Questions buyers and sellers ask
Short answers on sizes, weight, the Massachusetts cardboard ban, waxed board, who buys used gaylords and why they are called gaylords.
All the questions
- What size is a standard gaylord box?
- The most common is 48 x 40 x 36 inches, about 40 cubic feet, on a standard pallet. See sizes.
- How much weight can a gaylord box hold?
- Commonly cited ranges run from 800 lb for two-wall to 3,000 lb for five-wall, new; a used box holds less. See weight and capacity.
- Can I throw cardboard gaylord boxes in the dumpster in Massachusetts?
- Recyclable cardboard is banned from disposal. See the ban guide.
- Is waxed cardboard covered by the Massachusetts waste ban?
- RecyclingWorks says it is not. We cannot reuse it either. See waxed and wet boxes.
- Who buys used gaylord boxes near me?
- Plastics processors, parts shops, farms and recyclers along Route 128 and I-495. See industries.
- Can I sell gaylord boxes that have printing or old labels on them?
- Yes. Print is cosmetic. See printed and mixed boxes.
- What is the difference between a full bottom and a partial bottom gaylord?
- Full flaps meet and suit heavy or loose loads; partial flaps leave a gap for a slip sheet. See bottoms.
- How many cubic yards does a gaylord box take up in a dumpster?
- About 1.48 for a standing 48 x 40 x 36. See the arithmetic.
- Why is it called a gaylord?
- After Gaylord Container of St. Louis, maker of the first bulk bins. See name history.
- Are used gaylord boxes as strong as new?
- No. Used boxes are rated lower, depending on grade. See grades.
Longer answers are in the guides.
If your question is not here
These answers are the ones that come up most. More detail is in the guides, the sizes table and the pages for each trade and area. If the question is about your own boxes, the fastest answer comes from the request form, where you can describe them.
Common misunderstandings
Two ideas come up often enough to correct. First, a gaylord is not always recyclable by default: wet or contaminated board follows different rules from clean board. Second, a gaylord that cannot be sold is not a gaylord that can be thrown away, because recyclable cardboard cannot go to disposal in Massachusetts. Both are explained in the guides.
Where the answers come from
The answers here are drawn from the same dated sources as the guides, and the guide that covers each topic is linked from the answer.
Still unsure about your own boxes
Describe them in the form: count, footprint, condition and where they stand. A description is quicker than a back-and-forth.
Questions that are not answered here are worth sending: they help decide what the guides cover next.
Each answer is deliberately brief, with links for those wanting the longer version.