangements within a layer, and keeps the best plan found. Every carton has real coordinates, so the layer diagrams show exactly how the pallet is built.
Each plan is checked against the pallet's maximum loaded height and weight, the allowed overhang, carton orientation rules, stackability, fragile cartons and maximum stacking weight. Cartons above the floor must be supported by the cartons beneath them.
Formula
TI (cartons per layer) × HI (layers) = cartons per pallet (single SKU, uniform layers) Pallets required = all cartons placed across pallets Loaded height = pallet height + cargo height Gross weight = pallet tare + cargo weight
For mixed SKUs, cartons are placed pallet by pallet until everything is loaded, so TI × HI applies only to uniform pallets.
Worked example
Cartons of 40 × 30 × 25 cm on a Euro pallet (120 × 80 cm, 14.4 cm high) with a maximum loaded height of 180 cm:
Floor: 120 × 80 cm fits 8 cartons per layer (2 × 4 or a mixed pattern) Height: (180 − 14.4) ÷ 25 = 6.6 → 6 layers Cartons per pallet: 8 × 6 = 48
Simple division gives the same answer here; with awkward carton sizes, turning some cartons often fits more than division suggests.
When to use it
- Planning how a supplier should palletize your cartons.
- Working out how many pallets a shipment needs and how tall and heavy they are.
- Preparing loaded pallet sizes for the Pallets per Container Calculator.
Limitations
The result is the best plan the engine found, not a proven optimum, and it is a planning layout rather than a certified load or safety plan. It does not model carton crush strength beyond the maximum stacking weight you enter, interlocking patterns, stretch wrap or corner boards.
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Frequently asked questions
What is TI × HI?
TI is the number of cartons in one layer and HI is the number of layers on the pallet. Multiplied together they give the cartons per pallet for a single product.
Can I plan pallets with several SKUs?
Yes. Enter several carton lines and the engine builds mixed pallets, respecting stacking, fragile and orientation rules for each carton.
What maximum loaded height should I use?
Use the limit from your warehouse, carrier or container. 1.8 m including the pallet is a common planning default, and the door opening of a container also limits the height.