The numbers, in one place.

These are widely published industry standard values and guidelines, compiled for quick reference. Approximate figures are labeled as such, and computed tables state their method. Verify anything load-bearing against the governing standard, your converter, or your carrier before you rely on it.

Standard pallet dimensions

The pallet footprint drives how a case should be sized. In North America the 48 × 40 inch GMA pallet dominates; Europe standardizes on the EUR/EPAL footprints.

Pallet	Inches (L × W)	Millimeters	Region / use
GMA (GMA/Grocery)	48 × 40	1219 × 1016	North America, most common
EUR / EPAL 1	47.2 × 31.5	1200 × 800	Europe, most common
EUR 2	47.2 × 39.4	1200 × 1000	Europe, industrial
Square	42 × 42	1067 × 1067	Drums, chemicals
Half (GMA half)	48 × 20	1219 × 508	Retail display

Corrugated flute profiles

Flute size trades thickness and cushioning against fine print and finished-carton size. Caliper is the board thickness; taller flutes cushion and stack, finer flutes print cleaner. Values are approximate industry norms — actual caliper varies by manufacturer.

Flute	Caliper (approx)	Best for
A-flute	~3/16 in · 4.8 mm	Cushioning, fragile goods
B-flute	~1/8 in · 2.5 mm	Canned goods, stacking, die-cut
C-flute	~5/32 in · 4.0 mm	General shipping — the default
E-flute	~1/16 in · 1.6 mm	Retail boxes, better print
F-flute	~1/32 in · 0.8 mm	Small, high-graphics retail
BC double wall	~1/4 in · 6.4 mm	Heavy, long-distance freight

Board strength itself is specified by ECT or Mullen, and finished-box strength is estimated with the box compression calculator.

NMFC freight class by density

Less-than-truckload freight is classed under the NMFC on density, stowability, handling, and liability; for most packaged freight, density in pounds per cubic foot is the primary driver. Since NMFC Docket 2025-1 took effect on 19 July 2025, density alone places freight on a 13-step scale from class 50 (dense, cheap) to 400 (light, bulky) — the scale below, from NMFTA Disposition Bulletin 1371. Each band runs up to, not including, the next; an item-specific NMFC code can still govern.

Density (lb/ft³)	Class	Density (lb/ft³)	Class
Less than 1	400	12–15	85
1–2	300	15–22.5	70
2–4	250	22.5–30	65
4–6	175	30–35	60
6–8	125	35–50	55
8–10	100	50 or more	50
10–12	92.5

Estimate a shipment's class from its dimensions with the freight class calculator.

Cases per pallet — computed reference (48 × 40)

How many cases fit one layer of a GMA 48 × 40 pallet, for common case footprints. Computed with the same estimator behind the pallet calculator: best of both orientations, a block-plus-strip pattern, no overhang. Real interlocked or pinwheel patterns can differ. Multiply cases-per-layer (Ti) by your layer count (Hi) for cases per pallet.

Case footprint (in)	Cases per layer (Ti)	Footprint used
9 × 6	32	90%
10 × 8	24	100%
12 × 9	16	90%
12 × 10	16	100%
16 × 10	12	100%
14 × 10	12	88%
13 × 11	12	89%
12 × 12	12	90%
16 × 12	9	90%
15 × 12	9	84%
18 × 12	8	90%
20 × 12	8	100%
20 × 15	6	94%
24 × 16	5	100%

Paperboard caliper (points)

Folding-carton board is specified in points, where one point is one thousandth of an inch. Typical retail folding cartons run roughly 14–24 pt depending on size and weight.

Points (pt)	Inches	Millimeters	Typical use
12 pt	0.012 in	0.30 mm	Light cartons, sleeves
16 pt	0.016 in	0.41 mm	Small retail cartons
18 pt	0.018 in	0.46 mm	Standard folding cartons
20 pt	0.020 in	0.51 mm	Cosmetics, mid-size cartons
24 pt	0.024 in	0.61 mm	Larger or heavier cartons
28 pt	0.028 in	0.71 mm	Premium, rigid-feel cartons

Dimensional weight divisors

Parcel carriers bill the greater of actual and dimensional weight. The DIM divisor converts cubic size to a weight; a larger divisor gives a lower dimensional weight. These are commonly used values — the exact divisor is carrier- and service-specific, so use the one in your rate agreement.

Divisor	Units	Commonly used for
139	in³ / lb	US domestic parcel — UPS and FedEx daily rates, and USPS since 12 Jul 2026 (was 166); UPS and FedEx round each fractional dimension up to the next inch
166	in³ / lb	International, some services
5000	cm³ / kg	International (metric)
6000	cm³ / kg	International (metric), air

Compute billable weight with the dimensional weight calculator.

Keep going

This reference pairs with the deeper explainers and the interactive tools: the packaging glossary defines the terms, the guides explain the why, the box style library shows the structures with live dielines, and the calculators run your specific numbers.