Heavy-duty metal shelving is one of the most common types of shelving sold in the marketplace, mainly because it’s used in virtually all warehouses and storage facilities worldwide. Metal shelving comes in a variety of sizes and styles. It’s known for being sturdy, durable, versatile, and affordable, meaning its uses go beyond warehouses. This type of shelving is also found in offices, schools, garages, and other buildings.
Heavy-duty metal shelving can store a wide range of items, from light to relatively heavy goods. Plastic or wood may not support sizable equipment over time; metal is much more durable, ensuring it can store higher quantities and more pounds of weight. What’s more, you may be able to stack multiple units of heavy items on top of each other, make better use of the available space, and increase your total capacity.
Most metal storage racks use clips to connect securely to the uprights. When purchasing such shelving, it’s extremely important to make sure you have matching clips, as not all of them are universal. With so many types of metal shelving to choose from, it’s helpful to know what types are available and what works best for your needs.
What to Consider When Purchasing Heavy-Duty Metal Shelving?
Unlike generic shelving for homes or schools designed to hold lightweight items like books, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for heavy-duty metal shelving. There are several key considerations to make before selecting one for your setup. Essentially, the most important factor is suitability. The needs of your business and the available storage space will affect which shelving type suits your needs best.
Weight Capacity Per Shelf
Weight capacity is one of the primary considerations when choosing a shelf. It’s vital to calculate the weight capacity per shelf before you start putting heavy items onto them. If you overestimate how much weight a shelf can hold, the shelves may break, resulting in damage to your storage units and your goods. Although the shelving may come with an estimated weight capacity, these are often inaccurate due to inconsistencies regarding the materials used and the hardware.
Rather than go by the estimations provided on the shelf packaging, you can calculate the weight capacity per shelf for yourself. There are four basic steps.
Step 1: inspect the brackets holding the shelf and note the manufacturer and model of the bracket. If you cannot find this information, search for a matching bracket in your local hardware store or on a manufacturer’s website.
Step 2: Take note of the maximum capacity weight for the bracket given by the official manufacturer.
Step 3: Divide the maximum load capacity by 4 to determine the bracket’s safe load capacity. While the unit may hold heavier loads, this calculation allows for discrepancies with mounting hardware or the materials used to manufacture the shelf.
Step 4: Count how many brackets are needed to support the entire shelf. Multiply this number by the safe load calculation to find out the safe load capacity for the full shelf. Although it may be lower than the estimated number given by the manufacturer, recognizing this as the weight capacity could save you trouble in the long term.
Number of Shelves
One of the first and most important decisions when purchasing metal shelving is to figure out how many shelves you need. This amount generally depends on the carrying capacity. For large, heavy goods, the weight capacity might be more important than the number of shelves. However, for smaller items, it is often more beneficial to have more shelf space at your disposal. It’s usually possible to purchase add-on shelving units if you need to expand the size of your existing shelf.
One of the main advantages of using heavy-duty shelving is its capability to support heavy loads. This allows you to be economical with your space and store goods of various sizes.
Dimensions
To determine the dimensions needed for your steel shelves, you must consider what type of items you plan to stock. For easy access to each storage box, the organization and planning of the storage area are very important. Measure the depth, width, and height of your products and ensure the shelf units are big enough to store your goods. Remember to consider the height of the ceiling, as well as the layout of the room. You may need a unique design for unusual storage areas or uneven surfaces.
Assembly Type
Putting together a set of shelves can be time-consuming and tedious. What’s more, they often require special tools to assemble. Purchasing tool-free assembly shelving can help save significant amounts of time and effort. Whether you’re installing large-scale shelving for your company or you need to put together wall racks for your garage, consider the assembly type and what equipment you need.
Shelf Components
You can assemble heavy-duty steel shelving using various components. Depending on whether you choose wire shelving, steel shelving, boltless shelving, or another type of industrial storage rack, certain components may be more suitable. These elements should be chosen with your specific business in mind. Some great options include:
Angle Posts
These are roll-formed from heavy gauge steel, offering strong stability. They act as a bracket to frame shelving rows.
Beaded Posts
These offer good weight support because of the tubular design and are often used as front shelving. The dual-sided construction allows for independent shelf positioning. It’s also useful for positioning on mezzanines.
Sway Braces
Commonly used with open units to give them increased stability, these may be positioned on the sides or backs of shelving units.
Foot Plate
Attaches the shelving unit to the floor, giving it additional strength, and closes off the bottom of the shelving unit, stopping loose parts from getting lost beneath the shelf.
Label Holders
Label holders can be installed to make products easier to find. These are particularly useful for stocking small items or particular types of tools.
Back and End Panels
These can be installed to convert open shelving into closed units.
Dividers
Allows you to separate the shelves into individual sections.
Bin Fronts
Enables you to transform closed shelving units into single unit bin compartments. These bins are excellent storage solutions for items that are hard to store, such as powder or small components.
What are the Best Options for Garage Shelving?
Some people may use their garage for storing basic equipment, while DIY enthusiasts or professional tradespeople may need large-scale shelving for heavy-duty goods and equipment. Wire decking is a suitable material for lightweight goods. However, if you’re a businessperson serving customers from your garage, you might need a series of drawers on one side of the room and separate shelves capable of holding heavy tools (200 lbs.+).
Here are some of the best shelving systems for garages, including those for personal and business use.
Wall-Mounted Shelving System
Wall-mounted shelving systems are installed using studs. These studs are placed into the vertical beams at various intervals via metal brackets. Once these are in place, the shelf is then fitted onto the brackets. This ensures the shelves have maximum strength and stability.
Ceiling-Mounted Shelving System
These shelves are similar to wall-mounted shelves in that they use studs and metal brackets to create secure shelving. They are generally for storing things you don’t use very often. For example, seasonal items like gardening tools, holiday decorations, or personal information from a filing cabinet. Heavy-duty ceiling-mounted shelving is capable of holding heavy equipment or storage items (up to 600 lbs).
Freestanding Shelving Systems
Freestanding shelving systems are very useful if you require flexibility. They can be moved easily, meaning you can free up floor space to accommodate alternative functions in the room. However, these are not as strong or durable as mounted units, so you may need more shelves to manage the same amount of storage.
Closed Shelving System
Closed shelving systems use clips to close up around the back and sides. This gives the unit added stability, plus it offers additional protection and cleanliness to your items. For businesses, closed shelving systems can be very useful to keep items in good condition. It helps prevent color from fading, meaning you don’t have to order replacement goods unnecessarily. Doors and locks may be added to these systems for fragile items.
Open Shelving Systems
Open shelving systems are effective in creating efficient use of space. Their open design means they can hold various items, from small high quantity goods to large items. As functional storage, they are particularly useful for delivery-based businesses because of the ease of access. The delivery team can access the goods from the front, back, and sides of this shelving, making loading and unloading very easy and subsequently speeding up delivery times.
Making Your Final Decision
Whether you’re in the market for garage shelves or you want to upgrade your current system to create easier business days, metal shelving is an excellent option. Heavy-duty shelves expand your storage potential, enabling you to safely stock goods of all shapes, sizes, and weights.
For more information on choosing the right shelving system for your home or business, contact Shelving + Rack Systems Inc. We can help you choose the most suitable and efficient systems to improve the efficiency and productivity of your space.
