All You Need to Know About Heavy Duty Cantilever Racking System

Cantilever racking is a type of heavy-duty storage specially designed to hold large, bulky, and oddly-shaped materials. Goods that don’t have a uniform size or shape can be challenging to store efficiently. Cantilever pallet racks provide a perfect storage solution for lumber, sheet metal, building materials, and homeware products.

Unlike standard racks, cantilever systems don’t have vertical posts at the front, allowing easier access and keeping the space free of obstruction.

At Shelving + Rack Systems, Inc., we supply a wide variety of new and used warehouse equipment, including cantilever racks. Whether you require new frames or replacement cantilever arms, we can provide high-quality materials that match your facility’s needs. We also offer design and installation services.

Types of Cantilever Racking

Cantilever racks are available in different styles, including roll formed and structural steel varieties. To ensure durability and stability over the long-term, steel is often the most reliable material, particularly when handling heavy items that require forklift access. To maximize warehouse safety, a high-quality cantilever rack should stand up to mild contact with machinery.

Structural racks

A structural cantilever rack is created using hot-rolled structural steel. This type of rack is highly durable and has wide-ranging load capacities. Since it is made from heavy-gauge steel construction, it displays superior strength. It requires little maintenance and is capable of withstanding harsh warehouse conditions.

Roll formed racks

Roll formed cantilever racks are fabricated from cold roll-formed steel. Made from lighter gauge steel than structural varieties, they are sometimes referred to as light-duty cantilever racks. However, they can still support up to 30,000 lbs.

The main advantage of a light-duty cantilever rack is its adjustability. Unlike structural steel cantilever racking, roll-formed racks assemble using boltless pin connectors, making installation and reconfiguration quick and easy when utilizing a cantilever assembly guide. They are frequently used in high-volume, fast-paced facilities like food and beverage distribution centers.

Cantilever Racking Configurations

Depending on the type of products you store and the layout of your facility, you may opt for single or double-sided racking.

Single-sided cantilever racks

Single-sided cantilever racks are designed with arms on just one side. These systems are balanced by a stackable base rather than having identical arms on the opposite side. This type of rack can be positioned back-to-back to allow both sides. The main components of a single-sided cantilever rack are the tower, stackable base, arms, and brace set.

Double-sided cantilever racks

Double-sided cantilever racks offer a higher storage density than single-sided configurations. They can be stacked vertically, allowing you to maximize storage utilization. By increasing vertical storage, you create additional floor space. This change improves rack access and contributes to a safer, less cluttered warehouse.

Many cantilever systems feature a combination of single and double-sided racks.

Benefits of Cantilever Systems

As specialist warehouse equipment, cantilever storage systems offer several unique benefits compared to standard pallet racking.

Heavy-duty storage option

The primary advantage of using heavy-duty cantilever rack systems is their storage capabilities. They are an optimal storage solution for bulky items and heavy loads. Timber products, steel bars, and other lengthy or odd-shaped loads can be challenging to store efficiently. Warehouse capacity requirements are enormous and external storage can result in material damage or warping.

Cantilever racks essentially boost the storage capacity of a facility by increasing the number of available storage levels. Cantilever-style racks with multilevel storage allow you to efficiently use vertical and horizontal space. Without front vertical posts, forklifts can safely and quickly load and unload items.

We stock a wide range of cantilever options suitable for an array of custom designs. Our Series 2000 cantilever racks are popular for medium and heavy-duty applications, from holding heavy bar stock to storing steel sheets. The arm level can be adjusted in 3” increments up or down the full span of the uprights.

Ease of assembly and adjustability

Installing cantilever racking is usually straightforward. These racks have a modular design for easy assembly and seamless adjustability. Lighter varieties use boltless, slot-in components for fast and easy installation. Industrial cantilever racks use heavy-duty bolted beams.

You can install a cantilever rack as a freestanding unit or bolt it to a wall. An I-beam cantilever rack typically consists of two load-bearing arms with no distinct shelf. Most systems don’t need external rack braces, further reducing assembly time.

Increased storage space

Another critical advantage of cantilever racking is that it increases vertical storage space. Uprights and base plates form the foundations of solid cantilever racks. Rack arms and sway braces provide a base for shelving units. In a commercial lumber storage rack, large pieces of timber are often placed directly on top of the arms.

Arms can be positioned at various increments along the vertical uprights, allowing you to stack goods vertically. By using the available vertical space, you can store more inventory and reduce clutter on the floor. This alteration enables warehouse managers to have more flexibility in configuring the layout of the warehouse. It also makes retrieving goods much easier with forklifts.

Our galvanized steel cantilever racks are designed to house heavier loads of bulk material like machinery, pipes, and even vehicles. It is available in double or single-sided configurations and constructed with structural steel I-beams. The steel is hot dipped in a galvanized coating, making it resistant to rust and corrosion. These racks are suitable for storing numerous types of products, including freezer and cooler storage.

We supply columns in 8, 12, 16, or 20’. Cantilever arms are available in various lengths, with varying weight capacities (up to 3,480 lbs. depending on the arm lengths). The arms can be adjusted in 4” increments. It’s essential to know the cantilever arm capacities to ensure safe load distribution on each rack.

Rack accessibility

Cantilever shelving is open and offers excellent product visibility. This makes it easier for warehouse employees to find and identify specific items and product lines. Improving visibility speeds up picking times and reduces downtime, increasing warehouse productivity.

The open front provides direct access to inventory using forklifts. The cantilever pallet rack design is an excellent solution for improving direct pick access or creating more space for material handling equipment.

Cantilever Racking Components

A cantilever racking system is modular by design and has several structural components. At Shelving + Rack Systems, Inc., we supply entire cantilever systems and new and used parts. Some of the most important parts of a cantilever setup include:

Cantilever bases

Cantilever bases are essentially anchors that secure the system to the warehouse floor. They connect the uprights, stabilizing the unit. There are several types of bases, such as mobile bases or horizontal bases.

Our Series 1000, medium-duty cantilever racks feature an open base design. This facilitates easy horizontal access for forklifts, minimizing the risk of accidental damage to equipment and inventory.

Cantilever uprights

Cantilever rack uprights or towers connect to the base. They contain holes to attach the arms and create various storage levels. Both single- and double-sided racks use uprights.

Our rugged cantilever rack uprights are designed for heavy-duty use. They can be combined with pipe storage racks, cantilever metal storage racks, lumber racks, and other bulky storage equipment. Although the arms must be bought separately, the uprights facilitate 3” adjustments up and down the unit’s entire length.

Cantilever arms

Finding the right cantilever arms is essential for creating a stable and safe system. The arms directly support warehouse inventory, so the arm capacity must be adequate to withstand the weight of the goods. Positionally, the arms should be in line with the sway braces or angled upward to provide additional support.

Our Series 2000 medium to heavy-duty arms are an excellent option for various applications. They are adjustable on 3” centers, ensuring arm adjustment is not an issue. We stock different lengths of arms, from 23” to 95”.

Cantilever braces

Cantilever systems use either an X-shape, diagonal, or horizontal brace. They connect to the columns to provide lateral stability. The supporting beams or shelving would be susceptible to load deflection without braces. Cantilever deflection may lead to rack collapse, potentially damaging your goods and endangering staff.

We stock braces for our Series systems and rugged cantilever racks. To create an extra heavy-duty storage solution, you can install our rugged brace sets on standard uprights and industrial systems. These braces have hairpin keepers that easily adjust the arm positions.

Safety equipment

Safety equipment is essential when handling heavy-duty items. Contact with forklifts and warehouse machinery can damage uprights and other essential components, compromising structural integrity.

Our online catalog lists a broad array of safety equipment, including steel column protectors, barriers, rails, and aisle marking tape. In high-volume storage facilities, column protectors provide simple but effective protection for cantilever racks. Our yellow plastic protectors form a protective barrier around the column, limiting damage if it comes into contact with a forklift.

Improve Your Heavy Duty Storage Equipment With Cantilever Racking

Cantilever racking systems are a highly effective storage option for warehouses handling bulky and awkward materials. If you’re looking for a way to increase storage capacity and improve space utilization without extending your facility, consider upgrading to a cantilever system from Shelving + Rack Systems, Inc.

Browse our full selection of equipment in our online catalog. For more information on our products and services, give us a call today at (800) 589-7225.