All loading guides

Euro, industrial and half-pallet sizes

By Ionbyte · Published 5 October 2026

The footprint is the rectangle a pallet and its load occupy on the floor. Start with a standard preset only when the actual unit matches it; use custom dimensions when the goods, wrapping or packaging extend beyond the pallet.

The three footprints in Load Buddy

These are the calculator's footprint presets. An EPAL Euro pallet has nominal dimensions of 1,200 × 800 × 144 mm. The 144 mm height describes the empty pallet, not a loaded shipping unit. Other pallet constructions and their heights vary, so measure the unit you will actually transport.

Reference for the Euro pallet dimensions: EPAL Euro Pallet product specification.

When custom dimensions are the better choice

If a 120 × 80 cm pallet carries goods projecting 3 cm beyond each side, the occupied footprint is 126 × 86 cm. Enter the outermost length and width of the complete load. Do not keep the smaller preset simply because the timber underneath is standard. The same principle applies to straps, packaging and an irregular load that you approximate as a rectangle.

Custom entry is the default in Load Buddy. The faint Euro values are starting-point placeholders. Change them to your measurements and enter the complete height. The three preset buttons provide shortcuts; choosing one does not certify that your cargo matches it.

What rotation changes

A 120 × 80 cm unit can occupy either 80 cm across the van and 120 cm along it, or 120 cm across and 80 cm along it. The floor area stays 0.96 m², but the arrangement may change substantially. A narrow van can allow only one pallet across while still gaining a third row when the pallets are rotated.

The rotation option applies to the automatic floor layout. It represents a 90-degree turn on the floor, not tipping the load on its side. Disable it if your loading or unloading requirements prevent that turn. Door access and manoeuvring still require a separate real-world check.

Quantity does not change the pallet size

Entering quantity 8 creates eight separate pallets with the same dimensions. Adding one pallet eight times also creates eight individual entries. Each row and the floor drawing use a pallet number and colour so you can relate the list to the result. If one loaded pallet is larger than the others, add it with its own custom measurements.

Use the dimensions of each actual unit before comparing layouts. A small overhang repeated across a row can consume all of the apparent spare width.