How the calculator stacks a pallet
It looks for the layer that holds the most boxes: all facing one way, all turned, or the deck split into two blocks with the boxes turned in the second block. Those are the patterns people stack by hand on a dock, and they interlock when you turn every other layer. Then it adds layers up to your height limit and stops early if the weight limit comes first.
The loaded pallet's height and weight give its density and freight class, and the link opens it in the freight class calculator, where you can add more pallets to the shipment.
Tips for a dense, stable pallet
- Keep boxes inside the deck edges: overhang adds cube and invites damage.
- Put the heaviest boxes at the bottom and keep the top layer flat.
- A shorter, full pallet usually ships cheaper than a tall, half-empty one: density decides the class.
Pallet sizes other than 48 × 40 are listed in standard pallet sizes.
Questions
How many boxes fit on a pallet?
Divide the pallet deck by the box footprint to find how many fit in one layer, trying the box both ways round and in two blocks. Then divide the height you can use (the limit minus the pallet) by the box height for the number of layers, and check the weight limit. The calculator does all of this and draws the layer.
What is Ti-Hi on a pallet?
Ti is the number of cartons in one layer and Hi is the number of layers. Ti × Hi is the cartons per pallet: 10 cartons a layer, 6 layers high is a 10 × 6 Ti-Hi, 60 cartons. The calculator shows both.
How tall can a pallet be for LTL?
It depends on the carrier and the receiver. Pitt Ohio’s tariff, for one, treats 40 × 48 × 48 in as its standard pallet, adds 50% for a height of 49 to 60 in and 100% above 60 in, and charges more for pallets over 2,500 lb. XPO, for mixed shipments not itemized on the bill, figures anything 75 in or taller as 96 in. Amazon asks for a pack height ideally no higher than 50 in and at most 1,500 lb per pallet. Check the limits that apply to you and set them in the calculator.
Should boxes overhang the pallet?
No. Overhang crushes the box edges and makes the pallet bigger: carriers measure at the widest point, so overhang adds cube, lowers density and can raise the class.