If you have any experience with the management of timber material handling, you have no doubt encountered the problem that comes with conventional pallet racking that is not fit for timber handling. Specific timber handling racking systems have emerged for this exact purpose.

Length issue

Warehouses that use conventional racking systems have around 2.5m of useful depth per bay. This is not an issue for palletised goods, but for timber of any standard length of 3.6, 4.8, or 6m, or of any length longer timber is in fact unworkable, as this would require double or in the worst case, triple handling. This would create more unwanted problems such as damage caused to timber by a Forklift or increasing conditions that standard timber moisture should not be allowed to enter and a raft of FIFO discipline traction problems.

Cantilever racking overcomes the column problem to the front of gun racking. The racks design optimally allows for a full longitudinal aisle clearing with no action and no need for double handling or stock shuffling.

Along with full timber goods, the spacing of arms should reflect the type of materials being handled. Structural timber arms should be spaced further apart than Plywood and MDF sheet goods, as supply sheet goods start to bow with age, and sagging arms will no longer be a concern to the margin of goods.

Actual capacity matters with specs

While timber suppliers list specs for arms, it will become clear that the heaviest load that affects x number of bays is a timber stock that exceeds load limits for the bays. Thus, when load farming timber as the stock type, the heaviest stock components should be used for stock.

In a timber stock system, arms stock the heaviest load. Set arms stock to the heaviest components, and then set bay load stock to the heaviest components.

Floor fixing and aisle width

Cantilever arms designed for full timber goods should be floor-fixed, while timber arms should be freestanding. This is because of the dynamic load placed on the arms as stock is placed at high divisions.

Aisle width is often not fully considered in the early planning stages. Side loaders need aisle space for longer timber. As timber length increases, aisle widths need to increase for turning space. Squeezing in an extra row of racking to save space on an aisle seems to make sense from a space efficiency standpoint, but then the inevitable first contact of an upright with a vehicle occurs. Side loaders need aisle space for longer timber and as timber length increases, aisle widths need to increase for the timber length to not clip adjacent bays. Squeezing in an extra row of racking to save space on an aisle seems to make sense from a space efficiency standpoint, but then the inevitable first contact of an upright with a vehicle occurs.

Some businesses place some timber stock, usually slow-moving timber like treated fencing, outdoors. Timber storage racking that is fitted in for the purpose of outdoors treated fencing also requires a hot dip galvanising steel that cannot allow rain to pendant on them. When the timber is treated, it is to make the timber grain resistant and grain that becomes soggy will lead to the stock possibly soaking water on the treated timber. A cost in the rejection of timber stock that becomes damaged due to collecting water on it will increase faster than the cost in treating the ridge of the racking.

Things To Do When Buying Racking

There are many options in the market and there are large gaps in the quality differences between manufacturers. Before making a decision, be sure to consider the following:

• Instead of the arm load rating, request the bay load rating.
• How many adjustments does the arm have and does the load affect the adjustments?
• What column protection does the system have for forklift impact?
• Are the bays stepwise modular and “uprights” replaceable?
• What are the details of the covered warranty?

Any supplier who is able to respond to the questions above should be considered reliable since they are knowledgeable about their product. Any suppliers who are depending on the arm load data and advertisement shots should be considered unreliable.

Making the right decision from the start when buying timber storage racking is important, as there are many factors to consider, and they will vary from project to project. Those factors include stock length, stock weight, stock handling and transportation. The principles above should be able to guide, and provide answers to the questions you will have, before you start consulting suppliers.