How to Stack Boxes on a Pallet Safely

Boxes and pallets are fundamental to any warehouse. They help to keep your premises tidy and organised, and ensure your goods can be transported safely to their destination.

But stack them the wrong way and you could be in for expensive damage to your products or, even worse – to your staff. Not to mention the extra costs of inefficient stacking.

That’s why we’ve produced this handy guide to help you understand how to properly stack boxes on a pallet.

How many boxes can you get on a pallet?

It’s a bit like asking how long a piece of string is. Obviously, it depends on the size of your boxes and your pallets. If you use lots of different sized boxes then stacking will become more complicated and you’re unlikely to be able to make the best use of your pallet space. That’s why we always recommend you use standard sized boxes to ensure you can stack as high as possible whilst maintaining safety.

At Stakrak, all our containers are set to Euro standard sizing, which means they can be easily and quickly stacked on pallets. They are designed to fit European size 1200mm x 800mm and 800mm x 600mm wooden and plastic pallets. And they will also fit standard 1200mm x 1000mm pallets.

The table below shows how many typically sized boxes you can fit on one layer of these pallets:

 

800mm x 600mm Half Pallet 1200mm x 800mm Euro Pallet 1200mm x 1000mm pallet
400mm x 300mm 4 8 10
600mm x 400mm 2 4 5
800mm x 600mm 1 2 2

 

When you’re planning how many boxes and pallets you need, try using a tool like OnPallet. It’s a free  “how many boxes per pallet” calculator that will show you the most efficient stacking configuration based on the info you enter.

How high can you stack boxes on a pallet?

So you know the most efficient way to stack each layer, but how high can you stack boxes on a pallet safely?

As a general guide, the HSE recommends that the height of the boxes should not exceed the longest base dimension of the pallet. However, they also say you should check with your pallet manufacturer for their recommendations on maximum stacking height and weight.

It can be safe to stack boxes higher if you shrink or stretch wrap them to prevent movement during transport. But different haulage companies will have different limits so it’s important to ensure you are aware of these before you begin loading. 

When couriers are transporting large numbers of shipments they need to be able to safely stack pallets on top of one another. If your pallets are deemed non-stackable due to being too high or poorly stacked then you will face a surcharge which could have a significant impact on your profits.

What if you exceed maximum heights?

First and foremost, you risk damaging goods before they’ve left your warehouse. Or injuring staff which could cost you money in terms of sick leave or legal action. But even if you do manage to go over the limits without doing any damage, your load will likely be rejected by your courier or a hefty surcharge will be imposed. It’s simply not worth stacking boxes too high as it will inevitably end up costing you more in the long run.

What boxes should you use for stacking on a pallet?

The most important thing is to use standard sized boxes to make stacking as efficient as possible. At Stakrak, we have a wide range of pallet boxes and fold boxes in standard Euro sizes to provide compatibility with a range of logistics systems. 

If you’re not sure which is the right box for you, just get in touch and one of our friendly team will be happy to help.