Wall count: double, triple, four and five wall
Wall count is the number of layers of corrugated board in a gaylord's sides, from two to five. More walls carry more and stack higher; the commonly cited range runs from 800 lb at two-wall to 3,000 lb at five-wall.
Four wall counts
| Walls | Capacity (cited) | Common height | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 800 to 1,200 lb | 30 to 36 in | Two-wall |
| 3 | 1,000 to 1,600 lb | 34 to 40 in | Three-wall |
| 4 | 1,500 to 2,200 lb | 36 to 41 in | Four-wall |
| 5 | 2,000 to 3,000 lb | 36 to 46 in | Five-wall |
A caution
Individual wall thickness varies, so wall count alone is not always reliable. The Cary Company lists double wall at 275#/ECT-48 and triple wall at 1100#/ECT-90; board grade changes the answer.
Choosing
Light, bulky goods are fine in two-wall or three-wall. Heavy parts and anything stacked want four-wall or five-wall with a full flap bottom. Octabins are usually five-wall or heavy triple-wall. See weight and capacity.
Counting walls on a box you already have
You can count the layers on a box by looking at a cut edge or at the top of a wall where the flap has been folded back. Each layer is a sheet of fluted board with its own wavy core, and the layers are separated by flat liner sheets. A box with two layers looks thin when you flex a wall; a box with five behaves like a plank. If you cannot tell, measure the thickness of the wall with a ruler and write the figure down: the reply can usually work out the count from that.
Why the count matters on a dock
The wall count changes how a stack behaves in a trailer, how a box handles a forklift push and how the buyer sees the condition. It is the one number that appears in nearly every request for a box and nearly every description of one.
Wall count and the rest of the box
More walls do not automatically mean a stronger box. The board grade, the type of flute and the construction of the bottom all matter. A well-made three-wall with a full flap bottom can outperform a poorly made four-wall. When the numbers matter, ask for the maker's rating, and if it is a used box, the grade. The wall count is a good first filter and a poor last one.
How it affects stacking
A box that is stacked carries the weight of every box above it, so the sides need to resist compression as well as bulging. Two- and three-wall boxes are usually single-stacked or stacked two high when full. Four- and five-wall boxes are the ones that can be stacked higher. If your dock stacks, say how high.
Mixed construction
Some boxes combine a heavy outer layer with lighter inner ones. If you see a wall count that does not match your expectation, ask the seller what the maker's certificate says.
Sources
Each read on November 11, 2026.