Industrial & logistics · Reference
A standard 5-gallon (18.9 L) plastic pail measures about 11.9 in (303 mm) top outside diameter, 10.3 in (262 mm) bottom, and 14.5 in (368 mm) tall, molded in food-grade HDPE with a 0.075–0.090 in wall.
A round pail is specified by overall Height and its tapered Top and Bottom outside diameters (OD).
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Top outside diameter | 11.91 in (303 mm) |
| Bottom outside diameter | 10.33 in (262 mm) |
| Overall height (no lid) | 14.5 in (368 mm) |
| Capacity | 5 US gal (18.9 L) |
| Wall thickness | 0.075 in ± 0.005 (1.9 mm) |
| Material | HDPE (FDA food-grade resin available) |
| Load rating | 40 lb (18 kg) |
Source: U.S. Plastic Corp — Standard 5 Gallon Bucket (2026)
| Pail size | Top OD | Bottom OD | Height (no lid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 gal (3.8 L) | 7.60 in (193 mm) | 6.42 in (163 mm) | 7.50 in (191 mm) |
| 2 gal (7.6 L) | 9.60 in (244 mm) | 8.14 in (207 mm) | 9.50 in (241 mm) |
| 3.5 gal (13.2 L) | 11.75 in (298 mm) | 10.00 in (254 mm) | 11.13 in (283 mm) |
| 5 gal (18.9 L) | 11.91 in (303 mm) | 10.33 in (262 mm) | 14.50 in (368 mm) |
Source: U.S. Plastic Corp — Round Plastic Buckets & Pails (2026)
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Wall thickness (heavy-duty) | 90 mil (0.090 in / 2.3 mm) |
| Top / bottom OD | 11.81 in / 10.375 in (300 / 264 mm) |
| Overall height | 14.625 in (371 mm) |
| Empty weight | 2.19 lb (0.99 kg) |
| Units per pallet | 240 (two nested cases) |
Source: The Cary Company — 5 Gallon White Plastic Pail (90 mil) (2026)
A spec table only helps if the buyer reads it. Many don't — shoppers routinely try to judge a product's size straight from the images, and wrong size or fit is the most-cited reason things get returned. The fix is to mark the real dimensions on the photo itself, where the buyer is already looking.
SizeMarker snaps dimension lines to the bucket / pail's edges and exports at Amazon or Alibaba size, so the measurement is accurate and legible — not a guess typed over the picture. That answers the size question up front and cuts pre-sale questions and size-driven returns.
Related: Industrial spec diagram maker · Product spec sheet maker · Best tools to add dimensions to product photos · Ecommerce returns & size statistics
A standard 5-gallon (18.9 L) plastic pail is about 11.9 in (303 mm) top outside diameter, 10.3 in (262 mm) bottom, and 14.5 in (368 mm) tall without a lid.
Without a lid it is ~14.5 in (368 mm), and heavy-duty 90-mil pails run ~14.6 in (371 mm); a snap-on lid adds roughly 0.5–1 in to the overall stacked height.
Standard 5-gallon HDPE pails have a ~0.075 in (1.9 mm) wall; heavy-duty versions use 90 mil (0.090 in / 2.3 mm) for stacking and shipping strength.
Nested empty 5-gallon pails ship about 240 per pallet (two stacked cases of 120); filled pails palletize far fewer because they can no longer nest.
Many are — natural HDPE pails made from FDA-compliant resin are food-safe, and UN-rated pails (e.g. 1H2/Y27/S) additionally certify them for shipping regulated goods.
Every figure on this page is traced to a named source, linked under each table. Standard sizes come from published standards and established industry references; where a size is a typical range or varies by manufacturer, we say so. Sizes vary by region, model and revision — treat these as the standard reference, and confirm the exact spec of the item you are selling.
