Standard 48×40
If someone says 'a gaylord' with no other information, this is what they mean.
- 48″ × 40″ × 36″ — 1,200 – 2,800 lb
- 48″ × 40″ × 30″ — 1,000 – 2,000 lb
- 48″ × 40″ × 24″ — 900 – 1,800 lb
Size chartTwelve footprints.
Twelve footprints.
Twelve different problems.
Every size in this chart exists because a specific combination of material density, handling method and freight economics made the others wrong. Below is the full table, then the reasoning behind each dimension.
Inside dimensionsCapacity by wall countBoxes per 53′Per-size spec pages
Answer first: the standard gaylord box is 48″ × 40″ × 36″ inside dimensions, holding about 33 cubic feet and 1,200–2,800 lb depending on wall count, with roughly 480 fitting knocked down in a 53-foot trailer. Shorter walls suit dense material, taller walls suit light bulky material, and octagons suit anything that flows.
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Tell us what you have or what you need. A real person in Houston reads every one of these — usually within a couple of hours during dock time.
Master table
Every stocked size, sortable by what actually matters
Capacity ranges span the wall counts we stock in that footprint. Truckload counts are knocked-down and banded.
| Size (ID) | Family | Walls | Capacity | Volume | Per 53′ KD | Stock | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48″ × 40″ × 36″ | Standard 48×40 | 2-wall to 4-wall | 1,200 – 2,800 lb | 40 cu ft | 480 | Deep stock | The default. Regrind, textiles, plastics, e-scrap, retail returns. |
| 48″ × 40″ × 30″ | Standard 48×40 | 2-wall to 3-wall | 1,000 – 2,000 lb | 33.3 cu ft | 540 | Deep stock | Dense material — metal turnings, glass cullet, wet fiber, minerals. |
| 48″ × 40″ × 24″ | Standard 48×40 | 2-wall to 3-wall | 900 – 1,800 lb | 26.7 cu ft | 600 | Regular stock | Line-side WIP, heavy castings, ergonomic hand-pick stations. |
| 48″ × 40″ × 42″ | Tall & extra-tall | 3-wall to 4-wall | 1,800 – 3,000 lb | 46.7 cu ft | 420 | Regular stock | Fluff, foam, film, EPS, light plastics, apparel. |
| 48″ × 40″ × 48″ | Tall & extra-tall | 4-wall to 5-wall | 2,500 – 4,000 lb | 53.3 cu ft | 360 | Regular stock | Baled film, bulk pellets in liners, long parts, seat cushions. |
| 40″ × 48″ × 45″ | Tall & extra-tall | 4-wall | 2,400 – 3,400 lb | 50 cu ft | 390 | Seasonal | Automotive interiors, converted foam, bulky returns. |
| 41″ × 28″ × 25″ | Half & quarter | 2-wall to 3-wall | 700 – 1,400 lb | 16.6 cu ft | 900 | Regular stock | Two-per-pallet picking, retail backrooms, sample runs. |
| 30″ × 30″ × 30″ | Half & quarter | 2-wall | 500 – 900 lb | 15.6 cu ft | 1100 | Regular stock | Lab waste, e-scrap sorting, small-parts kitting, mobile carts. |
| 45″ × 30″ × 45″ | Oversize & odd | 3-wall | 1,500 – 2,200 lb | 35.2 cu ft | 560 | Seasonal | Aisle-side collection, narrow racking, tight production cells. |
| 47″ × 38″ × 44″ | Oversize & odd | 3-wall to 4-wall | 2,000 – 3,000 lb | 45.5 cu ft | 400 | Seasonal | Resin, imported components, one-way inbound freight. |
| 48″ × 48″ × 40″ | Oversize & odd | 4-wall to 5-wall | 2,800 – 4,500 lb | 53.3 cu ft | 320 | Made to order | Chemical totes, heavy powders, foundry sand, aggregate blends. |
| 48″ × 40″ × 40″ | Octagon | Tri-wall octagon | 2,500 – 4,000 lb | 44.4 cu ft | 400 | Regular stock | Free-flowing solids, resin, food-grade dry goods, agriculture. |
Scroll the table sideways on a phone. Every size links to a full spec page with load calculations, pallet fit and the reasoning behind the dimension.
By family
Group the chart by the problem it solves
Most buyers do not need to compare twelve sizes. They need to identify which of five families their material belongs to, and then pick a wall height.
Tall & extra-tall
When your material weighs nothing and takes everything, buy height instead of buying more boxes.
- 48″ × 40″ × 42″ — 1,800 – 3,000 lb
- 48″ × 40″ × 48″ — 2,500 – 4,000 lb
- 40″ × 48″ × 45″ — 2,400 – 3,400 lb
Half & quarter
Two of these land on one 48×40 pallet with room for straps.
- 41″ × 28″ × 25″ — 700 – 1,400 lb
- 30″ × 30″ × 30″ — 500 – 900 lb
Oversize & odd
Thirty inches wide clears most standard aisle widths with a pallet jack.
- 45″ × 30″ × 45″ — 1,500 – 2,200 lb
- 47″ × 38″ × 44″ — 2,000 – 3,000 lb
- 48″ × 48″ × 40″ — 2,800 – 4,500 lb
Octagon
Eight sides means no corner to blow out — hoop stress spreads instead of concentrating.
- 48″ × 40″ × 40″ — 2,500 – 4,000 lb
Go deeper
Four guides that stop you ordering the wrong box
Dimensions explained
Inside versus outside, why the difference grows with wall count, and which one your racking cares about.
Wall count & weight
2-wall through 5-wall load ratings, edge crush, creep, humidity and the four things that destroy stacking strength.
How to measure
The five-minute procedure for measuring a box you already have, so the replacement actually matches.
Pallet fit & truckloads
Overhang, pallet matching, boxes per trailer knocked down and assembled, and how to plan a load.
Questions
Size chart questions
What is the standard gaylord box size?
48" × 40" × 36" inside dimensions. It matches the GMA pallet footprint exactly, which is the entire reason it exists in that dimension. Wall heights of 30" and 42" are the next most common.
Are these inside or outside dimensions?
Inside dimensions (ID), because what matters is what fits in the box. Outside dimensions run roughly ½" to 1½" larger per side depending on wall count. If a dimension matters for racking or trailer fit, ask for OD explicitly.
How do I convert cubic feet to my material?
Multiply volume in cubic feet by your material's bulk density in pounds per cubic foot, then check that number against the box's weight capacity. Dense material hits the weight limit long before it fills the volume — which is exactly why short-wall boxes exist.
Can you make a size that is not on this chart?
Yes. New boxes are made to any inside dimension in one-inch increments, and we can cut down used boxes to a shorter wall height. Cut-downs are usually cheaper and always faster.