Questions
Gaylord questions
Gaylord questions, answered plainly, with the number first.
These are the questions buyers, sellers and recyclers ask most. Each answer is short; the linked page goes deeper. A short glossary of the trade's words follows the questions.
The trade's words
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| gaylord | A pallet-size corrugated bulk box; the trade's generic word, after the Gaylord Container company |
| wall count | Layers of corrugated in the side walls, 2 to 5; the first clue to stacking strength, but not a rating |
| triple wall (TW) | Three-layer board, the classic heavy gaylord; often marked 1,100# TW |
| ECT | Edge crush test; the board rating that best predicts how much top load a box carries in a stack |
| full flap bottom | Overlapping bottom flaps that make a closed base |
| partial flap bottom | Flaps that meet in the middle; the box rides on a slip sheet or pallet |
| slip sheet | A thin sheet laid under a partial-bottom box |
| octabin | An eight-sided gaylord that resists bulging |
| single trip | Used once; the usual description of top-grade used gaylords |
| OCC | Old corrugated containers, the recycling grade a box becomes |
| regrind | Ground plastic scrap, a common load in used gaylords |
| knocked down (KD) | Folded flat for shipping, storage or return |
| stack height | How many loaded boxes can stand on one another; the number this site rates every grade by |
Questions, answered
What is a gaylord box?
A pallet-size corrugated bulk box, usually 48 x 40 in, 2 to 5 layers thick. The name comes from the Gaylord Container company of St. Louis. Read more.
How much weight can a gaylord box hold?
Sellers cite 800 to 1,200 lb for 2‑wall, 1,000 to 1,600 for 3‑wall, 1,500 to 2,200 for 4‑wall and 2,000 to 3,000 for 5‑wall. The maker's rating counts. Weight limits.
How high can you stack gaylord boxes?
It depends on grade, place and time. A 3‑wall Grade B box at 500 lb stands two high in a heated warehouse and one high on an unheated dock past a month. Try Stack Check.
Do gaylord boxes get weaker in the cold?
Cold makes board stiffer and more brittle, and moving it between temperature zones causes condensation. AICC advises storing corrugated above 55 F. Winter docks.
Does humidity weaken cardboard boxes?
Yes. Corrugated loses about half its compression strength when relative humidity rises from 50% to 90%.
What is the difference between a full bottom and a partial bottom gaylord?
A full flap bottom closes the base. A partial flap bottom leaves it open, so the box needs a slip sheet. Bottoms compared.
Who buys used gaylord boxes near me?
Plants, 3PLs, growers and recyclers across the metro buy them. Sell your empties.
How much is a gaylord box?
It depends on grade, walls, quantity and freight. What sets the price.
What size is a standard gaylord box?
48 x 40 x 36 in, about 40 cu ft. All eleven sizes.
Are used gaylord boxes as strong as new?
Grade A is close to new; plan Grade B at about three quarters and Grade C at about half. Grades.
Can you recycle gaylord boxes?
Yes; corrugated gaylords are OCC. Dry, intact ones may be worth reselling first. Recycling.
What are pumpkin bins made of?
Octabins: eight-sided triple-wall or 5‑wall corrugated bins. Harvest bins.
Sources and last reviewed
Facts on this page were last reviewed 2026-11-11.
- Bulk box (Wikipedia): Background on the bulk box, its origin with Gaylord Container, and the ASTM standard for triple-wall boxes.
- Container Exchanger: the gaylord box guide: A reseller's plain-language guide to gaylord sizes, walls, capacity ranges and bottoms.
- PaperIndex Academy: humidity and corrugated strength: How corrugated board loses compression strength as relative humidity climbs from 50% to 90%.
- AICC: strengthening corrugated against cold weather: Industry guidance on cold weather, condensation between temperature zones, and strength lost over 90 days under load.