Gaylord questions
Sixteen short answers about gaylord boxes in the Delaware Valley, from sizes and weights to grades, food contact and what we do not publish.
Start here
These are the questions that arrive most often, answered briefly and linked to the page that goes deeper. If yours is not here, send it with a request.
What this page does not answer
Questions about a specific box need the box. Questions about a specific plant, terminal or market belong to that operator. We name them for geography only and cannot speak for them. If you need a price, a delivery date or a quantity commitment, put the details in a request and the reply carries what can be agreed.
Where the answers come from
Weights and capacities come from published maker listings and are examples. Local facts carry a source on the page that uses them. Numbers on grades and humidity come from trade and university sources named on the guides. Anything we could not source we did not state.
Questions people ask
What is a gaylord box?
A pallet-sized corrugated bulk box, usually 48 x 40 inches, built to carry hundreds to thousands of pounds. See what is a gaylord box.
How much does a gaylord box cost?
It depends on walls, grade, size, bottom and freight, and we state no prices on this site. Put your own quote in the per-trip ticket to see your cost per trip.
What is the standard gaylord size?
48 x 40 x 36 inches. All common sizes are in the sizes table.
How much weight can a gaylord hold?
Sellers cite roughly 800 to 3,000 lb depending on wall count. The maker's rating for the exact box is what counts. See weight capacity.
Are used gaylords as strong as new?
A clean, dry Grade A box is close. Lower grades have given up some strength. See grades.
Can used gaylords hold food?
We are conservative: not for direct contact without a liner and the buyer's own food-safety rules. See food contact.
Are your used boxes UN-rated?
No. A used box is not UN-rated unless it is certified, and we do not sell any as such.
Where do you operate?
Philadelphia, its four Pennsylvania neighbors, five South Jersey counties and New Castle County, Delaware. See areas.
Do you have a yard or a phone number?
We publish no street address, yard or phone number. Requests go through the form and we reply by email.
Can I sell you my empty gaylords?
Send a sell request with the count, footprint and grade. See sell.
What happens to boxes that fail grading?
They go to the baler as old corrugated containers. See recycling.
What is the difference between a gaylord and an octabin?
An octabin has eight sides. All octabins are gaylords. See octagonal gaylords.
How many gaylords fit on a truck?
It depends on the trailer and the box, and it is arithmetic. See per truckload.
How do I fold a gaylord flat?
Open the flaps, fold the walls along their creases and band the stack. See folding flat.
Do you set minimums or turnaround times?
We state none on this site. Tell us what you need and when, and we answer by email.
What is a full flap bottom?
A bottom whose flaps meet in the middle, carrying heavy loads directly. See full or partial bottom.
How do I tell a Grade A from a Grade B box?
Grade A is clean, dry and intact; Grade B shows wear but no weakness. See grades.
Can humidity weaken a box?
Yes. Corrugated loses about half its compression strength when relative humidity rises from 50 to 90 percent. See weight capacity.
Do melon and pumpkin growers use gaylords?
Bulk bins, especially octabins, are common at harvest. See melon growers and pumpkin growers.
What does the per-trip ticket do?
It turns the prices you type into a cost per trip, a break-even trip count and a season box count. It holds no prices of its own. See the ticket.