How Many Pallets Fit in a 20ft Container? Pallet Storage in Brisbane Without a Warehouse Lease
Published
Quick answer: a 20ft container takes 8 Australian standard pallets with forklift clearance, 10 packed tight by pallet jack, or 11 Euro pallets, single stacked on a 13.9m2 floor. At Storage Land that floor costs $349 a month, you drive up to the door, and you get in at any hour. For small businesses in Brisbane holding stock, samples, seasonal buys or materials, that is the number to compare against a 3PL warehouse quote or a commercial lease.
How many pallets fit in a 20ft container
Internal dimensions are 5.90m x 2.35m x 2.39m (full figures in our 20ft container dimensions guide).
| Pallet type | Size | Single stacked on the floor | Two high (light goods) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian standard | 1,165 x 1,165mm | 8 (forklift clearance) to 10 (pallet jack, tight) | 16-20 |
| Euro pallet | 1,200 x 800mm | 11 | 22 |
| Standard / ISO | 1,200 x 1,000mm | 10 | 20 |
Two Australian pallets across the 2.35m width use 2,330mm, leaving 22mm. That is fine with a hand pallet jack from the door, but not a forklift-from-the-side job, so if you load with a forklift plan on 8. Stacking two high needs stable, strapped loads under about 1.1m each.
Container vs 3PL warehouse vs commercial lease
| 20ft container (Storage Land) | 3PL warehouse | Small industrial lease | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Flat $349 a month inc GST, no bond, no admin fee | Usually per pallet per week plus handling in and out, plus pick fees if they ship for you | Rent per m2 per year plus outgoings, bond, fit-out and a multi-year term |
| Access | You, 24/7, with your own PIN - drive to the door | Their hours, their staff, booked in advance | Yours |
| Minimum term | Month to month, 30 days notice | Varies, often a minimum monthly charge | Typically 1-3 years |
| Best for | 8-20 pallets of stock you touch yourself: online sellers, trades, market and event gear, seasonal buys | High volumes you never touch, outsourced pick and pack | A real operation with staff on site |
| Power and racking | No power to containers; floor-stack or bring your own shelving | Racked, powered | Whatever you build |
The honest dividing line: if someone else needs to pick, pack and ship your stock, a 3PL earns its fees. If the stock just needs to sit somewhere secure until you come and get it, you are paying a 3PL for handling you do not use. A container is the middle option that did not exist in most people's heads until they priced the other two.
What Brisbane businesses actually put in a 20ft container
- Online sellers: pallets of inbound stock from the port or the 3PL, broken down to shelves. See storage for online sellers.
- Seasonal retail buys: Christmas, Easter and back-to-school stock that arrives months early. See seasonal stock storage.
- Trades: pallets of tiles, flooring, cabinetry or fittings for the next three jobs, out of the ute and off the client's driveway. See tradie storage.
- Event and hire gear: marquees, staging, furniture, signage between jobs.
- Archive boxes: a pallet of files is cheaper to store than to scan. See document storage.
Need more than one? Businesses take two or three 20ft containers side by side, or a 40ft at $650 a month (by enquiry) which holds 20 Australian pallets on the floor.
Practical notes for pallet storage in a container
- Loading: containers are at ground level in a drive-up yard. A tailgate truck with a pallet jack is the usual method. Tell us if you will be forklifting from a truck so we can point you to a spot with room to swing.
- Weight: the ISO rating is far beyond any storage load, but the floor is timber ply over steel bearers. Spread heavy point loads with pallets or boards rather than parking a 1,000kg crate on four small feet.
- Moisture: containers are ventilated, not climate controlled. Keep cardboard off the floor on pallets, which you are doing anyway, and leave a hand's width between stock and the walls. See preventing mould in container storage.
- What you cannot store: fuel, gas, lithium battery stock in bulk and perishables are out. Full list in prohibited items.
- Insurance: stock in storage should be on your business contents or stock policy. We do not add a compulsory insurance charge. See storage insurance.
Where we are
Storage Land is at 675 Beaufighter Avenue, Archerfield, in the industrial precinct beside Archerfield Airport, close to the Ipswich Motorway and 5-20 minutes from more than 40 southside suburbs. Sealed bitumen, CCTV, 24/7 gated PIN access. If your supplier or 3PL is in Rocklea, Acacia Ridge, Salisbury, Coopers Plains or Darra, we are a short hop. Business details and a quote are on business storage Brisbane.
Pallet storage FAQs
How many pallets fit in a 20ft container?
8 Australian standard pallets with forklift clearance, 10 tight with a pallet jack, or 11 Euro pallets, single stacked. Roughly double that stacked two high with light, stable loads.
How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?
20 Australian standard pallets or about 24 Euro pallets on the floor.
How much does pallet storage cost in Brisbane?
3PL warehouses quote per pallet per week plus handling, so the only way to compare is to ask for your volume. A 20ft container at Storage Land is a flat $349 a month for up to 10 pallets on the floor, with no handling fees because you do the handling.
Can I run a forklift in the yard?
Talk to us first. Tailgate trucks and pallet jacks are the everyday method. Bays and aisles are sealed bitumen.
Is there power in the container?
No. Containers and bays are unpowered. Bring a battery pallet jack charged.
Stock on pallets and no warehouse? A 20ft container is $349 a month, drive-up, 24/7.
Call 0452 043 647Book Online