Key considerations to make before purchasing metal shelving

July 18, 2020 10:46 am

Heavy duty metal shelving systems are by far among the most commonly used shelving across a range of industries. This includes storage facilities, manufacturing plants, automotive garage shops and more. Heavy duty shelving is very common but we should never mistake common for simple.

In fact, this type of shelving, due to its ubiquitous use, is likely the most diverse in every possible aspect. Between size and style, future and present use, it is enough to get distracted and make some bad decisions.

There’s bolted or rivet shelving, welded heavy duty industrial shelving and a whole plethora of other varieties. To make this experience simpler, we will dedicate this brief article to the main considerations needed when choosing the right variety for your needs.

What to Consider When Purchasing Heavy Duty Shelving?
When choosing a system of heavy-duty industrial shelving, there are a few things to consider. Let’s go over them briefly and then discuss each in more detail.

The main considerations are:

  1. Weight capacity
  2. Shelf dimensions
  3. Type of assembly

There are more of course but those are the key decisions that need to be made. Now let’s get a closer look at each of them.

Weight capacity
When examining heavy duty shelving, weight capacity is probably the most important consideration. This will be dictated by the type of wares they are intended to store. Overestimating the weight capacity and overloading it can have a detrimental set of effects, up to and including serious disaster.

While for some applications a standard low-capacity system will suffice, others will require a set of heavy-duty steel shelving for safe and prolonged use.

Shelf dimensions
This also depends on the items you intend to store on the shelves. In some cases, multiple different shelf widths will be used in the same warehouse, to accommodate different bulk items. Note the space they will occupy in the warehouse to ensure sufficient access is left for employee or forklift traffic.

Type of assembly
This is another important aspect of heavy-duty industrial shelving to consider. For easier and faster assembly, rivet shelves should be considered. Those can be put together with one tool. For other purposes that require a sturdier build, a more permanent type of assembly will be preferable.

Other considerations in choosing heavy duty shelving include shelf components, free standing or mounted shelves and closed or open shelf types.

To make sure the decision is not made lightly, please feel free to consult our specialists. They will be happy to advise you and ensure you make the exact right purchase for your specific needs.

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