In some situations, pallet racking will need to be installed outside instead of inside a warehouse. If that is the case, the process of planning and installing your system will be a bit different. Here are a few tips for outdoor pallet rack storage.
Some situations where you would find outdoor storage are places like garden centers, power plants, lumber or steel yards, and warehouses with raw supplies that can be left outside until they are finished. Pallet rack in garden centers is very useful because it can store heavier planters and other equipment easily. In lumber or steel yards, you would probably find cantilever rack to hold the materials.
For the generally harsher environment outside, you should get either galvanized or structural pallet rack. Galvanized rack is hot dipped in zinc which prevents rust, so it lasts much longer than regular pallet rack. Structural rack is stronger and made with more steel. While not galvanized, it would also last longer than roll formed pallet rack. Both of these options are more expensive and have a longer lead time, but would cut back on damage costs and have an extended shelf life compared to roll formed rack, saving money in the long term.
You also need to know your environment as that could change what type of rack you get or how you install it. The surface it’s being installed on, the weather, what it is storing, and more will affect it. It would probably be a good idea to have a rack dealer design or look over your design and plan first to make sure everything will work safely.
Contact us if you need information on pallet rack and the different applications it can be used for.
