Pallet Racking Buyer's Guide

Identify the exact racking system

Pallet-racking compatibility is system-specific. The manufacturer's name is a useful starting point but it is not enough on its own: the same manufacturer can have made several systems over the years with different upright profiles, beam connectors, locking pins and component specifications, and parts from one will not necessarily fit another. Never assume a beam or frame is compatible because the brand matches.

To identify what you have, check:

• Upright profile: the shape and pattern of the slots or holes punched into the front face of the upright, and the profile's width and depth.
• Beam connector: the end plate on the beam, how many hooks or lugs it has and how they are shaped.
• Locking pin: the pin or clip that secures each beam end to the upright. Pin styles differ between systems and are one of the quickest ways to tell them apart.
• Labels and markings: load notices, manufacturer labels or stamped markings on uprights and beams.
• Photographs and measurements: a clear photo of the upright face, a beam end and a pin, plus the frame height, frame depth and beam length, is usually enough for us to confirm the system.

Once you know the system, browse pallet racking by brand or go straight to Link 51 pallet racking and components, the system we hold most stock of.

Measure the frames and uprights

A frame is the upright pair with its bracing and footplates. Measure and note:

• Frame height: from the floor to the top of the upright. Check it against your clear building height, allowing for lights, sprinklers, beams and any roof structure.
• Frame depth: the distance between the front and back uprights. Frame depth is chosen to suit the pallet depth and the overhang you want, and it must match the beams and decking you intend to use.
• Upright profile: the section size and the slot pattern identified in step 1. Uprights in the same system can come in different duty ratings, so record the profile as well as the height.
• Bracing: the diagonal and horizontal braces between the two uprights. Damaged or missing bracing affects the frame's capacity.
• Floor and environment: level concrete is assumed for most systems. Note uneven floors, drains, outdoor or wet conditions and anything the frames will stand near.

Frames are listed by height and depth in the frames and uprights collection.

Measure the beams

• Clear beam length: the distance between the inside faces of the two uprights the beam spans, which is the space available for pallets. Some suppliers quote overall length including connectors, so check which figure you are comparing.
• Section and profile: the beam's height and box or step section. Beams of different sections in the same system have different capacities.
• Connector and end fitting: the end plate design must match the upright profile exactly.
• Capacity markings: many beams carry a stamped or printed rating. Note it if present, but treat it as a starting point rather than proof that the beam is suitable for your load.
• Locking pins: every beam end needs the correct pin or clip fitted. Missing pins are a common fault on used racking and are inexpensive to replace.

See pallet racking beams and locking pins.

Check your pallets

Racking is sized around the pallets and loads that will sit on it, so measure the pallets you actually use rather than assuming a standard. Record:

• Pallet width, depth and height including the load on it, and the heaviest load you expect.
• Orientation: whether the pallet goes into the rack with its long or short side facing the aisle. This changes the beam length and frame depth you need.
• Load overhang: loads that overhang the pallet edge need extra clearance between pallets and against the uprights.
• Clearances: space is needed between pallets, between the pallet and the upright, and above the load to lift it clear of the beam.
• Pallet quality: broken or undersized pallets, and pallets stored on beams without decking, need particular care.

Check the required load capacity

Beam levels have rated capacities that depend on the beam section, its length, the system it belongs to and how the load is placed on it. Loading must follow the specific system and component data:

• Use the stated capacity for the specific beam and system configuration, as shown on the product listing or the load notice, and do not exceed it.
• Add up the heaviest pallets that will sit on a level together, not the average.
• The frame also has a rated capacity for the total load on all levels, which depends on the upright profile and the spacing between beam levels.
• Where the capacity of a beam, frame or existing installation is unknown, have it verified before use rather than estimating it.

Decide the number and spacing of levels

Work upwards from the floor. For each level allow for the load height, the depth of the beam itself, and the clearance the forklift needs to lift the pallet on and off. The top level needs enough clearance to the roof, lights and sprinklers for both the load and the lift. Beam levels can normally be adjusted later, but the frame capacity changes with the spacing, so plan the levels you expect to use rather than fitting as many as will physically go in. Leave room for future changes in pallet height or product range.

Consider aisles and handling equipment

The aisle width between runs is set by the equipment that will work in it, not by the racking. A counterbalance forklift, a reach truck, a very narrow aisle truck and a hand pallet truck each need a different working aisle. Check the manufacturer's specification for the truck's turning envelope with the pallet and load dimensions you will be handling, and allow for operating clearance on both sides. Site layout also matters: columns, doors, fire exits and pedestrian routes all affect where runs can go. There is no universal aisle width. The Warehouse Optimiser lets you test run positions and aisle widths against your floor area before you ask for a quote.

Buying used pallet racking

Used racking is a sound buy when it is the right system in the right condition. Before ordering:

• Identify the system using step 1, so that everything you buy, now and later, fits together.
• Inspect the condition: look for bent or twisted uprights, damaged bracing, dented beam ends, missing footplates and heavy corrosion. Racking that looks undamaged from a distance still needs a close check.
• Check the components: every beam needs its locking pins, and frames need their footplates and floor fixings.
• Confirm quantities: count frames, beams, pins and any decking so the bays you plan are complete.
• Make sure replacement parts are available for the system, so a damaged component can be swapped rather than the run being taken out of use.

Our used pallet racking comes from takedowns our own teams carry out and is sorted by system.

Complete bays vs components

Complete bays suit a new run or a new area: frames, beams and pins supplied together as a set so the system is consistent. Individual components suit extending or repairing an existing run, where the system is already fixed and you need parts that match it. Typical component needs are:

• Frames and uprights for new bays or replacing a damaged upright
• Beams to add levels or replace damaged ones
• Decking, either timber or wire mesh, for hand-loaded or mixed storage
• Feet and footplates and floor fixings
• Locking pins for every beam end
• Protection such as column guards and end barriers where trucks work close to the racking

Browse all pallet racking for bays and components together.

When to ask Rack It Stack It

If you are unsure about the system, the sizes or the loads, send us photographs of the upright face, a beam end and a locking pin, the frame height and depth, the beam length, any labels or load notices, the pallet and load details, and a note on the site and the handling equipment. We will confirm what you have and what fits it. For an installation or a larger project we can survey the site and produce a drawing before anything is ordered.