Beyond 48x40: A Tour of Specialty and International Pallet Sizes

Ask most Americans to picture a pallet and they see the 48x40 GMA: it accounts for the largest single share of pallets in North America. But the moment you handle drums, ship to Europe or Australia, or set up a retail endcap, that familiar footprint stops being the right answer. This is a tour of the specialty and international sizes worth knowing, with a big reference table you can bookmark.

The reigning champion: GMA 48x40

The Grocery Manufacturers Association standard, the 48x40 in (1219x1016 mm) pallet, is the North American default. It is typically a four-way-entry stringer pallet, weighs roughly 30 to 48 lb depending on construction, and contains about 11 board-feet of lumber. Its ubiquity is the reason it recycles so efficiently: there is always a buyer. Illustrative capacities run static up to ~4,600 lb, dynamic ~2,800 lb, and racking ~2,800 lb, all of which vary by build.

The big size table

Size (in)	Metric (mm)	Region / standard	Typical use
48 x 40	1219 x 1016	North America (GMA)	Grocery, general freight
42 x 42	1067 x 1067	North America	Telecom, paint, drums
48 x 48	1219 x 1219	North America	Drums (55-gallon), heavy machinery
40 x 48	1016 x 1219	North America	Military, general
48 x 45	1219 x 1143	North America	Automotive
44 x 44	1118 x 1118	North America	Drums, chemicals
36 x 36	914 x 914	North America	Beverage, compact loads
48 x 20	1219 x 508	North America	Retail half pallet / display
47.24 x 31.5	1200 x 800	Europe (EPAL / Euro)	European trade, block design
47.24 x 39.37	1200 x 1000	Europe	Heavier European loads
45.9 x 45.9	1165 x 1165	Australia	Australian standard

Specialty North American sizes explained

The drum sizes: 48x48, 44x44, 42x42

Cylindrical loads waste space and tip on a rectangular 48x40, so the square footprints exist to seat drums cleanly. A 48x48 pallet holds four 55-gallon drums in a two-by-two pattern with even weight distribution and no overhang, which is exactly what you want when the load can slosh. The 44x44 and 42x42 serve smaller drums and chemical containers with the same square logic.

The retail half pallet: 48x20

The half pallet is built for the store floor, not the warehouse rack. At roughly half the footprint of a GMA, it slots into a retail aisle or endcap, arrives pre-merchandised, and lets a store restock without breaking down a full pallet. It is a merchandising tool as much as a shipping base.

The compact 36x36

Beverage and other dense, heavy products often use the smaller 36x36 so a full pallet does not exceed handling weight limits. A smaller deck with a heavy product keeps total pallet weight manageable.

International sizes: know before you ship

Euro EPAL 1200x800 mm

The Euro pallet is the European counterpart to the GMA and is a block pallet with full four-way entry. At 1200x800 mm (about 47.24x31.5 in) it is sized to European truck and shelving dimensions. EPAL pallets are part of a managed exchange pool, and genuine ones carry specific quality markings. If you trade with Europe, you will encounter these constantly.

Euro 1200x1000 mm

A larger European format for heavier loads, closer in area to the North American GMA, common in industrial and chemical sectors.

Australian 1165x1165 mm

Australia standardized on a square 1165x1165 mm pallet decades ago, sized to their rail wagons. It does not nest efficiently in standard 40-foot ISO shipping containers, which is a frequent surprise for exporters shipping into or out of Australia.

Container fit is the hidden cost of size choice. A pallet that packs perfectly on a domestic trailer may leave dead space, or overhang dangerously, inside an ISO ocean container. Always check container cube before committing to a footprint for export.

How to choose the right size

1. Start with the load geometry: square loads and drums want square pallets.
2. Match the destination market: GMA at home, EPAL for Europe, the 1165 square for Australia.
3. Check your racking and container dimensions before finalizing.
4. Weigh recyclability: the 48x40 is easiest to resell and return; oddball sizes cost more and move slower.
5. Consider retail presentation for consumer-facing loads, where the half pallet earns its keep.

The Tucson bottom line

The 48x40 will handle most of your domestic freight, but specialty and international sizes exist for good engineering reasons: drums, retail floors, and overseas markets each demand their own footprint. When your load does not fit the standard, do not force it. We stock common sizes as recycled pallets, build odd sizes as new custom pallets, and buy back surplus of any dimension. Browse the complete size chart for exact specs.

Need a size that is not 48x40? Tell us the load and destination and we will spec the right footprint. Request a quote or reach our Tucson yard.