If you are designing a warehouse, it is crucial to know how large your aisles need to be. If you disregard this process, you could end up with a facility in which forklifts are unable to load and pick inventory, or with way too much extra space so you are wasting money. There are a few things you need to know to figure out the optimal size of your aisles.
The most important piece of information you need is the size and turning radius of your forklifts. There are a few different models that would change the amount of space you need in between the pallet rack. If you have a wide aisle forklift (a sit-down counterbalanced truck), generally your aisles should be 12-13 feet wide for standard 48 inch pallets. If you have narrow aisle trucks, the aisles should be 8-10 feet wide, and for very narrow aisle trucks they can be 6 feet or less. Remember, these measurements are just estimations, and the skill level of your forklift drivers could change the sizes as well, so that knowledge is always good to have.
Since pallets can hang over the edge of the pallet racks, make sure you account for that when you measure your aisles. Another way to calculate the right aisle size is to take the head length of the lift truck + the length of the load + 12 inch maneuverability + 6 inch pallet overhang. That number should be the amount of space you need to move around between your storage systems.
It is always safest to consult your forklift dealer or a qualified racking and material handling company if you aren’t sure. If a company is designing your warehouse, they will take your equipment into account so that the aisle sizes are correct and will work in your facility.
Contact us with any questions and we will be happy to help, and check out our page on warehouse design for more information.
