48 x 48 pallets
The 48 x 48 is a square pallet, 48 inches each way, and it is often used in the chemical sector.
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 48 inches, or 1,219 x 1,219 millimeters
- Deck area
- 2,304 square inches, which is 16 square feet
- Shape
- Square, so there is no long side and short side to get wrong
- Known for
- Often used in the chemical sector
Deck area is 48 times 48, which is 2,304 square inches, or 16 square feet. That is 20% more than a 48 x 40, by the same arithmetic as for the other sizes. A square pallet is useful when a drum or a tote or a carton layout wants to be square, and it is easy to load in any direction.
What a square footprint changes
- No wrong way round. On a 48 x 40 or a 48 x 45, a forklift operator has to know which side the forks go in. A 48 x 48 is the same on all four sides.
- Rack and trailer fit. A 48 x 48 does not fit the openings built for 40-inch or 45-inch pallets. Measure before ordering.
- Stacking. Square stacks are stable, and four-way entry is a natural fit. See four-way pallets.
Where it shows up around Detroit
Wayne County's industries include chemicals, and Wyandotte has BASF Wyandotte. Steel and port terminals sit along the river, and Monroe has steel bar and a Lake Erie port. A square pallet is likely to show up where bulk and heavy goods move. Most 48 x 48 stock is made to order rather than pulled from a used stack, so a request for it often begins as a new or custom one. See also chemicals.
Used 48 x 48
Used 48 x 48 stock exists but is thinner on the ground than 48 x 40. If you have a stack to sell, a count and a photo helps a lot, because buyers who want the size look for it by name. If you want to buy, say whether new is acceptable and what load it carries.
Questions about the 48 x 48
Will a standard rack take it?
Not reliably. Standard rack openings are built around the 40-inch and 45-inch pallets, and a 48 inch depth may overhang the beam.
Is it stronger than a 48 x 40?
It has more deck, and many are built heavier, but strength comes from the build and the lumber, not the footprint alone.
Where do I look for a used one?
Docks that handle chemicals and bulk goods are the likeliest sources. Ask a seller for a photo with a tape measure laid across the deck.
Square means flexible
Because it is square, a 48 x 48 can be turned any way on a conveyor, in a stretch wrapper or on a truck. Operators do not have to remember which edge faces the forks. For work with drums, totes and large cartons, that simplicity has value, and it is why the footprint survives even though it is uncommon.
Orders
A buyer should state the build as well as the size, because a 48 x 48 can be block or stringer.