Customer Service
Source 4 Industries
  • Shop expand
    • Casters
    • Lincoln Lubrication
    • Ladders
    • Guard Rails + Barriers
    • Hand Trucks
    • Pallet Jacks
    • Carts
    • Safety Products
    • SHOP ALL
  • About Us
  • Help Center expand
    • My Account
    • Blog
    • Contact Us
    • Returns
Source 4 Industries
  • Shop expand
    • Casters
    • Lincoln Lubrication
    • Ladders
    • Guard Rails + Barriers
    • Hand Trucks
    • Pallet Jacks
    • Carts
    • Safety Products
    • SHOP ALL
  • About Us
  • Help Center expand
    • My Account
    • Blog
    • Contact Us
    • Returns
  • 0 item - shopping Cart $0.00

    Your cart is currently empty.

    Continue Shopping

    Your Products Price
    Subtotal: $0.00
    View cart Checkout
categories
  • Shop by brand
  • Automotive
    • SHOP ALL Automotive
    • 2 & 4 Post Auto Lifts
      • 2 & 4 Post Lift Accessories
    • Auto Dollies
      • Auto Dolly Attachments and Accessories
    • Auto Rotisseries & Auto Body Carts
      • Mounting Brackets
    • Mityvac Tools & Equipment
    • Motorcycle Lifts
      • Motorcycle Lift Accessories
    • Tool Storage
    • Vehicle & Trailer Jacks
    • Vehicle Ramps & Risers
    • Wheel Balancers & Tire Changers
  • Bins & Containers
    • SHOP ALL Bins & Containers
    • Bins
    • Totes & Containers
    • Bin Carts
    • Tub Racks
    • Bin Shelving
    • Louvered Panels & Peg Boards
    • Bin Cabinets
  • Cabinets & Lockers
    • SHOP ALL Cabinets & Lockers
    • Storage Cabinets
    • Drum & Cylinder Cabinets
    • Lockers
    • Safety Cabinets
    • Bin Cabinets
    • Parts & Accessories
  • Carts
    • SHOP ALL Carts
    • AV & Mobile Charge Carts
    • Bin Carts
    • Bulk Trucks & Mobile Storage
    • Laundry Carts
    • Mattress Carts
    • Mobile Workbench Carts
    • Panel Trucks & Drywall Carts
    • Platform Trucks & Wagons
    • Shelf & Service Carts
    • Stocking & U Boat Carts
    • Specialty Carts
    • Replacement Parts
  • Casters
    • SHOP ALL Casters
    • Plate Casters
      • Swivel
      • Fixed / Rigid
      • With Brake / Locking
      • Bellman Cart Hotel Casters
      • Polyurethane Tread Plate Caster
      • Rubber Tread Plate Casters
      • Steel Tread Plate Casters
    • Stem Casters
      • Threaded
      • Nonthreaded
      • Stem Adapter
      • Polyurethane Tread Stem Casters
      • Rubber Tread Stem Casters
    • Wheels
      • Hand Truck/Dollie Wheels
      • Polyurethane Tread
      • Rubber Tread
      • Steel Tread
    • High Capacity
    • Stainless Steel Casters
    • High Temp. Casters
    • Gate Casters
    • Leveling Casters & Floor Locks
    • Caster Mount Plates
  • Desks & Tables
    • SHOP ALL Desks & Tables
    • Desktop Converters
    • Stand Up Desks
    • Student Desks
    • Tables
    • Presentation Stations
    • TV Stands
    • Whiteboards
  • Dollies
    • SHOP ALL Dollies
    • Auto Dollies
      • Auto Dolly Attachments and Accessories
    • Carpeted Dollies
    • Drum Dollies
    • Metal & Plastic Dollies
    • Pallet Dollies
    • Wood Dollies
  • Dock Equipment
    • SHOP ALL Dock Equipment
    • Curb Ramps
    • Dock Plates
    • Dock Boards
    • Door Track Guards
    • Edge of Dock Levelers
  • Drum & Cylinder Equipment
    • SHOP ALL Drum & Cylinder Equipment
    • Poly Drums
    • Drum Dollies
    • Cylinder Trucks
    • Drum Trucks
    • Drum Grabs & Lifts
    • Drum & Cylinder Cabinets
    • Drum & Cylinder Racks
    • Drum Accessories & Tools
  • Food Service Equipment
    • SHOP ALL Food Service Equipment
    • Carts & Dollies
    • Dunnage & Tray Racks
    • Shelving & Storage
    • Tables & Prep Stations
  • Guard Rails & Barriers
    • SHOP ALL Guard Rails & Barriers
    • Guard Rails
    • Pallet Rack Upright Protectors
    • Safety Bollards
    • End of Aisle Rack Protectors
    • Door Track Guards
    • Handle-IT Brand
  • Hand Trucks
    • SHOP ALL Hand Trucks
    • Standard Utility Trucks
    • Collapsible Trucks
    • Convertible Trucks
    • Aluminum Frame
    • Appliance/Vending Machine Trucks
    • Drum Trucks
    • Cylinder Trucks
    • Shovel Nose Trucks
    • Pallet Trucks
    • Hand Truck Ramps
    • Hand Truck / Dollie Wheels
  • Hoppers & tilt trucks
  • Innovative Products
    • SHOP ALL Innovative Products
    • Makinex
    • Multi Trolley
  • Ladders
    • SHOP ALL Ladders
    • A-Frame Ladders
    • Extension Ladders
    • Articulating Ladders
    • Cage Ladders
    • Ladder Accessories
  • Lift Trucks & Tables
    • SHOP ALL Lift Trucks & Tables
    • Hand Lifts
    • Powered Lifts
    • Lift Tables
    • Spin & Tilt Table
  • Lincoln Lubrication Equipment
    • SHOP ALL Lincoln Lubrication
    • Centro-Matic® Lubrication Systems
      • Centro-Matic® Accessories
    • Quicklub Lubrication Systems
      • Quicklub System Accessories
    • PowerMaster Pumps
    • Air-Operated Pumps
      • Diaphragm Pumps
      • Grease Pumps
      • Oil & Fluid Pumps
    • Hand-Operated Pumps
    • Power-Operated Pumps
    • Transfer Pumps
    • Pump Accessories
    • Pump Repair Kits & Parts
    • Drum Accessories
    • Grease Guns
      • Grease Gun Accessories
      • Hand Grease Guns
    • Control Valves & Meters
      • Control Valve & Meter Accessories
    • Couplers, Swivels & Adapters
    • Extensions
    • Hose Reels
      • Hose Reel Accessories
    • Hoses
    • Grease Fittings
    • Air Filters, Regulators & Lubricators
    • Mityvac Tools & Equipment
    • Used Fluid Collection
  • Matting
    • SHOP ALL Matting
    • Carpeted Mats
    • Rubber Mats
    • Interlocking Mats
  • Pallet Jacks
    • SHOP ALL Pallet Jacks
    • Hand Pallet Jacks
    • Powered Pallet Jacks & Scale Trucks
    • Pallet Stacker Trucks
    • Pallet Jack Accessories & Wheels
  • Safety Products
    • SHOP ALL Safety Products
    • Safety Cans and Containers
      • Bench & Plunger Cans
      • Biohazardous & Oily Waste Cans
      • Cease Fire Waste Receptacles
      • Faucet Cans
      • Hoses, Funnels, & Lids
      • Oval Lab & Disposal Cans
      • Type I & II Safety Cans
    • Safety Cabinets
      • Parts & Accessories
    • Smoking Receptacles
    • Spill Containment
    • Eyewash Stations
    • Guard Rails & Barriers
    • Cease Fire Waste Receptacles
  • Shelving
    • SHOP ALL Shelving
    • Polymer Shelving
    • Aluminum & Stainless Steel Shelving
    • Wire Shelving
      • Wire Shelving Components
    • Mobile Shelving
    • Sheet, Stock, & Tire Racks
  • Workbenches
    • SHOP ALL Workbenches
    • Stationary Workbenches
    • Mobile Workbench Carts
  • Warehouse Supplies
    • SHOP ALL Warehouse Supplies
    • Shipment Securing & Logistic Supplies
    • Steel Strapping Equipment
    • Rags
    • Pallets
    • Stretch Wrap Machines & Packaging Material
  • Waste Receptacles
    • SHOP ALL Waste Receptacles
    • Cease Fire Waste Receptacles

Recent Blogs

  • Manual Pallet Jacks vs. Powered...

    January 23, 2018

  • Shipping an Auto Rotisserie

    December 20, 2017

  • B&P American Pride: Giving Back...

    June 28, 2017

  • Planning Ahead For Change

    May 18, 2017

Popular Tags

  • Auto Rotisseries
  • B&P Manufacturing
  • casters
  • Charity
  • Ergonomics
  • Hand Trucks
  • Helpful Tips
  • Lincoln Industrial
  • Lubrication
11/ Apr, 17 0 comments

How to Plan Your Pallet Rack Storage Area

Whether your pallet rack storage area is large or small, a big box warehouse in the hundreds of thousands of square feet, your own garage at home, or anything in between, we all want to make the most out of the space we are given. For today’s purpose, let’s take an example of a fair sized industrial storage area where we are trying to maximize storage efficiency and squeeze as much out of every cubic foot that we can. Obvious questions that need to be answered before moving ahead with your design:
  1. What are the actual dimensions or footprint of the usable square feet in your storage area? Let’s assume the dimensions are 50’ wide x 100’ long, or 5000 sq ft.
    • Be as accurate as possible when taking dimensions as even being a ¼” short can create big problems if you have more rack width than you have floor space.
    • Be sure to make allowance for curbs, building columns, pipes, ducting or fixtures that cannot be moved that may be protruding from the walls or floor.
Don’t be tempted into thinking, “I’ll just use a bigger hammer.” Walls and curbing typically don’t move without a major fight or unintended consequences.
  1. Identify any openings, such as doors, windows, vents or other obstructions. Note any fixtures such as lights, outlets, electrical panels, or switches and plan accordingly. Make note of these on your drawing so they do not interfere with the safe and efficient operation of the rack.
  2. Look Up!!! Make sure you have adequate head room above the rack to safely store material on the top shelf and still stay sufficiently below the ceiling or roof joist level. What is your clear height from floor to the lowest part of your ceiling? If you have an overhead fire suppression or sprinkler system, check with the local Fire Authority to make sure the top of your stored product is below the required distance according to fire codes. (Often times that will be about 18-24 inches).
  3. After identifying all of the above, along with any other special conditions, using a piece of graph paper or computer software, determine the areas that are available to place the storage racking and how it will complement your flow of material or handling preferences.
  4. Identify the type of material you wish to store on the rack. Measure the size concerning height, width, and depth and consider the combined weight that you plan on putting on each beam level.
  5. Shop for the product that best suits your needs.
    • For pallet storage, a typical 42” deep rack allows for 3 inches of overhang on both the front and back of the storage rack. A standard GMA pallet is 40” wide x 48” deep. Two of this size pallet fits nicely on a 96” wide horizontal beam, allowing a 4” clearance on each end and a comfortable space between the 2 pallets of 8”. Depending on the experience of the equipment operators, the spacing can be reduced and a shorter beam can be used. The 96” beam is among the more popular sizes, but most manufacturers will make special sizes if the order is large enough. Used product is often available in different sizes to fit applications where less common beam sizes are needed.
    • Check with your local building department for heights in excess of 8’. Some areas of the country require permits for racking systems in excess of 6’ while other areas do not require permits for racking of any size. Some areas of the country deal with seismic conditions requiring engineering for the safest installations.
    • If you are choosing to install the material yourself rather than hire a local professional, there are several things you will need to know. As a precaution, you will want to verify that your floor surface will hold the weight of whatever you are placing on it. Concrete or steel would be preferable surfaces to affix rack systems to, yet other surfaces can work with the proper preparations, ie wood, asphalt, etc. (We’ll save this for another article)
OK, now onto the physical layout:
  1. Using a chalk line, mark the area where it makes the most sense to place your rack. If there is any component assembly required, do that first, as it will make things much easier during installation.
  1. Place the uprights along the chalk line and proceed to install beams, pallet supports or wire deck at the levels that match the needs you have previously determined for both size and weight requirements.

It is recommended that all pallet rack uprights be anchored to the floor surface with an appropriate anchor to avoid movement or tipping. Most pallet rack uprights will have a suitable footplate designed for their approved use by the manufacturer.

Most of the layout involved in any installation will revolve around common sense and awareness for the safety of those who will be working around the storage rack and the surrounding area. A good rule of thumb is to always use a manufacturer who has a solid reputation or a rack design that has been proven. Inspecting the welds on used material can help in avoiding failure in the future once the pallet rack is loaded.

All racks are not the same and buying a rack that is a little over designed for your needs is not a bad idea. Even the right rack in the wrong application may save money initially, but could be the most expensive investment you ever make if it fails prematurely. Good luck on your layout and installation.

And enjoy the extra space!! I hear it’s the final frontier??

Tags: Helpful Tips, pallet rack
Share Share on Facebook Pin it Pin on Pinterest Tweet Tweet on Twitter

contact info

  • 4436 Lawrence Street, Ste A/B
    N Las Vegas, NV 89081
  • orders@source4industries.com

my account

  • Order History
  • Wish List
  • Newsletter

Information

  • Shipping Information
  • Return Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Returns

Added To Your Shopping Cart!

 

 

+
-