load-buddyThree pallet loading examples, explained
These examples use hypothetical rectangular cargo spaces, not specifications for a particular van model. The measurements below are exact drawing inputs; real vehicles need clearance, an accessible loading path and a separate payload check.
Why floor area alone is not enough
Dividing the van floor area by one pallet's area gives an upper bound, not a loading plan. Rectangles must fit without overlap, and the remaining strips of space may be too narrow for another pallet. The three examples below make that distinction visible.
Eight Euro pallets: two across, four rows
Two 80 cm sides use 160 cm of the 180 cm width. Four 120 cm rows use all 480 cm of length. The eight footprints occupy 7.68 m² of the 8.64 m² floor, about 89%. There is 20 cm of total spare width, but no spare length in this nominal drawing. Pallets are 110 cm high; the 180 cm interior height is a separate check.
Open this example in the calculatorA narrow floor: rotation makes room for a third pallet
With rotation off, two 120 cm rows use 240 cm; a third would need 360 cm. With rotation on, each pallet can use 120 cm across and 80 cm along the van. Three rows need 240 cm of length and leave 60 cm. The 3.90 m² floor divided by 0.96 m² suggests an upper bound of four, but four Euro footprints do not fit this rectangle. The three shown occupy about 74% of the floor.
Open this example in the calculatorAn exact fit: four pallets, no clearance
Two 80 cm pallets across and two 120 cm rows exactly fill a 240 × 160 cm floor. Occupied floor area is 100%, but that is not a practical clearance allowance. If each pallet load is wider than 80 cm, the pair no longer fits. Use measured outer cargo dimensions and the required handling space instead of treating this exact-fit illustration as a loading guarantee.
Open this example in the calculatorChange one input at a time
Open an example, then change the usable width or loaded height and compare the result. Reducing a nominal 160 cm width by even 1 cm prevents two 80 cm pallets from sitting side by side. Increasing the loaded height above the interior height prevents the pallet from being placed, even if its footprint fits.
Door measurements have a different role: they add access warnings without changing the floor arrangement. Try entering a door height below the example's 110 cm loaded height. The floor plan can still show the pallets, while the warning identifies the access problem.
What to do with an unplaced pallet
The unplaced count means the current floor arrangement could not fit every requested unit. It is not permission to stack them. Check the measurements, test rotation where appropriate and compare alternatives. If the load still does not fit, consider a different vehicle or another trip after checking the practical requirements.