Cantilever racking is a design for open racking with horizontal arms that stick out to hold materials. It’s common in lumber yards or places that store long piping.
SRS Shelving + Rack Systems has been installing these systems in warehouses across the country for more than 45 years, and we know that businesses rely on them every day, but for others, it’s not what they need.
Cantilever racking can handle certain storage challenges that standard pallet racks can’t, but they come with a few trade-offs, like any system, so it’s important to be aware before deciding to use them.
What is Cantilever Racking?
It’s a storage system with no vertical posts to get in the way. Kind of like a bookshelf turned sideways, with horizontal arms extending from a central spine.
With a cantilever rack, you can slide in long beams or bundles of PVC pipe without having to maneuver around columns. SRS Shelving + Rack Systems manufactures configurations that are both single-sided and double-sided for different warehouse layouts.
Advantages of Cantilever Racking Systems
Ideal for Long and Bulky Items
Storing things like lumber, copper tubing, or steel bars on standard racks can be hard with vertical posts always getting in the way, but with a cantilever stand, forklifts can approach from any angle, so positioning loads and moving inventory takes less time. Plus, the open front means less damage to stored items.
Easy Access and Better Space Utilization
You can take better advantage of square footage because cantilever racking lets you stack materials vertically and still see every item clearly.
You can pull exactly what you need without having to unload other items that are in the way first, which means faster and more efficient operations. And if you go with double-sided configurations, you can fit twice as much inventory in the same amount of floor space.
Scalable and Adjustable
SRS Shelving + Rack Systems designs modular cantilever rack setups that let you combine arm lengths on the same unit according to your current needs.
Plus, most systems let you readjust the shelf height according to your product mix, which is a lot easier and cheaper than going out and buying new equipment.
Disadvantages and Limitations
Cost Considerations
Cantilever racking per foot is more expensive than selective pallet racking because of the added cost of the materials you need to support loads without front columns. Heavy-duty baseplates and robust towers aren’t cheap.
Labor costs also add to the price tag, and you can’t skimp on that. A cantilever building setup can lean under load if it hasn’t been installed correctly. Shipping costs are also higher because of the bulky and heavy parts.
Weight Distribution and Safety Concerns
If you load cantilever racks, it can put too much on the arms and cause tipping, so you have to be extra careful about front-to-back weight balance. Every arm has a strict weight limit, and going over those limits is extremely dangerous.
That’s why OSHA requires clear load markings and proper weight management for every system. The taller the racks get, the more necessary lateral and cross-bracing is to keep everything stable.
Installation Challenges
The base footprint under cantilever racking has to be perfectly level; even the slightest variation can stress the anchor points and lead to structural issues down the road.
Plus, with heavy-duty cantilever systems, you need to get the slab depth right for anchoring, and your ceiling height limits how high you can store things. SRS Shelving + Rack Systems does thorough site assessments to identify any installation constraints beforehand.
Common Use Cases and Industries
Lumber yards use cantilever racking for dimensional lumber, plywood, and treated boards, and metal service centers use it for bar stock, tubing, sheet metal, and structural steel. The fact that there aren’t front columns means you can use overhead cranes or forklifts with long material attachments.
Furniture manufacturers can store things like hardwood planks and upholstery rolls, and building material distributors can use it for doors, windows, molding, and siding.
Automotive plants, carpet warehouses, and HVAC operations use cantilever racking, too, and because SRS Shelving + Rack Systems has experience with all these industries, we know what setup each one needs.
Choosing the Right Cantilever Rack for Your Needs
Start by calculating your actual load requirements: Measure your longest items and add 6 inches for clearance, and weigh your heaviest loads to establish capacity needs per arm.
The Material Handling Industry says you should consult engineering specifications for proper load distribution and spacing, and you also need to consider your material handling equipment. Forklift mast height affects how high you can practically store items.
SRS Shelving + Rack Systems provides CAD layout services to model your space, calculate load capacities, and identify potential workflow improvements before you buy.
Conclusion: Weighing the Pros and Cons
Cantilever racking is great for storing long, bulky materials that standard pallet positions don’t work for; not having front columns makes loading and unloading faster and reduces damage to products. Plus, the adjustable arms let you reconfigure as needed.
But these systems cost more up front and require a lot of careful attention when it comes to weight distribution and installation quality. So, if you’re mainly storing palletized goods, then traditional warehouse shelving systems probably make more sense financially.
SRS Shelving + Rack Systems has been designing and installing storage solutions since 1978, and our experience has shown us that the most successful operations match their rack configuration to their inventory characteristics and handling equipment.
If you want to see if cantilever racking is right for your operation, contact us or call our experts now for a free storage system consultation.
FAQs
What is cantilever racking used for?
Cantilever racking has an open front that lets you load and unload long or bulky items like lumber, pipes, tubing, steel bars, doors, or furniture parts that don’t fit neatly on regular pallet racks.
Are cantilever racks safe for heavy loads?
As long as they’re installed by professionals, and you use them correctly. This means the racks have been anchored, leveled, and braced properly by experts, and that you never go over each arm’s weight limit.
How is a cantilever system installed?
You need to start with a solid, level concrete floor to anchor the baseplates on. Then we install the upright towers, arms, and bracing. All this needs to be done by a professional to align everything and distribute weight correctly.
What types of materials are ideal for cantilever racks?
Awkward materials, like wood, metal, PVC pipe, sheet goods, carpet rolls, or building supplies. Anything that goes beyond the edge of a pallet usually fits better on cantilever arms.
Can cantilever racks be customized?
You can choose different arm lengths, adjust spacing, or mix configurations to handle a range of product sizes. The systems are modular, so you can expand or rearrange them later if you need to.
What is the cost comparison to standard pallet racking?
Cantilever racking usually costs more up front because of the heavier materials and specialized design. Still, for long or oversized items, they often save you money in the long run because they’re efficient and reduce damage.
