Cantilever racking is a highly versatile and efficient storage solution designed to accommodate long, bulky, or irregularly shaped materials. Its primary function is to provide streamlined storage and easy access to items such as lumber, steel pipes, drywall, furniture, and more. Unlike traditional pallet racking, cantilever racking eliminates vertical obstructions, offering a clear loading and unloading experience as well as a cleanly organized, safe workplace.
With its open-front design and customizable structure, cantilever pallet racking is an essential system for businesses managing industrial or commercial storage. Let’s explore some of the finer points of the anatomy, materials, advantages, and diverse applications of the cantilever system to help you better understand its value.
A cantilever racking system is built from several key components, all of which help it perform seamlessly at the highest levels.
Arms: Extending horizontally to support stored items, these arms are adjustable to accommodate different material sizes and weights, depending on storage needs.
Uprights: Vertical posts anchor the system to the floor and provide the sturdy framework for arms and braces.
Braces: These connect uprights to ensure structural stability and prevent tipping or swaying, even under heavy loads.
Base: The foundation of the system, offering stability while also serving as a storage level for additional items on the ground floor.
The open design of cantilever racks allows for quick and easy access, making it ideal for managing lengthy, or oddly shaped materials. This flexibility reduces downtime when retrieving or storing inventory, increasing efficiency.
The choice of materials used in cantilever rack construction is customizable and plays a significant role in determining their durability and suitability of the racks. The two most common options are:
Roll-formed cantilever racks are lightweight, economical, and easy to assemble. They are well-suited for lighter loads and environments where frequent reconfiguration is needed. Their numerous benefits include cost-effectiveness for bulk purchases of large quantities of racks and adjustable arms for flexible storage configurations. Roll-formed cantilever racks are perfect for lighter items like aluminum, plastic piping, or drywall sheets.
Structural steel racks are designed for heavy-duty applications, offering more durability and higher weight capacities. These racks are bolted together, making them less adjustable but extremely stable. Notable benefits are their superior strength, resilience in harsh conditions, and their suitability for storing heavier materials like steel beams, timber, and bulky furniture.
Still have questions? Feel free to reach out and learn more about what system might work best for you and your space.
Cantilever racks offer several advantages over traditional pallet racking systems, making them an excellent choice for specific storage needs. Here are a few of their advantages:
Versatility: Cantilever racks can handle a wide range of item sizes, shapes, and weights, making them adaptable to changing inventory needs.
Ease of Access: The open design simplifies loading and unloading, reducing handling time and improving warehouse safety.
Customizability: Adjustable arms and modular components allow the system to expand or reconfigure as business needs evolve, or storage requirements change.
Space Optimization: By eliminating vertical obstructions, cantilever racks make the most of available storage space, even in packed, high-density warehouses.
Durability: Built to withstand heavy use, cantilever pallet racking is a long-term investment that provides exceptional value and saves money and time over the long term because it typically does not require frequent upgrades or maintenance.
Cantilever racking is a staple in industries that require the storage of long, bulky, or awkwardly shaped items. Here are a few industries where it shines:
Lumber & Building Materials – The lumber industry relies heavily on cantilever racking to store long and heavy materials like wood planks, beams, plywood, and drywall. With adjustable arms and no vertical obstructions, these racks allow for quick loading and retrieval. For example, a lumberyard can use a cantilever system to categorize materials by size and type, ensuring contractors or customers can easily locate what they need without wasting time searching.
Plumbing & HVAC – Plumbing and HVAC companies often deal with pipes, ductwork, and tubing of varying lengths and materials. A cantilever racking system provides the ideal solution for organizing these items. By designating specific rack levels for different pipe diameters or duct sizes, businesses can ensure easy access of exact components efficiently.
Automotive – Cantilever racks are widely used to store bulky components like bumpers, vehicle frames, and axles. For example, a manufacturer can use cantilever racks to organize car frames by model or production stage, streamlining inventory access and reducing production delays.
Steel & Metal Fabrication – Cantilever racking is a go-to solution for steel and metal fabrication businesses. It accommodates long, heavy items such as steel beams, bars, and sheets, allowing fabricators the ability to sort inventory by metal type, thickness, or length. The racks’ sturdy construction ensures they can support the significant weight of these materials and keep it free of damage, as well.
The practical implications of cantilever racking systems continue from there, too, no matter the product you’re looking to store. Furniture, retail displays, marine or boating equipment, or construction materials – no matter the size, shape or weight, cantilever racks can handle it.
Whether the goal is to organize inventory, improve warehouse safety, or enhance workflow, choosing the right cantilever rack setup is key. From lightweight roll-formed racks to heavy-duty structural steel systems, cantilever pallet racking provides unmatched versatility and scalability. At NAWL, distributors gain access to top-quality cantilever racking solutions that meet the needs of their clients across a diverse array of industries.
To learn more about warehouse cantilever racking systems or to explore how cantilever racking is used in various applications, contact NAWL today! We’d be thrilled to help you find the perfect racking solution for your customers and their unique needs.