Pallet Math for Repeat Buyers: How Many Boxes Fit, How Much Freight Costs

Once you start buying packaging by the pallet instead of by the case, the unit economics change dramatically. Freight stops being charged per box and starts being charged per pallet — which usually saves 20-40% on shipping if you size pallets correctly. Here's the math.

The standard pallet

The most common US pallet is 48 inches × 40 inches × 6 inches deep (the GMA / 4-way pallet). Max stack height in most warehouses + freight carriers is 84 inches total (including the pallet itself). That gives you 78 inches of usable vertical space per pallet.

Cube capacity: 48 × 40 × 78 = 149,760 cubic inches per pallet, or about 87 cubic feet of usable space.

How many SP-22146 boxes (22x14x6) fit per pallet?

The math depends on pallet pattern:

Pattern 1: Boxes flat-stacked (22 long × 14 wide footprint)

  • Boxes per layer: 6 (2 columns × 3 rows on 48x40 footprint, with overhang considerations)
  • Layers high: 78" / 6" = 13 layers
  • Total per pallet: ~78 boxes (1,716 cu in × 78 = 133,848 cu in — fits)

Pattern 2: Boxes flat (knocked down — pre-folded but flat)

For most repeat-cycle buyers, cartons ship flat (knocked-down, KD) and you fold them on demand. This is much more space-efficient on the freight side.

  • Each SP-22146 KD lays at roughly 24" × 16" × 0.25" thick
  • Stacked \n
  • Stacked on pallet: ~480 cartons per linear foot of stack height
    • \n
  • Per pallet (78" stack): ~3,000-3,500 KD cartons

That's why pallet quantities for stock cartons are typically 2,500-3,500 units per pallet. We size to the pallet because freight is priced per pallet.

Freight cost per pallet vs per case

For a typical Las Vegas → Phoenix LTL freight shipment:

  • Case-quantity (small parcel UPS Ground): ~$25-$40 per case of 100 cartons. For 3,000 cartons, that's 30 cases × $30 = $900 in freight.
  • Pallet-quantity LTL: ~$180-$280 per pallet for that lane. $230 average.

Pallet shipping saves ~$670 (~75%) on the same 3,000 cartons. That's why repeat-cycle buyers always size to pallet quantities — it's the difference between $0.30/carton in freight vs $0.08/carton.

Pallet quantity recommendations by SurePack hero SKU

SKU Dimensions Per pallet (KD) Annual cycle
SP-22146 22x14x6 2,500-3,500 Quarterly = 4 pallets/yr
SP-12126 12x12x6 3,500-4,500 Quarterly = 4 pallets/yr
SP-1266 12x6x6 5,000-6,500 Quarterly = 4 pallets/yr
SP-955 9x5x5 8,000-10,000 Quarterly = 4 pallets/yr

Multi-SKU pallets (for mid-volume buyers)

If you can't fill a full pallet on a single SKU, we can mix SKUs on one pallet. Common pattern:

  • Bottom layer: heavier SKU (SP-22146 — 1,000 units)
  • Middle layer: mid SKU (SP-12126 — 1,500 units)
  • Top layer: lighter SKU (SP-955 — 2,000 units)

This gives you ~4,500 cartons across 3 SKUs on one pallet — minimum freight cost while keeping your hero sizes covered.

Stretch wrap + pallet protection

Pallet shipments need stretch wrap (LLDPE shrink wrap) to keep the load stable in transit. Standard: 1 roll of 20-inch × 5,000-foot LLDPE wraps approximately 50-80 pallets depending on stack height + wrap-revolutions per pallet.

If you ship pallets out to your customers, you'll want to add shrink wrap to your reorder cycle. We stock 20-inch × 5,000-foot rolls in white, black, and clear at $65/roll — pallet quantities of 40+ rolls drop to bulk pricing.

How SurePack helps you size to pallet

When you tell us your annual volume, we'll:

  1. Calculate the pallet quantity that matches your reorder cycle
  2. Round up to nearest pallet (better unit economics)
  3. Quote landed including pallet freight to your dock
  4. Set up reorder reminders 30 days before you'd run dry, so you never have to rush-order at case-quantity freight rates

Tell us your annual volume — get a pallet-quantity quote →

Questions? Ted at SurePack: 702-618-9018 · sales@surepackusa.com

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