48 x 42 pallets
The 48 x 42 ranks fifth in North American pallet production and is used in chemical and beverage freight.
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
- 48 x 42 inches, or 1,219 x 1,067 millimeters
- Deck area
- 2,016 square inches, which is 14 square feet
- Rank
- 5th in North American pallet production
- Known for
- Chemical and beverage
Deck area is 48 times 42, which is 2,016 square inches or 14 square feet. It sits between the 48 x 40 at 1,920 and the 48 x 45 at 2,160. Only two inches wider than the standard, it is easy to mistake for one, and a rack opening that takes one may or may not take the other.
Why it is easy to confuse
- 48 x 40 and 48 x 42 differ by two inches in width. A tape measure shows it; the eye does not.
- 48 x 42 and 48 x 45 differ by three. Three inches is enough to snag a rack upright.
- Say the size in inches, not "standard" or "automotive".
Where it may turn up
Chemicals are one of Wayne County's industries, with BASF Wyandotte in Wyandotte, and steel and port terminals run along the river. Chemical and beverage freight uses the 48 x 42, so it is a size to expect near those docks, and as an occasional visitor on a general dock. See chemicals and Wyandotte.
Used or new
Used 48 x 42 is a niche stock, less easy to find than the 48 x 40. A steady need is often best met by new or custom stock. If you have a stack to sell, say the size by name, give a count and send a photo. A mixed pile that happens to hold a few of them is fine; the request can say so.
Questions about the 48 x 42
Is it a half step between two sizes?
Yes, sitting between the 48 x 40 and the 48 x 45, but it has its own place in chemical and beverage freight.
Will it fit a 48 x 40 rack?
Maybe not. Two inches of extra width can foul a rack that was tight already.
Can I mix it into a 48 x 40 stack?
Avoid it. The stack will lean and a forklift may catch an edge.
Fifth in North America
A size that ranks fifth in production is not rare. It is common enough that a buyer who needs it can find stock, and uncommon enough that a seller should label it clearly. A stack described only as "48 inch" is ambiguous, and one described as "48 x 42, Grade B, 120" is clear.
Writing it down
Because it is so easy to confuse with its neighbors, write 48 x 42 in a request as the full size with units: forty-eight by forty-two inches. Add a photograph of a tape across the deck, which settles the question at once.
Orders
Say the size, the count, and the build, and attach a photo with a tape across the deck.
Checking a lot
Lay a tape across ten pallets. If all read 42, the lot is consistent.
Rank in context
Fifth place in production out of the sizes tracked means the 48 x 42 is a regular, not an exotic. A buyer who needs one can usually find a supplier within a few calls.