Ti, Hi, and the pallet footprint
Ti is how many cases fit in a single layer on the pallet; Hi is how many layers you stack. Multiply them for cases per pallet. Most North American freight rides a GMA pallet — 48 × 40 inches (about 122 × 102 cm) — and the closer your case dimensions divide evenly into that footprint, the less deck space you waste. A few tenths of an inch on the case can be the difference between four cases across and three.
What limits how high you stack
- Height. Trailer, rack, and door clearances cap the load. Enter the height available above the pallet deck.
- Weight. A max gross pallet weight (or a receiver's limit) can cap layers before height does. The pallet itself counts toward a gross limit, so enter the load limit net of the pallet's own weight.
- Box strength. The bottom cases carry everything above them — verify they won't crush with the box compression calculator.
Denser, well-cubed pallets ship in a lower freight class. Once you know cases per pallet, estimate the freight class of the loaded unit.
Questions
What do Ti and Hi mean?
Ti is the number of cases in one layer on the pallet; Hi is the number of layers stacked. Ti multiplied by Hi is the total cases per pallet. The term comes from "tie" (the layer pattern) and "high" (the stack).
How many boxes fit on a standard pallet?
It depends entirely on case size. On a 48 by 40 inch GMA pallet, cases that divide evenly into that footprint waste the least space. This calculator estimates the count for your specific case and stack height.
Does this account for overhang or interlocking?
No. It assumes one SKU, square-cut cases, and no overhang, and searches two-block and pinwheel layer patterns for the best Ti. Interlocked layers and real overhang can change the count, so confirm the actual pallet pattern with your operation.
Why does a small change in case size matter so much?
Because fit is a whole-number problem. A case that is a fraction too long can drop a full column off the layer, cutting cases per pallet and raising your cost per unit shipped. Designing the case to the pallet is one of the cheapest freight savings available.
Design the case to the pallet.
Size the case to the deck first — the case size calculator works out the carton around your units. PackOS Quick Quote prices custom roll labels today; if the products in these cases need labels, upload the artwork for an instant label quote.