How many 500 × 400 × 400 mm cartons fit on a Standard pallet?
12 cartons of 500 × 400 × 400 mm fit on a Standard pallet (1200 × 1000 mm): 6 cartons per layer, 2 layers within a 1200 mm stack height including the pallet.
Per layer
6
Layers
2
Total cartons
12
Stack height
950 mm
Deck used
100%
Best pattern: Grid
Cartons sit rotated 90°, long side across the pallet. All cartons face the same way in straight rows and columns, like a spreadsheet.
Why this pattern here: 500 and 400 mm divide the 1200 × 1000 mm deck cleanly enough that plain rows already fit 6 per layer, so no rotated or interlocked arrangement can beat the simple grid here.
Pattern comparison
| Pattern | Cartons per layer |
|---|---|
| GridBest | 6 |
| Split-Row Interlock | 4 |
| Pinwheel | 4 |
A plain grid is the honest winner for the 500 × 400 mm footprint: 6 cartons per layer, against 4 split-row and 4 pinwheel arrangement. The rows cover 100% of the deck footprint, and 2 layers bring the stack to 950 mm including the 150 mm pallet deck. One caveat: a grid has no interlock of its own, its layers sit in independent columns held by wrap and friction.
Prefer stability? The pinwheel alternative
The maximum-load layout above leaves 6 of its 6 cartons per layer stacked in unbonded columns, a carton bonded to only one below rides the stack as a free tower held by wrap alone. If stability matters more than count: a pinwheel fits 4 of these 500 × 400 mm cartons per layer, 2 fewer, and every carton rests across at least two cartons below, so the layers interlock like brickwork. 8 cartons per pallet at 950 mm, using 66.7% of the deck.
These figures assume the height limit binds at 1200 mm. Weight is not shown here because it depends on the actual carton weight, the interactive calculator also enforces a max payload per pallet.
Opens the free tool with 500 × 400 × 400 mm on the Standard pallet prefilled.
Same carton on other pallets
Nearby carton sizes on the Standard pallet
- 480 × 380 × 380 mm (12 cartons)
- 600 × 400 × 400 mm (8 cartons)
- 400 × 400 × 400 mm (12 cartons)
- 500 × 500 × 400 mm (8 cartons)
- 500 × 400 × 300 mm (18 cartons)
- 600 × 400 × 350 mm (12 cartons)
Computed by the PalletTool engine, the same deterministic solver behind the free calculator. Published by Eastwest Medico ApS, Copenhagen, a company that loads real pallets for humanitarian shipments. Not AI-written text, every number on this page comes from the computation above.
Last computed: July 25, 2026