Pallet size is one of the few decisions a Fort Worth or DFW operation makes once and rarely revisits, until a load shifts, a drum tips, or new racking rejects a footprint that used to work. Reviewing the full range of standard and custom wood pallets before committing to a size prevents most of that trouble before it starts. Overhanging loads create handling problems, drums that do not sit square become unstable, and racking built for one footprint will not accept another without modification.
Pallets of Texas manufactures for warehouses, manufacturers, distribution centers, and logistics companies across Dallas-Fort Worth, and the size question comes up constantly, especially when an operation is scaling or adding a new product line. Below are the five sizes that cover most of what DFW businesses order, along with when a custom build, a used pallet, or a crate makes more sense than any standard option.
The 48x40 is the most widely used pallet size in North America. Originally specified by the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which is why it is often called the GMA pallet, it has become the default for most warehouse racking, forklift, and pallet jack systems across DFW. If handling equipment was installed without a specific footprint in mind, it was most likely set up for this size.
Under normal conditions, a standard 48x40 supports about 4,500 pounds, weighs 35 to 40 pounds depending on wood density, and accepts four-way forklift entry. The 48x40 pallets built at the Dallas facility are Grade A by default, with a final inspection before delivery, and cover general warehousing, retail distribution, food and beverage operations, and most domestic freight.
If you're not running a product with an unusual footprint or a load configuration that requires something specific, this is the right starting point, and there's no reason to look further.
The 40x40 is the natural choice for loads that need a square deck rather than a rectangular one. Drums, barrels, cylindrical chemical containers, and paint pails sit more securely on a square footprint because weight distributes evenly around the base rather than leaving corners that can tip or shift.
Fort Worth's chemical processing and industrial manufacturing operations tend to know this size well, and it is a standard choice for bulk liquid transport and any freight shipped in round or square-base containers. Like every dimension Pallets of Texas builds, the 40x40 runs with no minimum order, so a single pallet or a full production run gets handled the same way.
The 44x44 shows up when a buyer needs more deck area than the 40x40 provides but still wants a square configuration. It shows up in telecommunications equipment logistics, certain drum configurations, and specialty industrial freight where the 48x40 does not fit and the 40x40 is slightly too small.
For Fort Worth businesses shipping to export destinations with container loading requirements, the 44x44 sometimes comes up as a compliance-driven specification alongside heat-treated ISPM-15 pallets. Running the correct size instead of a workaround dimension removes handling risk on every shipment rather than absorbing it one pallet at a time.
The 44x42 sits between the standard and the larger specialty sizes. It is used across chemical manufacturing, paint distribution, some military freight configurations, and industrial operations where the 48x40 is slightly too large and a full custom build is not warranted.
For DFW manufacturers dealing with a footprint that falls outside the GMA standard, the 44x42 often closes the gap without custom build costs, and it runs with the same no-minimum policy as every other size. Buyers comparing pallet condition and cost can also look at Grade A versus Grade B pallets to decide which standard fits a specific run.
The 40x48 uses the same board lengths as the standard 48x40 but with the entry orientation reversed. The 40-inch side faces the forklift entry instead of the 48-inch side, which changes how the load sits in racking, how the pallet moves through narrow aisles, and how freight loads in certain container configurations.
It is not the most frequently ordered size, but it is a real specification choice for operations where entry orientation matters, particularly in rack systems built for a specific aisle width. The full range of standard dimensions, including this one, is covered in the pallet sizes guide for operations still narrowing down a spec.
Standard sizes cover most Fort Worth and DFW operations, but not all of them. Specialty manufacturing, oversized freight, precision-engineered equipment, and products with unusual load geometries sometimes need a pallet, custom crate, or skid built to an exact specification that does not match any standard option, and every custom build runs with no minimum order.
Businesses on a tighter budget or handling lower-stakes internal moves can also look at used and refurbished pallets instead of a new build. For operations sitting on a surplus of used cores from a previous cycle, the Pallet Buyback Program purchases used 48x40 pallets by the truckload, with payment in cash or credit toward the next order regardless of which size that order ends up being.
Pallets of Texas is a member of the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) and holds a BBB A+ rating, and manufacturing standards apply the same way across every size and run, from a single custom pallet to a full recurring supply account. Customer Shaw summed up the result plainly: “Provided not only great quality pallets but the service was phenomenal.”
For help working through a size decision, request a quote or order standard pallets online. Pallets of Texas manufactures at 5711 W. Ledbetter Drive, Dallas, TX 75236, and delivers across the full Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Every size on this list ships with the same Grade A standard and 48-hour turnaround. Get a quote for your next order, whatever the dimension.
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