Sizing and logistics
How do I estimate a pallet pile without counting every pallet?
Updated
Short answer: Count the stacks, measure the height of a typical stack, and divide by the height of one pallet (about 5.5 inches for a standard wood stringer pallet). Multiply the pallets per stack by the number of stacks. A waist-high stack of stringer pallets is about 6 or 7 pallets; a head-high stack is about 12.
The five-minute method
Identify the pallet type
Stringer (three long boards between the decks), block (nine blocks), skid (no bottom deck), plastic, or crate. If the pile is mixed, estimate each type separately.
Count the stacks
Walk the pile and count stacks, not pallets. Count a half-height stack as half.
Measure one typical stack
Use a tape measure, or a body mark: knee high is about 20 inches, waist high about 38, chest high about 52, head high about 66.
Measure or assume the pallet height
A wood stringer pallet is about 5.5 inches tall, a block pallet about 6, a skid about 4.5. For plastic or crates, measure one.
Divide and multiply
Stack height divided by pallet height, rounded down, gives pallets per stack. Multiply by the number of stacks.
Worked example
Behind a store there are 8 stacks of wood stringer pallets, each about chest high (52 inches). 52 divided by 5.5 is 9.45, so 9 per stack. 8 stacks times 9 is about 72 pallets. That's a 16-foot box truck, and a forklift would help.
Body-height shortcuts for stringer pallets
| Stack height | About | Stringer pallets per stack |
|---|---|---|
| Knee high | 20 in | 3 |
| Waist high | 38 in | 6 |
| Chest high | 52 in | 9 |
| Head high | 66 in | 12 |
Messy piles
A loose heap holds far fewer pallets than its size suggests, because thrown pallets leave big gaps. Don't estimate a heap by volume. Restack a few to get a feel, or count the pallets you can see along one side and the layers. If the heap is truly tangled, say so in the notes when you book: it changes how long loading takes.
The pile sizer does this arithmetic for you and suggests a vehicle.