42 x 42 pallets
The 42 x 42 is a small square pallet, common in the beverage industry.
Turn it over and look
A 3D model built from the dimensions in the table. It loads when you ask.
- 48 x 48
- 48 x 45
- 48 x 42
- 48 x 40
- 42 x 42
- 800 x 1200 mm (Euro)
The numbers
- Size
- 42 x 42 inches, or 1,067 x 1,067 millimeters
- Deck area
- 1,764 square inches, which is 12.25 square feet
- Known for
- Common in the beverage industry
Deck area is 42 times 42, which is 1,764 square inches. A 48 x 40 has 1,920, so the 42 x 42 gives up about 8% of deck. A pallet this size suits product that is stacked tall and tight and does not need to overhang.
A visitor on a Detroit dock
This research did not find a beverage cluster in Metro Detroit, so a 42 x 42 is more likely to arrive as a visitor on inbound freight or at food and drink distribution than as the size a plant ships on. Food distribution does run through the metro, at Eastern Market, in Canton, in Warren and near the airport in Romulus. If your dock sees an occasional 42 x 42, you are not alone, and it does not need its own program.
What to do with a few of them
Keep them together
A stack of 42 x 42 is easier to place than the same pallets scattered through a 48 x 40 pile.
Check the grade
A clean 42 x 42 is worth a mention. A damaged one is a core.
Say the size by name
A request that says "small square" is ambiguous. Say 42 x 42, in inches.
Buying 42 x 42
Used stock in this size is less common than in the 48-inch sizes. If you need a steady run, a new or custom build may be easier, and new and custom pallets explains how to write the spec. If the run is small, a request that names the size, the count and the rhythm is enough to start.
Questions about the 42 x 42
Can a 42 x 42 stand in for a 48 x 40?
Only for freight that fits inside it. The smaller pallet loses about 8% of deck area and gives up six inches of length.
Is it sold new?
Yes, often on order. A used supply is thin.
Does it work in a standard trailer?
Yes, though the layout differs, and the count per trailer should be worked out for this footprint, not assumed from the 48 x 40.
Why beverage freight likes it
Beverage cases are heavy and packed tightly, and a square layout on a smaller pallet gives a stable, compact stack. The load height matters more than the footprint, since tall stacks sway. A buyer who needs it for beverage freight should say how high the stack will rise.
Square stacks
A square pallet suits square cartons, and a stack of drinks cases fills the deck neatly with no wasted corner. Turn the stack ninety degrees on each layer for stability, a technique called column rotation by some and interlocking by others.
Beverage seasons
Beverage freight peaks in summer and around holidays. A request just before then is easier to place.