Charlotte region, NC and SC I-85 I-77 I-40
I-85
A 48 x 40 x 48 in gaylord holds about 53.3 cubic feet on a 48 x 40 inch footprint and one maker rates it at 1,500 lb. The tall box.
The tall box. It takes the standard footprint up to four feet, so it holds a third more than the 36 inch box. It is for loads that are bulky and light for their volume, where a shorter box would be full long before the rating is reached.
Film, fiber, yarn, packaging scrap, foam and returned goods. In the region it suits textile mills in Gaston and Cleveland counties and the distribution docks that consolidate light freight.
| Measure | Value | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 48 x 40 in | 1,920 sq in, 13.33 sq ft |
| Volume | 53.3 cu ft | 48 x 40 x 48 = 92,160 cubic inches, divided by 1,728 = 53.33 cubic feet |
| Maker rating, triple wall | 1,500 lb | One maker's spec page |
| Rating per cubic foot | 28.1 lb | 1,500 / 53.3 |
| Pallet fit | Full 48 x 40 pallet | By footprint |
The rating per cubic foot is the heaviest a full box can be and still sit inside the maker's rating, so a load denser than 28.1 pounds per cubic foot should not fill the box to the brim.
Tall boxes behave differently on a truck. Two high reaches the roofline of many trailers, so planners often load them one high or mix them with lower boxes. A dock that runs these also tends to own a sturdy dock plate and a mast tall enough to clear the door header, details worth a line in the request if your door is low. The tall version holds a third more than the standard box and is chosen for light bulk: furniture parts, textiles, film, foam and empty containers. The extra height means a forklift driver has to watch the mast and the load together, and a stack of two reaches about eight feet. Walls here matter less for weight than for keeping the corners from folding under their own height.
Because tall boxes are bought for volume, a seller should say how much of the volume was actually used. A box that carried bulky, light goods and was never overfilled is described differently from one that was packed to the brim. Mention if the tops have been cut or the flaps removed, since a tall box without flaps is a bin, not a gaylord.
Take the 48 x 40 x 48 in box, 48 inches tall, and the example floor of 620 inches by 98 inches on the trucks guide. Set 40 inches along the length and the floor takes 15 by 2, which is 30 boxes; set 48 inches along the length and it takes 12 by 2, which is 24. The better orientation is 40 inches along the length, 30 on the floor, and 60 if the load can safely go two high, a stack 8 feet tall. Your own truck will differ.
One 48 x 40 x 48 in box, 48 inches tall, holds 53.3 cubic feet, or 92,160 cubic inches. Ten of them hold 533.3 cubic feet, and a stack of three reaches 144 inches.
| Boxes | Cubic inches | Cubic feet |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 92,160 | 53.3 |
| 5 | 460,800 | 266.7 |
| 10 | 921,600 | 533.3 |
| 20 | 1,843,200 | 1,066.7 |
| 40 | 3,686,400 | 2,133.3 |
| Stacked | Height | In feet |
|---|---|---|
| 1 high | 48 in | 4 ft |
| 2 high | 96 in | 8 ft |
| 3 high | 144 in | 12 ft |
| 4 high | 192 in | 16 ft |
| Size | Volume | Volume next to this box | Rated capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 x 40 x 48 in | 53.3 cu ft | This box | 1,500 lb |
| 48 x 48 x 36 in | 48 cu ft | 10 percent less than this box | 1,400 lb |
| 48 x 48 x 48 in | 64 cu ft | 20 percent more than this box | 1,400 lb |
| 48 x 40 x 36 in | 40 cu ft | 25 percent less than this box | 1,500 lb |
| 40 x 40 x 40 in | 37 cu ft | 31 percent less than this box | 1,300 lb |
Next to the standard 48 x 40 x 36 box this one holds 33 percent more by volume.
It stacks poorly: two high may reach a trailer's roof, and the bottom box carries the top box. One maker still rates triple wall at 1,500 lb, so the limit here is height and stability, not the rating.
3‑wall is common; heavier walls add stability. Partial flap on a slip sheet for light, bulky loads. The wall count page has the ranges and the bottom guide shows the difference.
Textile mills, Distribution centers, and Scrap and recycling are the regional lanes that most often run this footprint. See the industries hub for the rest.
About 53.3. 48 x 40 x 48 is 92,160 cubic inches, and 1,728 cubic inches make a cubic foot.
One maker rates it at 1,500 lb in triple wall. Your box may differ, and a used box is only as good as its condition.
Full 48 x 40 pallet. A box that overhangs its pallet loses compression strength, so match them.
Count, footprint and wall count are enough to start.
No prices, minimums or times are stated here.