Warehouse Equipment
Industrial Shelving
Stein Service & Supply began in 1995 as a shelving and storage distributor. We supply and install clipper, rivet, wide span, and wire shelving.
Certified byTodd McGeeWarehouse Solutions Specialist, in material handling since 1996
Industrial Shelving Services
Projects range from a few sections of shelving to systems of several hundred units, on the warehouse floor or on a mezzanine.
Our primary service area is North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. In 2025 we also completed projects in 24 other states.
- Shelving selection by item weight, item size, and environment
- Layout drawings for larger systems
- Shelving on mezzanines, with the deck rated for storage
- Fire code review, and shelving permits where the jurisdiction requires them
- Installation, with smaller local orders installed by our own installers
- In-stock shelving that usually ships within 1 to 5 days
We employ our own team of installers and use them whenever possible, especially on local jobs involving a few sections of rack, shelving, or lockers.
Metromax Q™ Shelving
MetroMax Q™ shelving contains special Microban antimicrobial product protection. These shelves are superior to conventional shelves made of wire…
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Wide Span Shelving
Our wide span shelving is designed for heavy or medium loads that are loaded by hand. They are also ideal for storing a large variety of different…
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RivetRite Shelving
RivetRite Shelving only requires a rubber mallet to build these easy-to-assemble units. Boltless connections between posts and beams ensure their…
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Clipper Shelves
Our high-performance clipper shelves are ideal for handling sophisticated multi-level applications or simple backroom storage. In-stock or available…
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Wire Shelving
The only thing easier than ordering wire shelving from us is putting it together. It’s easy and hassle-free. In-stock and ready to ship!
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Shelving Types Compared
Shelving holds product that is loaded and picked by hand, with no forklift in the aisle. The correct type depends on the weight and size of each item and on whether the area is dry, refrigerated, or cleaned frequently.
| Type | Construction | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Clipper shelving | Steel shelves attach to the posts with clips and adjust in 1-inch increments. Available in medium, heavy duty, and extra heavy duty capacities. Open units use sway braces, and closed units have steel panels on three sides and optional locking doors. | Small parts, often stored in bins. Closed units keep stock clean. Bin and ledge units add dividers and a work surface. |
| Rivet shelving | Boltless posts and beams are assembled with a rubber mallet, and shelves adjust on 1½-inch centers. No sway braces are required, so all four sides are open. Systems start with a starter unit and extend with add-on units. | Bulkier or heavier items that are still loaded by hand. Record storage and tire storage versions are available. |
| Wide span | Frames and beams similar to a lighter pallet rack, with particle board, steel, or wire deck shelves. Some manufacturers offer standard sizes up to 26 feet tall. Catwalks and stairs add upper levels. | Medium to heavy loads, tall, wide, or bulky items, or small quantities of many different items. |
| Wire shelving | Chrome or green epoxy wire shelves on posts with split sleeves, adjustable in 1-inch increments. Rated for 600 to 1,000 lb. Casters convert a unit to a mobile cart. | Dry goods and food service stock. Open wire allows air and sprinkler water to pass through and collects less dust. Green epoxy is designed for refrigerated areas. |
| MetroMax Q | Shelves with polymer mats that lift out for washing and do not corrode, with Microban antimicrobial protection. Corner releases allow a shelf to be moved without tools. | Shelving that is cleaned frequently, or areas where mold, mildew, and corrosion would damage standard shelving. |
Shelving on a Mezzanine
Shelving is one of the most common uses of a mezzanine. It puts the overhead space to use for parts that are picked by hand. For an auto parts distributor, we installed 767 shelving units on a 12,000 square foot mezzanine over the conveyor and packing area. Read the case study
A mezzanine for an office or break room is designed for 100 pounds per square foot (psf), and for shelving we quote a deck rating of 150 psf or more. The rating cannot be increased after installation, so when shelving may be added later, we quote both ratings for comparison. Mezzanines
The load determines every design, whether the project is pallet rack, shelving, or a mezzanine. A deck designed for 100 psf is suitable for an office. If shelving is added later, the deck may need 150 psf, so the planned storage must be known at the start.
Case Study
Shelving and Drawer Cabinets for a Utility Company
A utility company moved three warehouses, with more than 600 sections of light-duty shelving, into one smaller building. Because one modular drawer cabinet often holds as many small parts as 2 or 3 shelving units, we moved nearly half of the small parts into drawer cabinets.
We then installed two freestanding mezzanines of approximately 3,400 and 2,300 square feet, with 477 units of Penco shelving above and 180 drawer cabinets below. Small-parts storage doubled in the same footprint. Read the case study
Fire Code and Permits for Shelving
The high-piled storage requirements of the fire code apply to shelving as well as to pallet rack, and for ordinary, non-hazardous products they apply when the top of the storage is higher than 12 feet.
Under 12 Feet
Most shelving is below the high-piled threshold. Some jurisdictions still require a shelving permit for storage under 12 feet, and we submit one wherever it is required.
Over 12 Feet
Tall wide span shelving and shelving with catwalks can exceed 12 feet. When it does, a high-piled storage permit is required, and the sprinklers must be rated for the stored product at that height. Permitting
Solid Shelves
In high-piled storage, a solid shelf larger than 20 square feet can require review by a fire protection engineer and sprinklers inside the shelving. Wire deck is classified as open when its openings are uniform, no more than 6 inches apart, and more than 50 percent of the surface.
Some jurisdictions require a shelving permit for storage under 12 feet. The building code does not contain this requirement, and the jurisdictions give little guidance on what they expect. We submit a reduced version of the high-piled permit documents, and most are approved.
Industrial Shelving Questions
How fast can I get shelving?
Do you install it?
When should I use pallet rack instead?
Can I add to shelving I already have?
How much floor space does a row take?
How wide should the aisles be?
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Discuss an Industrial Shelving Project
Contact us with the items to be stored and the available floor area.