{"id":657,"date":"2021-12-06T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/uk\/blog\/warehouse-rack\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T21:39:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T21:39:36","slug":"warehouse-rack","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/uk\/blog\/warehouse-rack\/","title":{"rendered":"Intro to Warehouse Racks & Warehouse Racking Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Table of Contents<\/p>

** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

What is a warehouse racking system?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are racking systems used for in warehouses?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much do warehouse racks cost?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to set up a warehouse racking system<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is shelving load calculated?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse racking systems and OSHA inspections<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehousing is a pain \u2013 leave it to the experts<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse rack FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Your garage is overflowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your spare rooms are packed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every living space is full of boxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is true for you, then you are probably already considering moving inventory<\/a> to a warehouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in order to transition to warehousing<\/a> successfully, you will need the right equipment. While storage bins, storage cabinets, and totes suffice for home storage, warehousing requires a warehouse racking system, or special metal shelving units that hold pallets or boxes of inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse racking systems directly impact the efficiency of your warehouse management, your order accuracy<\/a>, speed of fulfilment, and worker safety \u2014 so before committing to a racking system, it\u2019s important to do your research. By understanding the different types of warehouse racks and the costs associated with each type, you\u2019ll be able to find the best model for your warehouse the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we take a closer look at warehouse racking systems \u2014 what they are, why it\u2019s important to choose the right ones, the challenges of managing and maintaining warehouse racking systems, and how ShipBob can handle all internal warehouse processes with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a warehouse racking system?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse racking systems (also called pallet rack systems) are storage systems used in most warehouses to hold inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse racking systems consist of several warehouse racks, which are industrial shelving units made of metal designed to store boxes or pallets in multiple levels of horizontal rows, stacked on top of each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are racking systems used for in warehouses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Businesses use racking systems to optimise their warehouse storage. Racking systems can double or triple your warehouse\u2019s inventory holding capacity without increasing the square footage you pay for, making them a cost-effective solution for small businesses looking to maximise their warehousing storage space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rack system also helps keep inventory organised, as it provides a dedicated storage space for each SKU<\/a>. For fast-growing companies transitioning away from haphazard garage storage<\/a>, steel shelving racks with storage bins or pallets can improve inventory management<\/a>, and make it easier to find and pick units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much do warehouse racks cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cost of a racking system depends on the type of racking system you purchase. In general, the simpler the racking system, the less expensive it will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a list of various racking system designs, as well as descriptions and cost estimates (including installation) for each:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

System<\/p><\/td>

Description<\/p><\/td>

Cost per Pallet Position*<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Selective Racking<\/p><\/td>

The most common type of racking.

Two racks are often placed back-to-back to reduce aisle space needed.<\/p>

$50 \u2013 $80<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Double Deep Racking<\/p><\/td>

Four Selective Rack rows placed back-to-back to create storage that is 2 pallets deep in each slot.

$75-$105<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Drive-In Racks\/ Drive Thru Racking<\/p><\/td>

The most high-density storage available.

Forklifts drive through aisles, and load and retrieve pallets from the same point.<\/p>

  • LIFO<\/li>
  • Few aisles maximises warehouse space<\/li><\/ul><\/td>

$115-$140 (depending on rack depth)<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Pushback Racking<\/p><\/td>

\u201cVending machine\u201d storage.

Pallets are loaded into the back of the rack, and slide forward when pallets are removed from the front.<\/p>

  • FIFO<\/li>
  • Designated front and back sides of racks reduce the aisle space needed<\/li>
  • Best for food\/beverage storage<\/li><\/ul><\/td>

$150-$300<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Pallet Flow Racks<\/p><\/td>

Similar to Pushback Pallet Racking, but includes a system of sloping rollers or conveyor belts for carton flow.

Pallets are loaded at the elevated end, and gravity rolls each pallet down as other pallets are removed.<\/p>

$200-$400<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Cantilever Racks<\/p><\/td>

Do not have vertical support bars.
  • Best for storing oblong, oversized products, such as rugs.<\/li>
  • Can be single- or double-sided<\/li><\/ul><\/td>

Single-sided: $850-$1,700<\/p>

Double-sided: $1,100-$2,500<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

* \u201cPallet position\u201d refers to a single slot<\/a> in a warehouse rack that can fit one 48\u201d by 40\u201d pallet. One warehouse rack usually has multiple pallet positions, with the precise number of positions ranging from 2 to 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While warehouse racks themselves are a significant investment, there are additional costs to racking that you\u2019ll need to consider as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Racking systems usually require additional add-ons (such as cross bars, wire decking, and protectors for uprights & aisle ends) which can range anywhere from $12 to $125 each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, you may need to purchase additional warehousing square footage to accommodate the racks, which will vary in cost depending on location and demand for ecommerce warehousing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may also require material handling<\/a> equipment to store and retrieve inventory held in warehouse shelving, which may include pallet jacks, forklifts, dollies, workbenches, or other pieces. Used equipment will of course cost less, while new equipment will cost more, but both will depreciate in value over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking into account all of these costs, setting up a high-quality warehousing rack system for a larger operation can easily cost around $100,000 or more. Because of the costs, smaller operations may find it more cost-effective to outsource storage and warehousing to a 3PL<\/a> or logistics service provider<\/a>, to avoid investing in expensive assets too early on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to set up a warehouse racking system<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you decide which type of racking system is the best for your business, the next step is to carefully consider how to arrange that system to maximise efficiency, manage inventory, avoid bottlenecks<\/a>, and ensure warehouse safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some aspects of warehouse racking to plan for in your business\u2019s warehouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spacing between racks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There should be ample space between racks so that materials are accessible. While your instinct may be to place racks closely together to make the most of your floor space, you shouldn\u2019t do so at the cost of picking<\/a> efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider how pallets are loaded into the racking system, and make sure not to block any pallet loading or picking points (particularly if you use pushback or pallet flow racks).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aisle width<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your aisles should be wide enough for any material handling equipment such as forklifts or pallet jacks to move around with ease to ensure safety and efficiency. With certain types of racking systems, such as double deep racking, two racks can be placed back-to-back to conserve space and allow for wider aisles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Labeling & organisation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To improve your stowing and picking efficiency, follow a consistent system to organise your warehouse<\/a> and inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This system does not have to be ordered alphabetically or by SKU number \u2014 in fact, it is often far more efficient to organise inventory based on picking practicality. Try storing items that are commonly purchased together near each other, grouping seasonal products, and placing best-selling items in easily accessible locations to make picking quick and intuitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you settle on a system, label each storage location prominently, and create a master list of products\u2019 aisle numbers and placements for pickers to refer to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Layout of the system<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When first planning your warehouse layout, ignore any obstructions in your warehousing space (such as columns, mezzanines, workbenches, etc.). Once you have an initial plan, factor in and accommodate for those obstructions, changing as little as possible from your original plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this approach does not guarantee an efficient warehouse, it allows you to prioritize efficiency from the beginning, without getting bogged down in details too early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Longer rows of racks typically make the most efficient warehouse layout. Bisect these long rows periodically with cross-aisles to make moving from one aisle to the next quicker and simpler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is shelving load calculated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you begin to load your shelves with inventory, you absolutely must calculate shelving load capacity for each rack, and display that number prominently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without awareness of how much weight a rack can hold<\/a>, shelves can easily get overloaded. This could result in falling pallets or cause the entire rack to collapse \u2014 so to create a safer work environment for your employees, shelving loads must be respected and up-to-date at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse racks are made of two main components: vertical uprights and horizontal beams. These form the framework, with other components adding support (wood or wire decking to make the \u201cfloor\u201d of the pallet position, braces, baseplates, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To calculate your shelving load capacity, you will need to assess many different factors, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n