Gaylord box sizes and dimensions
Most gaylords are 48 x 40 inches on the floor and between 24 and 50 inches tall, and the common sizes run from 18.7 to 64 cubic feet.
Every common size in one table
| Size | Cubic feet | Rated capacity | Pounds per cubic foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 x 24 x 28 in | 18.7 | 1,200 lb | 64.2 |
| 40 x 30 x 30 in | 20.8 | 1,200 lb | 57.7 |
| 48 x 40 x 24 in | 26.7 | 1,500 lb | 56.2 |
| 36 x 36 x 36 in | 27 | 1,200 lb | 44.4 |
| 46 x 38 x 36 in octagon | 36.4 | 2,200 lb | 60.4 |
| 40 x 40 x 40 in | 37 | 1,300 lb | 35.1 |
| 48 x 40 x 36 in | 40 | 1,500 lb | 37.5 |
| 48 x 48 x 36 in | 48 | 1,400 lb | 29.2 |
| 48 x 45 x 40 in | 50 | Not stated | - |
| 48 x 40 x 48 in | 53.3 | 1,500 lb | 28.1 |
| 48 x 48 x 48 in | 64 | 1,400 lb | 21.9 |
Ratings come from published maker listings (see sources), the volume is width x depth x height divided by 1,728, and capacity per cubic foot is the rating divided by the volume. Treat all of them as examples. The rating on the box in front of you is the one that counts.
How to read the table
The trade says "gaylord dimensions" and "gaylord box size" and means the same thing: width, depth and height in inches, always in that order. The footprint is width by depth. Height is the set-up height. Volume follows. A 48 x 40 x 36 is therefore 48 inches by 40 inches on the floor and 36 inches high.
Typical footprints are 48 x 40, 48 x 48 and 48 x 45 inches, and sidewalls usually run 24 to 50 inches. Many boxes are sized for 40 x 48 or 45 x 45 inch pallets. If your pallet is not 48 x 40, tell us before you pick a size.
Capacity per cubic foot is the column to study. A load that weighs less per cubic foot than the box's figure fits easily. A load denser than that needs a shorter box, more walls, or both. Dense parts belong in the 48 x 24 x 28 and 40 x 30 x 30. Light foam and film belong in the 48 x 48 x 48.
Which size for which job
| Job | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| General bulk freight | 48 x 40 x 36 | The standard, and the commonest used stock |
| Melons, pumpkins, resin, powder | 46 x 38 x 36 octagon | Angled corners resist bulge |
| Dense metal parts | 48 x 40 x 24 or 40 x 30 x 30 | Short boxes for heavy loads |
| Light bulky scrap | 48 x 40 x 48 | Height buys volume |
| Mixed used from resin plants | 48 x 45 x 40 | Watch the pallet overhang |
| Half-pallet dense loads | 48 x 24 x 28 | Narrow footprint |
Footprints and pallets
A gaylord is shaped by its pallet. The 48 x 40 pallet is the standard, and boxes that match it stack and strap cleanly. Footprints larger than the pallet overhang, and overhang costs strength: Virginia Tech research found effective compression strength decreases as pallet overhang increases. Footprints smaller than the pallet leave deck bare, which affects wrapping and stability.
Square 48 x 48 pallets and 45 x 45 inch pallets exist in some supply chains. If you use one of them, your box list changes. Start with the pallet, then the footprint, then the height, then the walls.
Reading a size from the floor up
Start with the footprint, because the pallet decides it. A 48 x 40 pallet is 1,920 square inches of deck, and every footprint on this page is a share of that, or an overhang of it. The 48 x 40 covers all of it. The 40 x 40 covers 83 percent. The 36 x 36 covers 68 percent. The 48 x 48 covers 120 percent, which is why it hangs over.
Then height. Height is set-up height, the box standing with its flaps folded in. It buys volume at a cost: the rating stays the same for several heights of the same wall construction, so a taller box is a lighter-duty box per cubic foot. That is the single idea behind the whole table, and it is why the short boxes in it carry the densest loads.
Last, the walls. Two, three, four and five walls change the rating more than any dimension does, and they are not in the table because the maker's rating is quoted per construction. See weight capacity for how wall count moves it.
A short list of mistakes people make with sizes
- Ordering by height when the problem is footprint: a box that overhangs the pallet is weaker than its label.
- Assuming a taller box holds more weight: the rating is usually the same, so it holds more air.
- Mixing 48 x 40 and 48 x 48 boxes in one stack: the larger footprint leaves the lower layer overhanging on both sides.
- Counting outside dimensions as inside: a triple-wall box loses about an inch on each wall to board thickness.
- Forgetting the dock door: two 48 inch layers reach eight feet.
Questions people ask
What size is a standard gaylord box?
Most are 48 x 40 inches on the floor, with heights between about 24 and 50 inches. The 48 x 40 x 36 is the most common.
How do I know which size I have?
Measure width, depth and height in inches at the set-up box. Quote them in that order.
Do sizes affect strength?
Yes. Taller boxes of the same walls carry the same rating on paper, so capacity per cubic foot drops.
Sources
- Nelson Company: when is a container a gaylord, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- Uline triple-wall box sizes, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- Virginia Tech: pallet overhang and box compression strength, last reviewed November 11, 2026