Triple wall gaylord boxes
Triple wall means three layers of corrugated in each side wall; one maker rates a 48 x 40 x 36 triple-wall gaylord at 1,500 lb, and sellers cite 1,000 to 1,600 lb as the range.
Three walls, four liners
Count the layers of paper and flute in the cut edge of a gaylord wall. Three flutes between four liners is triple wall, also sold as tri-wall. Two flutes is double wall, four is 4-wall, five is 5-wall. Each added layer stiffens the wall, lifts the weight it carries and lengthens the box's life.
Triple wall is the working middle. It is what most buyers picture when they search "triple wall boxes" and what most 48 x 40 x 36 gaylords are made of. ASTM D5168 is the standard that covers fabrication and closure of triple-wall corrugated containers.
What the labels say
| Source or size | What is quoted |
|---|---|
| 48 x 40 x 36 in, one maker | 1,500 lb capacity |
| 36 x 36 x 36 in, one maker | 1,200 lb capacity; test 1,100# triple wall |
| 46 x 38 x 36 in octagon | 1,300 lb test; 2,200 lb listed capacity |
| Triple wall in one catalog | 1100#/ECT-90 |
| Double wall in the same catalog | 275#/ECT-48 |
| Single wall in the same catalog | 200#/ECT-32 |
Notice that "test" and "capacity" are different numbers. A test rating is a lab measure of the board. A capacity is what the maker says the loaded box can carry. They are not interchangeable, and a used box has not been retested.
When triple wall is the right box
- Loads between about 1,000 and 1,600 lb, the range sellers cite, with room to spare.
- Stacked storage where the bottom box carries the ones above it.
- Multi-trip work that is rough on the board but not extreme.
- Octagons: a heavy triple-wall octabin is a common construction for resin and produce.
It is the wrong box for very dense, flowable or heavy cargo, where 4 or 5 walls and an octagon make more sense; see 4 and 5 wall boxes. It is also overkill for light bulky freight. Two walls cost less and may be enough: double wall.
Buying a triple wall used
Triple-wall boxes that arrived with inbound freight and were emptied once are among the commonest used stock. A Grade A single-trip triple wall that stayed dry is close to new. A Grade B one has scuffs and old labels but kept its strength. We describe every used box by grade, wall count, bottom and footprint.
Tell us the weight of your load and what it is. We ask the bottom style next, since a triple wall on a partial bottom behaves differently from one with full flaps. The bottoms page explains the difference.
Triple wall in the trades that ask for it
- Machine shops packing steel fasteners and small castings by the pallet.
- Food processors moving dry ingredients inside a liner.
- Distribution buildings returning damaged goods to a manufacturer.
- Plastics plants shipping regrind and flake.
- Growers moving heavy produce like squash and cantaloupe.
- Garden and farm suppliers shipping bagged soil, compost and seed.
Reading a box certificate
Most triple-wall gaylords carry a stamp that lists a burst or edge crush rating, a size, and sometimes a maker. "1100#/ECT-90" is shorthand: a combined weight rating and an edge crush test number. Edge crush is measured on a strip of board standing on its edge; higher numbers mean a stiffer wall. Burst is measured by pushing a diaphragm through the board.
You do not need to memorize these. You need to know whether the box on your dock has a stamp at all, because a box with an unreadable or missing stamp is harder to rate. If a used box has lost its stamp, ask us how we would grade it.
When you compare quotes, compare ratings, sizes and condition together. Two triple-wall boxes with different test numbers are not the same box.
Questions people ask
What does triple wall mean?
Three layers of fluted board between four liners in each side wall.
Is triple wall enough for 1,500 lb?
It is at the edge. One maker rates a 48 x 40 x 36 at 1,500 lb, so keep a margin and ask for the rating of the box you get.
Do used triple-wall boxes lose their rating?
A clean dry Grade A box keeps close to its rating; lower grades give some up.
Sources
- Uline triple-wall box sizes, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- The Cary Company: gaylord boxes, history and handling, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- Bulk box, Wikipedia, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- Container Exchanger: the gaylord box guide, last reviewed November 11, 2026