Warehouse space calculator

Divide your cartons by the cartons that fit on one pallet to get the pallets you need; each pallet takes one pallet position. Divide the positions by your rack levels to get floor positions, multiply by the pallet’s footprint (13.3 sq ft for a 48 × 40 in pallet), then multiply by a space factor for aisles and work areas to get the floor space.

Example values, replace them with yours.

What you store

Count stock in

Cartons on handcartons

Carton lengthin Widthin Heightin Weightlb

How you store it

Pallet Max heightin Max loadlb Rack levels Space factor×

Max height includes the pallet. Use 1 rack level for pallets on the floor. The space factor scales the racks’ footprint up to the whole floor, aisles and work areas included.

pallet positions

400sq ft

of floor, aisles included

40 cartons per pallet: 8 a layer, 5 layers, 56 in tall with the pallet. 45 pallets on 4 levels stand on 12 floor positions.

Each full pallet carries 1,000 lb of cartons. Check that against your rack’s beam rating.

Rack footprint 160 sq ft
Aisles and work area 240 sq ft
45 pallets

Floor grid in one-foot squares. Pallets fill each floor position from the bottom level up.

How the space is worked out

Find how many cartons fit on one pallet: the most per layer, trying both ways of turning the carton, times the layers that fit under your height and load limits.
Divide the cartons you hold by that number and round up. That is your pallet count, and each pallet takes one pallet position.
Divide the positions by your rack levels and round up to get floor positions.
Multiply floor positions by the pallet’s footprint, then by your space factor for aisles and work areas.

1,800 cartons ÷ 40 a pallet = 45 pallets 45 pallets ÷ 4 levels = 12 floor positions 12 × 13.3 sq ft × 2.5 = 400 sq ft

To see exactly how the cartons sit on one pallet, layer by layer, use the pallet calculator. To weigh renting that floor against paying a 3PL per pallet, put the numbers into the 3PL vs in-house cost calculator.

The same stock at different rack heights

45 pallets of 48 × 40 in, space factor 2.5
Rack levels	Floor positions	Rack footprint	Floor with aisles
1 (floor)	45	600 sq ft	1,500 sq ft
2	23	307 sq ft	767 sq ft
3	15	200 sq ft	500 sq ft
4	12	160 sq ft	400 sq ft
5	9	120 sq ft	300 sq ft
6	8	107 sq ft	267 sq ft

Going up saves floor, but only as far as the building’s clear height, the rack’s rated capacity, your lift equipment and the local fire code allow. Check those with your landlord and rack supplier before you plan around a number of levels.

Small items: bins instead of pallets

A few cartons of small items leave most of a pallet position empty. Shelved bins hold them in less space.

Example item and bin sizes, replace them with yours.

Item lengthin Item widthin Item heightin Units Bin lengthin Bin widthin Bin heightin

12 items a bin (6 a layer, 2 layers), so 600 units fill 50 bins.

This assumes items stand upright in neat layers; loose or odd-shaped items take more room. At Fulfillment Hub USA storage is billed per pallet or per bin, so you pay for what you use rather than for floor space. Starting rates are $34.50 a month per standard pallet, $41.40 per large pallet, and $3.00, $4.95 or $6.90 per small, medium or large bin, with lower rates at higher volumes. See bin sizes and every tier on the pricing page, and find a warehouse near your customers on our locations page.

Common questions

How many square feet does one pallet take?

A 48 × 40 in pallet covers 1,920 square inches, which is 13.3 square feet of floor. That is the pallet alone; aisles, rack frames and work areas come on top, which is what the space factor covers.

What is a pallet position?

A pallet position is one spot that holds one pallet, either on the floor or on a pair of rack beams. A rack four levels high holds four pallet positions over each floor position.

What space factor should I use?

There isn’t one standard figure. It depends on how wide your aisles must be for your forklift or pallet jack, how the racks are laid out, and how much room you need for receiving, packing and staging. If you have a floor plan, divide the total floor area by the area the racks or pallets stand on. The default here is an example.

How much does adding rack levels save?

Floor positions fall in proportion to the levels: the same pallets on four levels need a quarter of the floor positions they need on the floor. How high you can go depends on the building’s clear height, the rack’s rated capacity, your lifting equipment and the local fire code, so check those before you plan around it.

Should small items go on pallets or in bins?

A few cartons of small items leave most of a pallet position empty, so shelved bins can hold them in less space. At Fulfillment Hub USA storage is billed per pallet or per bin, starting at $34.50 a month for a standard pallet, $41.40 for a large pallet, and $3.00, $4.95 or $6.90 for a small, medium or large bin; lower rates apply at higher volumes.