What is the Difference Between Racking and Shelving?

Industrial racking and shelving keep your inventory organised and accessible. They may be similar in use and function. However, these storage solutions have different features and applications.

Racking is best for storing heavy items that need handling equipment for access. Shelving suits hand-loaded, lightweight products more.

Let’s compare racking and shelving further to understand their differences. That way, you can easily decide which fits your business or warehouse best.

Differences Between Industrial Racking and Shelving

We identified the essential features that racking and shelving share for our comparison. Here’s a table for a quick overview.

Storage Feature	Racking	Shelving
Load Capacity	High; suits heavy and bulky items	Medium; suits light and small items
Construction and Durability	Typically made of metal; more durable and suitable in most environments	Available in various materials; durability depends on design and environmental conditions
Space-Efficiency & Accessibility	Maximises vertical space; typically requires forklifts to access items	Maximises floor space; does not need heavy machinery to access items
Flexibility	Easy to customise	Easy to customise
Cost	Higher upfront cost	More affordable

 

1. Load Capacity

Racking systems support higher load capacities than shelving. This difference is mainly because of the structural design of both storage solutions.

Racks have multiple horizontal bars on each level, whereas shelves have a flat surface. The horizontal bars of a rack provide more support, allowing it to hold more weight.

So, a racking system is the best choice if your business involves bulky items, pallets of goods, or heavy machinery.

However, if your operations deal with e-commerce goods, books, files, and documents, choose a shelving system to keep these items organised. Our previous article cites other uses of longspan shelving.

2. Construction and Durability

As industrial racks support heavy loads, this storage solution is often metal. Because of this construction, racking is more durable and damage-resistant.

While prone to rusting, racks are easy to maintain and fit in most warehouse environments.

On the other hand, industrial shelves come in various materials, like plastic, wood, and metal.

Each type has different levels of durability and maintenance needs. Note that the shelving material or construction also dictates its load capacity.

The choice of industrial shelving largely depends on how you will use it and the type of environment it will be in.

3. Space-Efficiency and Accessibility

Do you have a spacious, low-ceiling warehouse? If so, a shelving unit is for you. Shelves can maximise your floor space and keep stored items orderly.

One thing unique about shelving units is that they are not as high as racks. This feature makes everything easy to pick and retrieve by hand. Moreover, there’s no need for material handling equipment like forklifts to access goods.

On the other hand, racks are typically multi-level, making them ideal for high-ceiling warehouses or storage areas with limited floor spaces. Compared with shelves, racks maximise vertical spaces better.

Industrial racking is a good option when you have several items to store and require forklifts for efficient operations. Check out these other benefits of pallet racking systems for your warehouse.

4. Flexibility

Racking and shelving systems are both flexible but at different levels.

For instance, shelves have adjustable heights. You can also use bins, dividers, or drawers to manage and organise your inventory.

As shelving is easy to customise, this storage solution fits businesses with changing inventory and storage requirements.

Similarly, you can configure industrial racking to suit different pallet sizes and shapes. You can add more levels to a rack to maximise warehouse space and hold more items.

5. Cost

The price of racks and shelves varies and depends on material, size, and design. But generally, industrial racking is more expensive than shelving.

The higher upfront cost of racking systems is mainly because of their more complex construction and higher load capacity.

Despite the higher cost, more durable racks often offer better value for money. Shelves are more budget-friendly but may lead to higher ongoing costs due to constant replacements or modifications.

Then again, it all boils down to your business needs. Investing in a low or high-cost storage solution is worth it if it makes your operations efficient.

How to Choose the Right Racking or Shelving for Your Business

Choosing or transitioning from one storage solution to another can significantly affect your business flow. So, it is crucial to know the features and differences well.

To decide, assess your needs first and ask yourself these questions:

• What type of items do I need to store and organise?
• How many items do I have, and are they heavy?
• How big is my warehouse? Do I have enough aisle space for forklifts?
• What are the environmental conditions in my warehouse?
• What are my business expansion plans?

Once you know your needs, you can start trimming down your options. Here’s an example.

Choose a racking system if:

• you are storing heavy and bulky items
• your items need forklifts for access
• you have a lot of inventory
• your warehouse has enough vertical space
• you are willing to spend more on storage solutions
• your business has a high growth potential

Choose a shelving system if:

• you are storing small and light items
• your stored items need frequent access or manual handling
• you have constantly changing inventory needs
• your warehouse has enough floor space
• you are looking for cost-effective storage solutions
• your business is small or new

Equip Your Warehouse with the Right Storage Solutions

Industrial racking and shelving are excellent choices for an organised and efficient warehouse. However, we also know these solutions vary in capacity, construction, accessibility, flexibility, and cost.

Knowing their differences should make it easier to match your business needs with the right storage system.

Multiple Storage Solutions offers a wide selection of racking and shelving units for residential, office, or industrial use. Contact our team today at 03 8390 4483 so we can explore the storage options that best fit your operations and budget.