02 Catalog line
48x48 plastic pallets
A 48x48 plastic pallet is a 48 in square (1219 x 1219 mm), sized to carry four 55-gallon drums two by two or one square bulk container. We quote solid-deck, lipped drum and rackable 48x48 models, new or graded used; send your drum count, heaviest load, racking plans, quantity and delivery ZIP.
- Dynamic load
- Four full drums is a heavy load on forks; get the model's figure
- Static load
- Ask whether the floor rating assumes drums stacked on drums
- Racked load
- Drums press on four spots; ask if the racked load assumes even weight
A square footprint built around the drum
The 48x48 is the drum pallet of North America. A standard steel 55-gallon drum is about 23 in across, so four of them set in a two-by-two square take up about 46 to 47 in each way. A 48 in deck holds that square with a small margin on every edge and no overhang for a forklift mast or a rack upright to catch.
Because both sides are 48 in, there is no long side and no short side. The pallet turns a quarter turn and presents the same face, which helps on a crowded drum dock. Runner direction still counts on runner-base models, since a chain conveyor or a rack wants the runners one particular way.
| Measure | Inches | Millimetres |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 48 | 1219 |
| Width | 48 | 1219 |
| Four 55-gallon drums, two by two | about 46 to 47 square | about 1170 to 1195 square |
| Height | Varies; drum models often add a raised lip | Read the drawing |
Who runs on 48x48
Drum users set this size: chemical makers and distributors, lubricant and oil blenders, coatings plants, and food ingredient suppliers who ship syrups, oils and flavor bases in drums. The same footprint carries square bulk bins, cases of pails and the square totes that some process plants fill and return.
Many of these plants have moved to plastic for practical reasons. A plastic deck does not soak up a spill the way wood does, it can be washed down, and it leaves no nails or splinters to puncture a drum or a bag. That matters most where a leak has to be cleaned rather than absorbed.
Common drum contents include lubricating oils, glycol, resins, adhesives, flavor concentrates and cleaning compounds. Many plants lift drums with a forklift drum attachment or a grab that grips the chime, so the deck should leave room around each drum for the jaws.
Pallet types molded in 48x48
The 48x48 catalog is narrower than the 48x40 one, and it leans heavy. Expect solid decks, ribbed undersides and runner or perimeter bases more often than light nestables.
| Type | Deck | Base | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drum pallet | Solid, with a raised lip or drum seats | Runners or perimeter base | Four drums that must not walk off in transit |
| Heavy duty solid deck | Solid, thick ribs | Three or more runners, sometimes steel-reinforced | Dense loads, bulk bins, racking |
| Stackable | Solid or vented | Legs joined by runners | Floor stacking of loaded pallets |
| Nestable | Open grid or solid | Nine legs | Lighter square loads and return trips |
| Used | Mixed decks, graded A or B | As molded | Replacing a worn drum fleet at lower cost |
What a drum load asks of the pallet
55 gallons of water weigh about 459 lb before the drum is counted, and many chemicals are denser than water. Four full drums can put well over a ton on one pallet, and that weight lands on four round footprints rather than spread across the deck.
That is why the three ratings need reading closely here. The dynamic load is what the pallet carries on forks; ask for it at four drums. The static load is the floor figure, and drum docks often stack a second pallet of drums on top, so ask whether the rating allows it. The racked load is usually the lowest of the three, and a maker may publish it for an evenly spread load. Ask whether that holds for four point loads near the corners of a beam span, and at what beam spacing.
Trailer fit: two across a 53-foot van
A 53-foot dry van is about 630 in long and 100 in wide inside. Two 48x48s side by side take 96 in, leaving about 4 in. Along the trailer, 630 / 48 = 13.1, so 13 rows give about 26 floor positions, and turning the pallet changes nothing because it is square. Four drums on each position puts about 104 drums on the floor, and a drum load usually reaches the trailer's weight limit before its floor is full, so plan by weight as well as by count.
Why 48x48 loads a container poorly
ISO containers are about 92.4 in wide inside, and two 48 in pallets need 96 in. Only one fits across, which leaves about 44 in of floor width empty down the whole box. A 20-foot container is about 231.6 in long, so 231.6 / 48 = 4.8 gives about 4 pallets. A 40-foot box is about 474 in long, and 474 / 48 = 9.9 gives about 9.
For drums going overseas, a smaller square such as 44x44 fits two across a container (88 in) and the 1100x1100 Asian size fits two across as well. Check whether your drums sit inside that deck before you switch, since a drum that overhangs the edge is a drum that gets hit.
Getting a 48x48 quote
Tell us how many drums or what bulk container rides on the pallet, the heaviest gross load, whether it goes into racking and at what beam span, the deck you want, the quantity and the delivery ZIP. We email back the models or used grades that meet it with a delivered price. Larger orders go on a 53-foot van and smaller ones by LTL.
Questions buyers ask
Why are drum pallets 48x48?
Four 55-gallon drums set two by two form a square of about 46 to 47 in. A 48 in square deck holds them without overhang.
Can a 48x48 plastic pallet go in a rack?
Only a model with a published racked load. Drums are point loads, so ask the maker whether that rating holds for four drums at your beam spacing.
How many 48x48 pallets fit in a shipping container?
Only one fits across an ISO container's 92.4 in width, so about 4 go in a 20-foot box and about 9 in a 40-foot box, one high.
Is a 48x48 pallet a spill containment pallet?
No. A containment pallet has a sump to hold leaks and is a separate product. A drum pallet with a raised lip keeps drums in place but is not rated to contain a spill.
What resin are drum pallets molded from?
Usually HDPE, resin code 2, or PP copolymer, resin code 5. Both resist water and most dilute chemicals; ask for a compatibility chart for anything stronger.