Warehouse Equipment
Wire Decks
We keep used wire decks at our lot in Charlotte, alongside used beams and uprights. We supply new and used wire decks sized to the rack frames and beams.
Certified byTodd McGeeWarehouse Solutions Specialist, in material handling since 1996
Wire Deck Services
Wire decks rest on the rack beams and support pallets and loose cartons. We size each deck to the upright frames and beams and match its load rating to the beams. We also stock used wire decks at our lot.
Our home region is North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. In 2025 we also completed projects in 24 other states.
- Deck sizing to the frame depth and beam length
- Load ratings matched to the beam pair
- Decking selected for the open-area requirements of the fire code
- Waterfall, flush, inverted flange, and perforated decks
- Pallet supports and wire containers
- Used wire decks matched to existing rack
Perforated Pallet Rack Decking
Perforated pallet rack decking won’t leave indentations on any of your products because they provide a flat, even storage area. Boxes can be easily…
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Wire Containers
Our wire containers efficiently maximize most storage space, whether you’re storing larger items up to 4,000 pounds or small parts in junior…
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Wire Decks
Wire decking allows light to evenly disperse from ceiling to floor, making inventory easier to view by reducing shadows. In-stock or available to ship…
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Wire Decking and the Fire Code
The decking on a rack affects how the fire code classifies it. When the top of the storage is higher than 12 feet, the high-piled storage requirements of the fire code apply, and water from the ceiling sprinklers must then reach every level of the rack. Wire deck lets the water pass through. If the decking blocks it, the rack is classified as solid shelving, which usually requires review by a fire protection engineer and sprinklers inside the rack. Permitting
Open Area
50%+
Portion of the deck surface that must be open
Wire mesh decks are made to meet this requirement, so sprinkler water reaches the pallets on the lower levels.
Opening Spacing
6in
Maximum distance between two openings
The openings must also be distributed evenly over the full deck. A few large openings in an otherwise solid panel do not meet the requirement.
Solid Shelving
20sq ft
Largest solid section before the code classifies it as a solid shelf
A section of plywood, particle board, or solid steel panel larger than this places the rack under the solid shelving requirements.
Adding wire deck or pallet supports to existing rack does not usually require a permit, and neither does replacing a deck.
Wire Deck Sizes
A wire deck size has two dimensions. The first is the depth of the upright frame, measured front to back. The deck is made slightly deeper than the frame so that it reaches both beams, but it is still sold by the frame depth.
The second dimension is the deck width. When two decks fit on a level, the width is half the beam length minus 2 inches, which leaves clearance for the decks to sit side by side. A 42-inch frame with 96-inch beams takes 42 x 46 inch decks.
| Beam length | Decks per level | Deck width |
|---|---|---|
| 96 in (8 ft) | 2 | 46 in |
| 108 in (9 ft) | 2 | 52 in |
| 120 in (10 ft) | 2 | 58 in |
| 144 in (12 ft) | 3 | 46 in |
Wire Deck Load Ratings
After the size, the second specification for a deck is its load rating. Wire deck ratings assume a uniformly distributed load (UDL), with the weight spread evenly over the deck. Beams are rated the same way, and the two ratings should agree.
Matching the Beam
The decks on one level should add up to the rating of the beam pair below them, so a beam pair rated for 5,000 lb with two decks needs decks rated for 2,500 lb. Beams can carry a capacity label. Decks usually do not, so the ratings should be matched when the decks are bought.
Point Loads
A pallet much smaller than the deck, a container on legs, or a pallet with only two boards under the load concentrates the weight on a few points. The deck can then sag, even when its rating appears sufficient. For these loads, pallet supports can be added, or a deck can be made for the specific load.
Pallets on the Beams
The pallet should rest on both beams and extend approximately 3 inches past each one. The deck is meant to support a pallet that is short or placed out of position, and it is not designed for people to stand or walk on.
Deck Styles and Other Rack Supports
Waterfall wire deck is the most common style. The other options meet specific requirements, such as preventing wire marks on soft goods or preventing debris from collecting in the support channels under the mesh.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Waterfall wire deck | The channels rest on the beam step, the ledge along the inside top edge of the beam, and the mesh wraps over the top edge of the beam. U-shaped channels seat on a 1 5/8-inch step, while the V-shaped channels on some lower-cost decks can rest on the step without seating. Available plated, galvanized, or powder-coated in several colors, depending on the environment. |
| Flush wire deck | Sits level with the top of the beams. |
| Inverted flange wire deck | The channel is inverted so that debris does not collect in it. |
| Perforated deck | A flat, punched steel sheet that drops into place. Because it leaves no wire marks, furniture, rug, and mattress warehouses use it. It usually carries more load than a wire deck of the same size and is available in non-standard sizes. The sheet is approximately 50 percent open and the code requires more than 50 percent, so its use should be confirmed with the fire inspector. |
| Pallet supports | Steel crossbars that span from the front beam to the rear beam, with at least 2 per pallet position. Small items can fall through the space between them. A support costs less than a wire deck, but most are fastened to the beams with self-drilling (tek) screws, and with that labor included the installed cost can be about the same. |
| Particle board or plywood | Combustible, and blocks sprinkler water. A solid section larger than 20 square feet is classified as a solid shelf. |
Our Lot
Used Wire Decks
Our lot in Charlotte stocks used wire decks along with used beams and uprights. The decks come from warehouses that are closing, relocating, or reconfiguring, where our crew removes the rack and brings it back to the lot. Our inventory list of used decks shows the style, size, condition, quantity, and price per piece.
Kyle Austin manages the lot and matches used decks to existing frames and beams. Used wire deck inventory
Wire Deck Questions
How many wire decks do I order?
Can I replace particle board with wire deck?
How fast can I get wire decks?
How often should wire decks be inspected?
What are wire containers?
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Discuss a Wire Deck Project
Contact us with the frame depth, the beam length, and the load on each level.