There is no single answer, because it depends on your case footprint, your case height and the height limit you are shipping to. But the arithmetic is short and worth doing before you cut a die, because case dimensions decide pallet efficiency for the life of that die.
Step 1: cases per layer
A standard US pallet measures 48 x 40 in, a deck area of 1,920 square inches. Divide that by your case footprint for the theoretical maximum, then work out whether the case actually fits that way.
Take a case measuring 16 x 12 in externally, a footprint of 192 square inches. The theoretical maximum is 1,920 divided by 192, which is ten. A straight grid gives you less: three cases across the 48 in side at 16 in each, and three down the 40 in side at 12 in each, is nine cases with a 4 in strip wasted.
A pinwheel pattern recovers it. Lay four cases along one edge turned so their 12 in side runs along the 48 in edge, using 16 in of depth. That leaves a 48 x 24 in area, which takes three across by two deep, or six. Four plus six is ten cases per layer, filling the deck completely.
Step 2: layers
- Start from the maximum loaded height you are allowed. Confirm this with your carrier and your receiving warehouse, because the answer differs between a parcel network, a less than truckload shipment and a retailer's dock.
- Subtract the pallet itself. A wooden pallet is commonly 5 to 6 in tall.
- Divide the remainder by your case height and round down. There is no such thing as three quarters of a layer.
With a 50 in limit, a 5.5 in pallet and a 10 in case height, you get 44.5 divided by 10, which rounds down to four layers. Four layers of ten cases is 40 cases per pallet.
Step 3: check the stack will survive
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Overhang | A case hanging over the deck edge loses the corner support that carries load, which is where a corrugated box gets almost all its stacking strength |
| Column versus interlock | Column stacking, corner over corner, is far stronger. Interlocking ties the load together but sacrifices vertical strength |
| Bottom layer load | The bottom case carries everything above it for however long the pallet sits, which is an edge crush question rather than a burst question |
| Humidity and time | Corrugated loses stiffness in damp storage, so a stack that holds on day one may not on day ninety |
If you are choosing board grade for a palletised product, our explainer on burst strength and edge crush covers which number actually governs a stacked load.
Design the case around the pallet, not the other way round
This is the practical payoff. If a half inch change to your case footprint gains a column per layer, that gain repeats on every pallet you ever ship. Because the cutting die is included at iBox, adjusting the case to fit the pallet cleanly costs nothing in tooling. It is one of the few free wins in packaging.
Ordering and lead time
Minimum order is 100 boxes, from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. Turnaround runs in three lanes: rush (expedited production with air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery, with specialty imported items up to about 12 weeks. Rush adds a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job. We produce in West Chicago and in Guangzhou. Master cases are on our corrugated boxes page.
Send your current case dimensions, your case weight and your height limit, and request a quote. We will tell you whether a small dimensional change buys you another column per layer before you commit to a die.
