What is pallet racking? Warehouse pallet racking is a material handling storage system designed to store pallets in horizontal rows and vertical levels, to create a heavy duty warehouse shelving system. Pallet racks are the most popular type of pallet storage systems used in the USA today, with the teardrop style being the most popular type. Pallet racking beams attach to uprights, forming levels that can support pallets of materials, while still making the pallets accessible to forklifts.
Why Teardrop Pallet Racking?
Teardrop pallet racking is the most popular style of pallet racking because of its slide-in teardrop shaped punched hole design, which is used to lock the horizontal beams to the vertical uprights for quick and easy assembly without bolts or other hardware. It can be purchased in complete kits or as individual components such as beams, uprights and other accessories, adding to it's appeal for pallet storage. Since many rack manufacturers use a teardrop style connection, this design allows for mixing and matching of different manufacturer's beams and uprights.
These heavy duty Interlake industrial racks are an industry standard. We have both new and old style Interlake beams and uprights, as well as pallet supports and wire decking.
SJF has taken the guess work out and created some pre-configured Pallet Racking Kits that include all components needed to build a pallet rack storage solution. Both starter and adder kits are available in several configurations to allow for the possibility of future growth.
Using Pallet Racking For Home or Warehouse Storage
Pallet Racking is one of the most popular types of warehouse storage systems used today. Because of the wide variety of styles and sizes to choose from, it is commonly used by warehouses and distribution centers for industrial storage, as well as for a simple home storage projects.
SJF carries a wide variety of new and used warehouse storage rack brands and styles to fit any space. We also carry a wide assortment of accessories to add-on to or customize any currently installed warehouse rack systems.
SJF's professional sales staff has over 60 years of combined experience with new and second hand or used pallet racks of all types. We have thousands of light and heavy duty beams, column uprights and accessories in-stock and ready for immediate shipment. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact us for a free professional consultation.
Pallet racking is a versatile type of storage that is used in many different ways besides just storing goods in warehouses. It is often used to organize space for internal operations as well. Some examples of this would be tire rack, forklift battery rack, pallet storage racks and furniture racks. Large hardware stores such as Home Depot, Menards and Lowes use this warehouse equipment to display products for sale.
Used pallet rack beams can start as low as $15 each and used pallet rack uprights can start as low as $55. Prices depend strongly on size and condition of the material. Purchasing used pallet racking is a very popular choice for many businesses needing industrial shelving and storage. Often it is in like-new condition and can save quite a bit of money if purchased from a reputable dealer.
Standard duty pallet racking typically holds from 15,000-18,000 lbs. For heavy duty racking, the weight capacity can typically range from 25,000 to 30,000 lbs. The amount of weight that it can hold depends on the size and density of the pallet rack.
Teardrop pallet racking is one of the most popular types of pallet storage systems used today. Teardrop rack uses a slide-in teardrop shaped punched hole design, which is used to lock the horizontal beams to the vertical uprights for quick and easy assembly without hardware.
Drive in pallet racks store pallets on a First In/Last Out (FILO) basis. Pallets are loaded and retrieved from the front side of the drive in rack and forklift trucks drive directly into the rack's bays to get to the stored product. The last pallet loaded into the rack becomes the first pallet accessible.
Drive through racking works similarly, but stores pallets on a first in/first out (FIFO) basis. Pallets are loaded on one side of the rack and retrieved from the opposite side.
Push back racking uses a selective rack structure with a rail and cart system. Pallets are set on nested carts or trays that can be pushed backwards along rails in the rack frame itself. The rails are on an incline and fed by gravity, so the most recently added load is always in the front of the rack. The pallets are easily loaded and unloaded on a "Last In, First Out" (LIFO) rotation.
Case and carton flow rack uses gravity rollers or skatewheels in the rack shelf itself to allow product to be loaded from the back and flows to the front, which is the pick side. Carton flow racking (or case flow racking) provides FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory control.
Pallet flow rack is a First In, First Out (FIFO) system that utilizes gravity roller tracks to form a gravity flow lane. The tracks are set with a decline pitch which allows pallets to move by gravity from the in feed side (rear) to the pick side (front).
Span-Track is a product manufactured by the Unex company and is similar to carton flow rack. Unex Span-Track uses gravity rollers to flow product from the back to the pick side in the front. Span-Track provides FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory control.
Cantilever racks are steel shelving units with long arms that extend from metal frames used to store long, bulky or awkward materials. They are used to store items such as furniture, lumber, PVC, metal pipes, steel bar stock, plywood, steel sheets, sheetrock and even cars. Cantilever racks are configurable in countless different ways, allowing a flexible solution to fit any type of storage needs.
Selective pallet racking uses an aisle to access each pallet, offering easy accessibility to every pallet, as well as utilizing the available vertical space.
Pallet racking bays are the sections in a long span racking system that has an upright on each side. If two bays are positioned together in a back-to-back fashion, they are referred to as double deep pallet racking.
Pallet racks can be up to 240" high.
Pallet racks efficiently use otherwise wasted available vertical space by creating a shelving system with many options available. Forklift trucks are used to load and unload the materials on and off of the rack shelves, increasing warehouse efficiency and saving stock picking time.
Pallet racking is available in many different styles and capacities to fit the needs of a warehouse. There are many types of pallet racking, but teardrop pallet racking is the most popular because of it's ease of assembly and flexibility in mixing and matching brands.
Pallet rack beams are the horizontal weight-bearing structure that connects the upright frames to each other. Teardrop warehouse rack beams are the most requested and sought after beam styles for pallet racks used in modern warehouses today. Cross beams come in all different lengths, heights and gauges (height and gauge determine beam capacity).
All teardrop storage rack beams use a standard teardrop style and will work with all major brands, as long as the upright utilizes the classic "teardrop" shaped hole punching. SJF also carries a wide range of shaved pin beams. This is a modern innovation that allows SJF's shelf beams to fit both the new and old teardrop type hole design, originally introduced by Interlake/Mecalux.
How To Choose Pallet Racking Beams
The beams come in different lengths and heights depending on the size of the pallet racking needed and the weight and dimensions of the items stored on the racks. They also come in step style or box style, which allow the use of optional over the top or drop in supports or decking. Pallet rack beams can be adjusted to whatever height from the ground is needed and can be easily removed and readjusted to a different level for future changing needs.
If you have any questions about warehouse racks or any of industrial storage systems you see on this site, please call and speak to one of our friendly SJF customer service representatives for more details at (320) 485-4974 (direct sales line) or (800) 598-5532. Click to view our new storage racks in our eStore.
View a short video explaining measurements and capacities for pallet rack beams.
What are Pallet Rack Upright Frames?
Pallet rack uprights or upright frames are the vertical support that determines the height and depth of the warehouse racking system. Upright frames come in many heights and depths to support whatever weight capacity is needed.
How To Choose Pallet Racking Uprights
Two upright frames are needed for a starter pallet racking bay. Once the first structure is in place, only one upright frame is needed to add on to a current rack. Choose from a wide variety of sizes with SJF teardrop style upright frames. These upright frames utilize the universal teardrop style connectors which can be interchanged with any standard teardrop racking on the market today.
All uprights come painted with high visibility paint, which reduces the chances of damage to racks and accidents to employees.
If you have any questions about warehouse racks or any of industrial storage systems you see on this site, please call and speak to one of our friendly SJF customer service representatives for more details at (320) 485-4974 (direct sales line) or (800) 598-5532. Click to view our new storage racks in our eStore.
Click above to see a short video on how to measure uprights.
