Reference

5-Wall Gaylord Box Specifications

A 5-wall Gaylord box is a 5-layer corrugated bulk container (3 kraft liners + 2 corrugated mediums in a BC double-wall flute combination) on a 48 × 40 in GMA pallet footprint, rated to 3,000 lb static load with 32+ ECT (TAPPI T 811) and ~600 psi Mullen burst (TAPPI T 810).

Performance ratings

Test methods are standardized through TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry), ASTM, and ISTA (International Safe Transit Association).

Test	Standard 5-wall	HTP-41 5-wall	Method
Edge Crush (ECT)	32+	40+	TAPPI T 811
Burst (Mullen)	~600 psi	~700-800 psi	TAPPI T 810
Static load	3,000 lb	3,000 lb (held across more cycles)	Column load test
Compression	Per ECT × perimeter	Above standard	ASTM D642
Drop / palletized	Passes 3A protocol typical	Same / better	ISTA 3A / 3E
Liner basis weight	33-42 lb/Msf kraft	41 lb/Msf high-test	TAPPI T 410
Flute combo	BC double-wall	BC double-wall	FBA fluting classification

5-wall construction layer-by-layer

From outside to inside, the box wall is built up from five paper layers: three flat kraft liners alternating with two fluted corrugated mediums.

Outer liner (kraft)

External surface and label/print surface. 33-42 lb/Msf basis weight in standard; 41 lb/Msf high-test in HTP-41 grade.

Outer corrugated medium

First fluted layer. Provides initial cushioning and contributes the majority of burst strength.

Middle liner (kraft)

Flat liner that separates the two flute layers. Critical for compression strength under stacking loads.

Inner corrugated medium

Second fluted layer, oriented same direction as outer flute. Doubles the effective flute count and load capacity.

Inner liner (kraft)

Product-facing surface inside the box. For food-grade workflows, paired with FDA-compliant PE liner (21 CFR 177.1520) that becomes the actual contact surface.

Standard sizes (48 × 40 in pallet footprint)

All standard heights share the GMA pallet footprint. Custom dimensions available on quote.

Size	Volume	Empty wt	Per 53-ft trailer
48 × 40 × 24 in	26.7 ft³ (756 L)	~22 lb	60 (2-high)
48 × 40 × 28 in	31.1 ft³ (881 L)	~24 lb	60 (2-high)
48 × 40 × 30 in	33.3 ft³ (945 L)	~25 lb	60 (2-high)
48 × 40 × 36 in	40.0 ft³ (1,133 L)	~28 lb	60 (2-high)
48 × 40 × 40 in	44.4 ft³ (1,258 L)	~30 lb	52 (2-high)
48 × 40 × 42 in	46.7 ft³ (1,322 L)	~32 lb	52 (2-high)
48 × 40 × 45 in	50.0 ft³ (1,416 L)	~34 lb	26
48 × 40 × 48 in	53.3 ft³ (1,510 L)	~36 lb	26

How to spec the right 5-wall Gaylord

Five decisions that produce a complete spec.

1
Estimate product density (lb/ft³)
Heavy is 90+ lb/ft³ (metals, sand). Medium is 40-60 (mixed bulk). Light is under 40 (plastic, fiber, foam). Use the size finder if unsure.
2
Pick a height that hits both limits at once
Heavy product → short box (24-30 in). Medium → 36 in standard. Light → tall (40-48 in). The right height fills weight and cube at the same time.
3
Pick a condition
Customer-facing or food-grade → new. Internal or recycling → used (40-70% savings). Fiber recovery → scrap.
4
Pick a build style
Heavy / stacked → full flap bottom (FOL). Light / one-way → partial flap. Reuse loop → HTP-41. Food contact → food-grade + PE liner.
5
Submit the quote
Send quantity, size, condition, build style, and delivery address. Pricing scales with quantity, condition, build, and freight — we quote freight-inclusive in 1 business day.

Reference standards

TAPPI T 811 — Edge crush test (ECT) for corrugated board. tappi.org
TAPPI T 810 — Burst test (Mullen) for paperboard and corrugated.
ASTM D642 — Compression resistance of shipping containers, components, and unit loads.
ISTA 3A / 3E — Performance test for packaged products shipped via parcel and palletized LTL freight. ista.org
GMA 48 × 40 in pallet — Grocery Manufacturers Association pallet footprint, the US shipping standard.
21 CFR 177.1520 — FDA food-contact regulation for polyethylene (the spec our food-grade liners meet). ecfr.gov
ISRI Scrap Specifications (PS-11) — Industry trade-grade for old corrugated container (OCC) baled for paper-mill feedstock. isri.org
FBA / FEFCO box style codes — International numeric coding system for corrugated box construction styles. fefco.org

Need a custom spec?

Send product, weight, density, and ship pattern — we'll spec the right configuration.

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