If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of pallet racking components that are essential to your warehouse, don’t worry. Monarch Shelving Ltd is here to ensure you have a clear understanding of the most common pallet racking components.
Pallet Racking Components: Load Beams
Also known as step beams or box beams, these are rolled form member with a 1⅝” step along the top inside edge. This step is there for holding any load support components such as pallet supports or wire decks. Box beams do not have an inset step. Instead, they have four flat sides like a box. All load beams typically mount onto an upright frame column with integral rivets or hooks. Some systems use an extra bolt or clip to lock the beam into the upright.
Upright Frames
Also known as upright columns or uprights, these can vary in size and design depending on the load requirements and styles. The most common upright column is produced by roll forming flat coil stock steel into a modified C shape with returns. This style is commonly referred to as open-back roll-formed columns. Holes or slots are punched curing manufacturing up and down the column at standard intervals to ensure the load beams can be mounted into the upright columns. Upright frames can also be constructed utilising structural C shapes for columns. Structural uprights have a bigger weight capacity over roll formed uprights.
Diagonal Braces and Horizontal Braces (Bracings)
Bracings are often welded between upright columns to form selective upright frames. In some cases, the bracing may be bolted to the columns.
Pallet Supports
Pallet supports are roll formed channels that are placed front to back between the load beams. This will support the pallets.
Timber Decking
Timber decking comes in two forms. The first is close-boarded and the second is open-boarded. Close-boarded decking offers a solid “floor” to a level of racking. Open, or slatted is formed by rows of timber and acts as a permanent pallet. What’s more, you can get wire mesh decking. This is made from steel and is ideal when considering fire safety.
Footplates
Also referred to as footpads or baseplates, you will find these at the base of the columns. They serve as anchors to give the rack more stability. There are anchor bolts inserted through the holes of the baseplates. They then attach the column to the concrete floor. Footplates are made from thicker steel. In some graphic locations, they must be of a certain size and seismic rating. Footpads increase the pallet racks overall stability and weight-bearing capacity.
Shims
Shims are used to even out uprights that are resting on uneven floors. The shims, equal in size to the base of the uprights, are installed beneath the uprights. This will level the rack.
Row Spacers
Row spacers are sometimes used in the event of the uprights being arranged in back-to-back rows. The spacers are then mounted between adjacent columns. This will ensure that the rows are kept straight and will give the pallet racks even more strength and stability.
Wall Ties
These may be used as additional support if the uprights are arranged in a row along a wall.
Column Protectors
Also known as post protectors, these are protective shields that can be installed around the base of an upright. Doing so will minimise damage where forklifts might hit the upright. Damage to the base of a column could weaken the entire frame and could cause it to collapse. Column protectors are made from a wide range of durable materials such as polyethylene, ductile iron casting and more.
Guard Rails
These are installed to increase protection for upright columns and for human safety when platforms or steps are attached to pallet racks.
Get in touch with Monarch Shelving Ltd
And there you have it, the most common components of a pallet racking system. This is good to know to avoid feeling confused by terminology that you may come across! To learn more about our pallet racking systems and their components, get in touch with Monarch Shelving Ltd today.
