Size guide
The 48x40 inch GMA pallet is the most widely used pallet footprint in North America, accounting for roughly 30% of pallets in circulation. It is a stringer pallet with seven top deck boards, three stringers and three to five bottom boards, weighing 33–48 lb and carrying 2,800 lb dynamically.
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The 48 inches runs along the stringers; the 40 inches runs along the deck boards. Saying '40x48' describes a different pallet — one where the stringers run the short axis — and it will be built differently and behave differently under load.
| Component | Quantity | Nominal dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top deck boards | 7 | 40 x 5.5 x 0.625 in | Lead boards at each end, 5 interior |
| Stringers | 3 | 48 x 3.5 x 1.5 in | Notched for partial 4-way entry |
| Bottom deck boards | 3 (or 5) | 40 x 5.5 x 0.625 in | 5 boards for racked applications |
| Notch | 2 per stringer | 9 x 1.5 in | Centred at 16.5 in from each end |
| Overall height | — | 5.0–5.5 in | Varies with board thickness |
| Fasteners | ~78 | 2.25 in helical | Higher counts on heavy-duty builds |
It is not an arbitrary number. In 1968 the Grocery Manufacturers Association standardised on it because of a chain of physical constraints that still hold today.
| Condition | Static | Dynamic | Racked |
|---|---|---|---|
| New hardwood | 7,000–7,500 lb | 2,800–3,000 lb | 2,200–2,800 lb |
| New SYP | 6,000–7,000 lb | 2,800 lb | 2,000–2,500 lb |
| Grade A recycled | 5,500–7,000 lb | 2,500–2,800 lb | 1,800–2,500 lb |
| Grade B recycled | 4,500–6,000 lb | 2,000–2,500 lb | 1,200–1,800 lb |
| Grade C recycled | 3,000–4,500 lb | 1,500–2,000 lb | Do not rack |
Static load is what it holds sitting still on a flat floor. Dynamic load is what it holds while being moved by a forklift. Racked load is what it holds spanning two beams with nothing underneath — always the lowest number, and the one that matters if anything goes on a rack. Full explanation in weight and load capacity.
By the numbers
Rules of thumb
Before you order
The first dimension runs along the stringers. 40x48 is a different pallet that behaves differently under load.
Seven top boards is the GMA standard. A five-board 48x40 is a 48x40, not a GMA.
Three boards standard, five for racked applications.
Against published criteria, with an inspection and rejection clause. Otherwise the word means nothing.
Hardwood is 8–12 lb heavier than SYP.
Two 48-inch pallets do not fit across a 40-foot container. Consider 45x45 before assuming.
What goes wrong
A 40-foot container has an internal width of about 92.5 in. Two 48-inch pallets need 96 and do not fit, so every container ships with air in it.
FixModel a 45x45 or 44x44 footprint. A cube gain of 8–15% usually dwarfs the pallet premium.
A Grade A recycled 48x40 rated 6,000 lb static holds about 2,000 lb racked. That is a factor of three.
FixAlways design to the racked figure if the pallet will ever sit on beams.
The GMA spec also dictates board count, stringer dimensions and notch placement.
FixSpecify 'GMA specification' explicitly if the board layout matters to your handling.
Side by side
| Condition | Static | Dynamic | Racked |
|---|---|---|---|
| New hardwood | 7,000–7,500 lb | 2,800–3,000 lb | 2,200–2,800 lb |
| New SYP | 6,000–7,000 lb | 2,800 lb | 2,000–2,500 lb |
| Grade A recycled | 5,500–7,000 lb | 2,500–2,800 lb | 1,800–2,500 lb |
| Grade B recycled | 4,500–6,000 lb | 2,000–2,500 lb | 1,200–1,800 lb |
| Grade C recycled | 3,000–4,500 lb | 1,500–2,000 lb | Do not rack |
Against our interest
A 40-foot container is about 92.5 in internally. Two 48-inch pallets need 96 and do not fit, so every box ships with air in it. A 45x45 or 44x44 usually pays for itself in cube.
Many German, Austrian and Nordic docks accept only the 1200x800 Euro footprint, because their racking, conveyors and exchange accounting are built around it.
Cable reels, pails and drum ring patterns waste corner space on a rectangle. A 42x42 or 48x48 tiles them better.
What moves the price
| Driver | What it is | Rough effect |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | Companion stringers, replaced boards and squareness tolerance all cost sorting labour. | $6.50 to $18.00 across the range |
| Species | Mixed hardwood against Southern Yellow Pine, which is 8–12 lb lighter. | ±$1–3 and 312 lb per trailer |
| Bottom board count | Three boards for floor stacking, five for racking. The cheapest capacity upgrade available. | +$0.80–1.60 |
| Appearance sort | A cosmetic screen on top of the structural grade, for retail and food receivers. | +$1.40 |
Due diligence
“Is this a GMA specification, or simply a 48x40 footprint?”
“How many top and bottom deck boards?”
“What is the diagonal tolerance, and do you check it?”
“Are companion stringers permitted at this grade?”
“Will it be racked, and in which orientation?”
The rulebook
The US standard for pallet dimensions and terminology. It is where the convention of quoting the stringer dimension first comes from.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association layout adopted in 1968: seven top boards, three stringers, defined notch placement.
A trade specification. All GMA pallets are 48x40; not all 48x40 pallets are GMA.
Recognises 1200x1000 mm as the nearest international equivalent — noticeably different from 1219x1016 mm.
Test methods behind the static, dynamic and racked ratings quoted on this page.
Vocabulary
From the journal
Start with the box you are paying for, not the pallet somebody else standardised for a different vehicle in 1968.
The pallet that won North America because it fits a trailer is the wrong pallet for a box that is five and a half inches narrower.
The pallets were compliant. The crate was compliant. The two lengths of untreated 2x4 wedged against the load were not, and they were the first thing the inspector saw.
Reference
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 48 x 40 in (1219 x 1016 mm) |
| Height | 5.0–5.5 in |
| Weight | 33–38 lb SYP; 38–48 lb hardwood |
| Deck coverage | ~87% top (7 board), ~37% bottom (3 board) |
| Entry | Partial 4-way (notched) standard |
| Static load | 3,000–7,500 lb by grade |
| Dynamic load | 1,500–3,000 lb by grade |
| Racked load | 1,200–2,800 lb by grade |
| Stack per 53' trailer | 500–560 units |
Questions
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