Q. Should I buy used racking?

A. Unless you know the history of the product, including age, capacity and safe working loads, we advise you to avoid it. Definitely do not buy anything which has been standing outside or shows any sign of damage or corrosion. If you can buy it direct from an industrial application as a trusted source you will usually pay less than half the cost and in some cases it can be free for the cost of removing it. Obviously the latter is a much rarer occurrence.

Q. What weight will my used racking take?

A. If you look on the uprights there is frequently a mill mark pressed into the metal and in some cases into the beams as well. If you can describe or take a rubbing of the slot, most materials handling companies who have storage equipment in their range will be able to identify the brand. Once we know this we can usually work out safe working loads for the bays, frames and beams.

Q. How much money will I save buying used racking?

A.Buying it from a trade outlet you will save about 20%. However I have seen racking more than 20% more than the new price. Consultants can frequently get up to 50% below market prices through connections with the main rolling mills. If you only want to buy a small amount then 20% is about what you will save although there are some things about which you should be cautious.   Carriage of small quantities can be very costly, anything up to £500 for dedicated loads, irrespective of quantities. Handling is critically important.  Damaged uprights are scrap and extremely dangerous.  Any beams showing impact damage or which are visibly a banana shape should not be used.  It is an indicator of stress and the joints and material may be suffering fatigue.  We strongly advise you stay clear of them.  Always inspect used equipment prior to buying and remember the second hand market is unregulated and practically devoid of qualified people. You should only buy used equipment from trusted sources.

Q. How do I assemble my used racking?

A. First of all you will need the manufacturer’s manual, but generally the bracing is set at intervals of 600mm, so a complete horizontal V-strut tying the front upright to the back upright will be 1200mm across at the top of the ‘V’, with the point of the ‘V’ being spaced equally at 600mm between the two extremities.

Pallet racking is designed only to take vertical loads.  The minute the beams start to deflect they exert sideways pressure on the uprights which will cause them to bow out. A lot of this is addressed through the numbers claws on the beam connectors.  You must have more than two beam levels where the first beam level is below 1500mm and the spacing should be equal. You must also have more than two bays joined together. You need to understand that a beam level comprises a pair of beams and two uprights and a bay is the distance between the uprights and the number of beam levels it houses. Properly set up your bays should be able to take anywhere from five tons upwards if the upright face is greater than 75mm. However unless you are a qualified engineer always take professional advice and never buy products new or used from anybody who is unable to provide this basic level of service.   Incorrectly constructed pallet racking can and does kill people if it fails and it will be completely silent.

3 purposes for Used Racking

  1. Used or redundant pallet racking (and some shelving) readily converts to excellent work tops for assembling packing work.  Minor corrosion and minor damage is practically irrelevant under these circumstances, bearing in mind the frames will be able to take several tons and the beams up to four tons on a 2.7m beam, which is 110mm to 120mm by 43mm plus profile. For light duty work they are practically indestructible and with a bottom shelf in place extremely sturdy.
  2. Used Pallet racking will also make good shelving, which can be readily picked from both sides.   In good condition and using half bay beam sizes they are extremely good for storing metal parts and heavy weights.
  3. For a symmetrical storage system manufactured from pallet racking with the addition of some drop over beams, it is possible to construct a very useful storage platform to utilise the head room. The same technique can be applied to create two tier storage. However always seek professional advice before embarking on this sort of project as it must be correctly constructed.