Features of prefabricated warehouse racks

It is very important for large companies that are involved in the turnover or delivery of goods to organize convenient warehouse premises - this is necessary for high-quality and fast work. If you just lay the products on the floor, they will take up too much space, and if you place the products carelessly on top of each other, the structure will be very unreliable and may fall. Therefore, in order to save manufacturers from unnecessary problems, special equipment was created for storing goods - a variety of multi-storey racks with shelves. Such designs simplify as much as possible the work with a large number of goods, in addition, this equipment can be operated for a very long time, and it is inexpensive.

There are a lot of types of metal shelving, but the design is about the same for all: vertical support beams, horizontal beams, shelves or flooring, consoles and additional parts in the form of fasteners, clamps and wheels. Such equipment is in great demand. In addition, the requirements of consumers are not the same, therefore, designs can have different dimensions and colors, a different number of shelves and a different quality of coating.

There are several ways to assemble this equipment: welded, bolted and hooked. It is wise to familiarize yourself with each method separately.

• Welded racks are durable and stable, thanks to their properties, they will last a long time and reliably. The disadvantage of such equipment is that it cannot be disassembled, which is why it is inconvenient to move it around the warehouse or transport it.
• Bolt-on prefabricated warehouse racks are just as stable and reliable as welded ones, but their fastenings are not very aesthetically pleasing, so it is better not to use them as counters or shelves for filing documents in the office.
• Prefabricated racks with hooks are easier to disassemble and assemble than those that are bolted, and they are not inferior to any type of equipment in strength and stability. The hooks are a very secure attachment with a pretty neat appearance. A rack with this assembly method will be not only convenient equipment, but also a decoration of the room.

Due to the unnecessary inconvenience in operation, welded racks are not in demand, therefore they are practically not produced anywhere. On the contrary, prefabricated racks are gaining popularity, and the convenience in transportation is complemented by the versatility of the product configuration. Several parts can be added or removed from the disassembled structure. Then, after assembly, you will receive completely new equipment.

Among other things, in order to assemble a rack, it is not at all necessary to call a specialist: the design is simplified as much as possible, so even fragile girls will cope with the assembly. This procedure does not require any special tools, because the fixings are extremely simple.

Collapsible metal structures are produced in a large number of different options: it depends on their scope and storage location. Often, rollers or castors are added to them: they help save space in the room, because with the help of this part, the racks can be easily moved or rotated.

Shelves can be classified into several basic types: warehouse or industrial, trade or exhibition, archival, office and household. Each type has its own distinctive characteristics, let's get acquainted with them in more detail.

Used for convenient storage of things in a house, apartment or garage. For household shelves, appearance is very important, because they should be not only convenient equipment, but also a beautiful addition to the interior. You can best fit the metal structure into the room setting if you pay attention to the selection of color and type of flooring. The shelves in the rack can be made of MDF or chipboard, as well as wood or plastic. Such materials reduce the load on the supports, and the strength of the decks is not lost.

The structure can be attached to the wall with clamps and bolts, which will exclude the possibility of falling. The paint with which all metal parts are painted protects the beams from corrosion and rust.

They are used in offices for storing documents, papers, boxes or compact equipment. The style of the metal structure should match the interior of the office as much as possible. Most often, such racks are characterized by conciseness and inexpressive color. The dimensions of office equipment should not be too large: it would be reasonable to place the highest shelf at the level of an outstretched arm. This height will be optimal for employees, because there are no special machines for high shelves in the office. The office rack will be subject to a fairly large load, so you should monitor the quality and durability of materials when purchasing equipment.

The structures are designed for long-term storage of documents and archival papers in specially designated areas. These racks should be made of high quality steel, which will last long enough and will not spoil the quality of archival materials.

Produced specifically for libraries, museums and exhibitions, they are also used to display goods in sales areas. Shelves can be designed as showcases or stained-glass windows for easy viewing of exhibits, often the design is on wheels. Such elements are installed near the walls or in the form of free-standing racks. For commercial metal shelves, a special place is provided for placing a price tag. Trade and exhibition racks are produced in a convenient low height - usually up to 1.5 m.

Such metal racks are intended as cargo racks. They can withstand quite a lot of weight, and you can also place large items on them. The shelves can be from 1 meter or more in depth, and the height of the entire structure is limited only by the height of the ceiling. The support and cross beams are made of high strength material and the thickness of the beams corresponds to the intended load.

Also, the flooring for shelving is very diverse: different coatings are used for different purposes. According to the material, the shelves are classified into four types: all-metal, lattice, wood and plywood. Before choosing the type of flooring, familiarize yourself with its scope and operating features.

• Plywood shelves can be called quite durable. They can withstand a lot of stress and will last a long time if you maintain the correct microclimate: the air in the room should not be too humid.
• Wooden flooring for shelving is most often used in trade enterprises: the cost of this material is small, and it can be easily painted in the color of the interior. But the lifespan of natural wood shelves is shorter than that of metal decking.
• Lattice metal shelves on collapsible racks have many advantages: provide ventilation of the flooring and goods on it, in addition, the total weight of the structure is significantly reduced. Such shelves are very strong and durable, especially if they are coated with a protective galvanized layer of paint.
• Shelving with all-metal shelves are very rare, the main place of their application is the archives of office premises.

Without a doubt, every enterprise needs a convenient placement of a wide variety of goods: food products, archives of documents, building materials or manufactured products. Therefore, choose racks suitable for the parameters of the goods: weight, volume and purpose.

Also, a very important characteristic when choosing a metal structure is the level of load that it must withstand.

According to the degree of load, the racks are divided into three types, we will consider each in more detail.

• Shelving for light loads. Such equipment can be used both for household needs and in industry or trade. The number and height of shelves is determined by the customer's requirements: the shelves can be both small and quite high - a maximum of 12 meters. Fasteners to a structure can be of two types: on bolts or on hooks, while the second option is distinguished by its simplicity and speed of assembly. The maximum load on one shelf in such a rack is 100 kg.
• Racks for medium loads. This type of equipment is characterized by hook fastenings and construction of beams and decks. Such a rack is considered universal due to a wide selection of flooring materials: it can be mesh, plywood, boards or metal. Depending on the flooring, the structure can withstand from 100 to 1000 kg.
• Shelving for high loads. Among such equipment, two types are distinguished, the first of which is pallet racks. They are used for storage of products on standard and non-standard pallets, can be up to 16 meters high and withstand loads up to 6000 kg. The second type of construction is a shelf rack, very similar to a pallet rack, but with the addition of flooring. On shelves with flooring, you can store both pallets and small items in bulk. Furniture with such a high degree of load carrying capacity is made individually for each consumer.

In addition, there is a special type of shelving - console. It is designed for storing very long building materials such as pipes, beams, rolls or slabs. And if you add flooring to the structure, the console rack can be used as a shelf unit and store any product in it.