Pallet racking

Why are pallets needed in storage areas?

In your industrial warehouse, pallet racking systems are ideal for storing stock vertically because it gives you much more floorspace. That means you can add more stock compactly, which means you have more space to keep higher levels of stock. And a bigger capacity for storage can lead to making more profit.

Benefits of warehouse pallet racking you’ll love

This offering is part of our industrial racking service. The benefits include:

• More storage space

• Increase capacity of heavy stock

• Save money on commercial property

• Less likelihood of products falling from shelving

• Fewer damaged goods

• Neat pallet storage may encourage warehouse efficiency

Our pallet racking installation service

Our experienced and qualified installers deliver across the UK to ensure your industrial rack is erected correctly and safely. It must abide by health and safety regulations.

Incorrectly installing your pallet racking:

• Could cause occupational hazard for your staff

• May mean you’re not insured properly

• Will result in improper storage of your stock

We have a process in place that ensures none of that happens and we install various industrial racking systems for different needs:

• Warehouse racking

• Pallet racking

• Cantilever shelving

• Picking tower

What is our racking installation process?

1. On site assessment

2. Design and consultancy service

3. Sign off

4. Delivery and install

5. Aftersales service

How to design a pallet racking system

1: Choose your pallet rack design

• Where is your pallet rack going to sit in your warehouse?

• When do you need it to be delivered?

• Do you have the right space to have a loading bay that works with the use of forklifts?

2: Select your design of the actual rack

• What size do you need?

• Are you able to add a rack without fire risk?

• Will there be any product overhang problems?

• What’s the height to depth ratio of your storage?

When you’ve got those answers and you know how your pallet rack works, you can envision that across your whole industrial building to ensure you’re happy with your layout.

3: Find the type of pallet rack you need

There are more than one type of pallet racks you might want to consider, including:

• Push back

• Live

• Narrow aisle

• Standard aisle

• Drive in

• Double deep

But the traditional pallet rack is reliable, sturdy and cost effective for a warehouse.

4: Plan for accessing your pallet rack

It might depend on the type of equipment and stock you’ll be keeping on your pallet rack. But you’ll need to think through how you and your staff will safely access the racking. Can you safely use ladders if it’s smaller stock items, or is a forklift better suited?

It’s also crucial to consider your aisle use because you’ll want to ensure that not only can your warehouse staff access the racking, but you’ll want to strive for operational productivity as well as safety. Plus, you won’t want to damage any stock nor the rack itself.

If you need a much bigger space, you could consider mezzanine flooring to grow your warehouse capacity in an affordable way.

Pallet racking design: 6 Things to think about

1. Pallet type and size

The type and size of your pallet is perhaps the most obvious factor to have in mind. But you should find the right pallet for you, if you have stock that:

• Must be stored upright

• Is fragile

• Has expiration dates

• Must not be stacked

• Needs to be kept at a certain temperature

At Warehouse Fit Out Group, we’ll advise you on the most effective pallet rack type for your stock if you need any guidance. We’ll then design and install it, and do a thorough check too.

If you need adjustable pallet racking, require a specific pallet size for your in house design or even need to access aisles in a timely manner, we can help.

For example, our experts will guide you through all of our space saving storage systems available. So, if you need heavy duty pallet racking for storing palletised goods, Warehouse Fit Out Group are the specialists you need. Get your pallet stored correctly so you can have stock delivered and stored promptly, safely and swiftly.

2. Inventory retrieval

You’ll need to pinpoint whether your warehouse works on a LIFO or FIFO system. LIFO refers to ‘last in, first out’, and FIFO refers to ‘first in first out’. That means if your stock is time sensitive, has a shelf life or has scheduled demand deadlines for assigned customers, you’ll need to address this.

This is because different types of pallet racking solutions work better for LIFO and FIFO stock.

3. Handling equipment in your warehouse

Decide how your staff will access your pallet racking, for example:

• Forklift

• Lift Truck

• Man-up order picker

What you need will depend on the size, height, depth and weight of your stock and how much stock you’ll need to move at any given time.

Whichever handling equipment you require, you’ll need to make sure that there is the right amount of space in your warehouse to allow that, and that you have the qualified staff to use that equipment.

4. Your budget

Work out your pallet rack requirements so that you don’t cut yourself short in the long run. The last thing you’ll want is to have invested in pallet racking for better stock management, but have insufficient number of racks.

You might have considered choosing used pallet racking systems to save money. But these can often have disadvantages, including:

• Doubtful structures - potential for safety hazards

• Need to be inspected - more costs in the end

• Not fitted to your specific capacity needs

5. Stock flow

As you know, some of your products will need to be retrieved and departed out of the warehouse quicker than others. You’ll need to ensure that your layout of your pallet rack in your warehouse allows for those needs in the best possible way.

Decide which products will need to be accessed and shipped on their expected schedules so that your workers can retrieve stock on time and your stock flow and sales aren’t impacted.

You might find that a staging or loading area is beneficial to have near your stock that’s shipped out most often. This will save time for staff traveling around the warehouse hunting for stock and allow an effective workflow.

6. Warehouse atmosphere & environment

You need to make sure that your warehouse has the right temperature and environment to keep your stock in good condition.

If your stock includes medications or foodstuffs or alike, you need to ask whether your stock needs to be kept in any of these temperatures.

• Cold, freezer 

• Controlled 

• Ambient 

Your required temperature may then affect the rest of your warehouse plans. If the temperature essentially doesn’t matter in your warehouse, this could be much less costly. But if you require your pallet rack stock to be kept cold by use of a freezer, you’ll need to think about the following.

• Food grade - your stock must abide by FDA compliance standards. E.g. pallets with food must be at least 12 inches off the floor.

• Installation temperature - workers cannot be kept in cold conditions for a long time, meaning a longer installation duration

• Smart layout - you will need effective space layout to contain both your pallet rack and your freezer

Frequently asked questions about pallet racking and installation

How can you secure pallet racking?

Bolt all of the equipment correctly to secure your pallet racking. Our expert racking installers can erect your rack so that it’s fully safe and secure.

What is pallet racking?

Pallet racking is a storage system that allows you to hold stock and equipment in your industrial building or warehouse short term or long term. Pallet racking is perfect for warehouse stock holding.

How much weight can pallet racking hold?

The amount of weight that a pallet rack can hold varies depending on the manufacturer you choose as well as the size and design of your pallet rack. But, the standard weight of a pallet rack can typically hold a load capacity of 2,500 pounds.

How do you stack pallets in a warehouse?

Store the heaviest stock on the bottom of your warehouse pallet because this provides a stable foundation for lighter stock to be added to the top.

How long does it take to install pallet racking?

It can take between 2 days and 2 weeks to install pallet racking. But it depends on whether you use qualified installers, how many racks you need to install and how many installers are on the team you hire.

Can pallets overhang racking?

Your pallets might overhang racking. It may not pose a health and safety hazard depending on the weight, position and size of your pallet, and of course the extent at which it’s overhanging.

But you need to be at the very least aware if your stock is overhanging as it may need attention so it doesn’t cause danger to your staff.

What are pallet racking installation guidelines?

Each of the parts of your pallet rack should be erected and installed in a way that abides by guidance by the manufacturer.

For example, uprights should be fixed to the floor and load notices should be spaced out effectively and must be easily visible by all using the equipment.

At Warehouse Fit Out Group, we offer pallet racking installation so we can do this all for you, and ensure it’s carried out properly and securely.

Enquire about pallet racking with us

Pop your details into our form and we’ll organise a free call with you and one of our specialist consultants to discuss your warehouse racking needs. Did you know we also offer warehouse LED lighting solutions too?

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