Shelving Design Options
When it comes to choosing the right pallet racking system for your warehouse, there are a lot of things to consider. Price, durability and material are only a few. Adaptability, aesthetics and other considerations are also very important. In this article I will discuss one of the most popular options in the shelving world: metal shelving. It’s relatively cheap, practical, adaptable and safe. Here’s an overview of the many options you have if you choose metal shelving for your warehouse.
The advantage of metal shelving is that it’s easily modifiable, is available in many styles, looks, and even colors, and it’s relatively inexpensive. With metal shelving, you can combine support for heavy weights and for smaller, lighter objects. The versatility of metal shelving enables you to maximize the space of your warehouse. They can be put on wheels or bolted to the floor; with metal shelving, you have a lot of customizable options that you may not have with other materials.
Of course, bolting your shelving to the floor is the way to go if you’re storing heavy boxes and materials. Bolting them to the floor will enable your forklifts to take materials without moving the shelves around. But if you are shelving smaller, more delicate items that are handled by hand, keeping them on wheels might be a better idea. In this case, you can put the shelving close together and move them around when you need something, which is going to help you save space.
If your usage is more commercial, again, metal shelving is your best option. It might not be as beautiful and distinguished as wood shelving, but metal shelving is infinitely adaptable. You can add and remove them at will, change their place without much trouble, and you don’t need a specialized staff to do so. In this case, interlocking shelves are better than bolted ones; you can bolt the basic rack to the wall and add whatever extra shelving and racking you need. You can also get floor racking on wheels, which will enable you to change the appearance of your store as stock comes in and out.
Wood shelving in stores has a more high-quality feel, but it is less customizable and requires more care. You need to oil it frequently, and it gets damaged much more easily than metal. As far as durability and care goes, metal shelving is again the best option, unless you can afford the higher prices and care that wood requires.
The variety of shelving systems available on the market might seem big, but it all boils down to the needs of your warehouse or retail business. Budget, look, customization, adaptability and care are all factors to keep in mind when choosing the shelving for your space. Keep in mind all these things, and you will most likely make a good choice. Metal is the most common shelving system around, and this is reflected in its price and availability.