Container Loading Calculator
Find how many boxes fit when you floor-load a shipping container or trailer: the best floor pattern, how many layers high, and the weight.
- Floor pattern
- Boxes per layer
- Layers
- Space used
- Load weight
- Limited by
- Loads needed
- Cost per Box
- Add a freight rate to estimate
| Pattern | Per Layer |
|---|
Load Comparison
Loads you add are saved in this browser, so you can compare containers and box sizes.
| Equipment | Box | Per Layer | Layers | Per Load | Space Used | Limited By | $/Box | Remove |
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How to Figure Boxes per Container
Floor loading means stacking cartons straight onto the container floor instead of on pallets. It fits more product, since there's no pallet height and no gaps between pallets, but takes longer to load and unload. Work out one layer on the floor, then how many layers fit under the ceiling.
The ⌊ ⌋ brackets mean round down to a whole number.
Worked Example
Floor-Loaded Boxes per Container
Floor space and height only, no weight limit, boxes upright.
| Box (L × W × H) | 20′ | 40′ | 40′ High Cube |
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Tips for Floor Loading
Inside sizes vary by a few inches between containers, and the door opening is lower than the ceiling, so leave room to fit the last rows through the door. Load the heaviest cartons on the bottom and spread weight evenly along the floor. Fill gaps with dunnage or airbags so the load can't shift, and check the carton's stacking strength before stacking to the ceiling. On U.S. roads, the total weight of truck, chassis and container is usually limited to 80,000 lb, which can cap cargo well below the container's rating.