Cantilever racking solves the storage problem that ordinary racks cannot: long, heavy or awkward items that do not fit neatly into a pallet position. If your warehouse handles steel pipes, timber, aluminium profiles or sheet materials, a cantilever rack is usually the most efficient way to store them, and the fastest to load and unload.
The pain point is easy to recognise. Put a 12-metre length of pipe or a banded timber bundle on a standard pallet beam and it either will not fit or it overhangs into the aisle where forklifts travel. Long-span storage rack design exists precisely to remove that obstruction.
What Is Cantilever Racking?
Cantilever racking is an open-front storage system built from three core components: a vertical upright, horizontal cantilever arms that project from it, and a base that anchors the structure to the floor. Unlike pallet racking, there is no front upright and no horizontal beam across the face of the bay.
That one design decision changes everything. Because nothing obstructs the front of the load, long goods can be placed and retrieved along their entire length. A bundle of steel pipe can slide onto the arms from the aisle with a forklift or side-loader, and a single piece can be picked without disturbing the rest of the bay.
How a Cantilever Rack Is Built: Uprights, Arms and Base
- Uprights - the vertical columns that carry the load down to the floor. Single-sided racks use a free-standing line of uprights; double-sided racks use one upright with arms on both faces. The uprights use a butterfly-hole quick-assembly design, so levels can be repositioned on site without welding.
- Cantilever arms - the horizontal load-bearing members. Arm length determines the depth of load the rack can hold, and each level can carry a different arm length if your product mix changes.
- Base - the foundation that resists overturning. Base length should always be at least equal to arm length so the centre of gravity stays inside the footprint.
Single-Sided and Double-Sided Cantilever Rack Configurations
A single-sided cantilever rack has arms on one face only and is usually placed against a wall or along a building boundary. It suits picking walls and narrow spaces.
A double-sided cantilever rack shares one line of uprights between two faces. It increases storage density per column, cuts the number of aisles required and is normally the most economical layout for high-turnover long stock. Buyers comparing a cantilever rack single double sided choice usually find that double-sided pays back fastest when the same item family is stored in volume.
Arm length, level spacing and total height are all customizable. Levels can be set wide for bundles and close for lighter profiles, and height is limited only by the clear height of the building.
Why Cantilever Racking Beats Ordinary Racks for Long Items
- Full-length access. With no front upright, the whole length of the load is reachable, so one item can be picked from the middle of a bundle.
- Higher space utilization. Long goods can be stacked in several levels up to the clear height instead of being floor-stacked or left in the yard.
- Forklift-friendly. Standard counterbalance forklifts and side-loaders can serve the racks; most layouts need no special handling equipment.
- Less product damage. Because nothing presses on the load from the front, edge damage and bending on finished profiles is reduced.
- Flexible product mix. Pipes beside timber beside sheet can share one bay once arm lengths and level spacing are set correctly.
How to Spec a Cantilever Rack: A Buyer's Parameter Table
Four inputs drive almost every cantilever rack design. Give your supplier these four numbers and most of the specification writes itself.
| Your input | What it sets | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| Goods length | Arm length | Arm length matched to load depth; base length at least equal to arm length |
| Number of levels | Level spacing | Spacing equals load height plus handling clearance |
| Aisle width and traffic | Single or double sided | Single-sided against walls; double-sided for high density |
| Total height needed | Upright height | Stay below clear height minus sprinkler and lighting clearance |
Two more figures complete the picture: the weight of the heaviest single item, and how that weight is distributed across the arms. Per-arm capacity is engineered by specification. It is a function of arm section, arm length, upright spacing and the number of arms sharing the load, not a fixed catalogue number, and longer arms always mean lower capacity per arm. Share the load detail with your engineer before you approve a drawing.
Load Capacity and Q235B Steel
Capacity in a cantilever rack system is decided by geometry and material together. The further the load sits from the upright, the higher the bending moment on the arm, so a short arm carries far more than a long arm of the same section.
King Global builds its steel cantilever shelving from Q235B steel. Q235B is a general structural carbon steel with a specified minimum yield strength of 235 MPa and good weldability, which makes it a sound choice for welded uprights and formed arms. For a closer comparison of grades, see our guide to the Q235B steel grade for racking.
Surface treatment runs through a three-stage line: pickling and degreasing, then phosphating, then electrostatic powder coating. The phosphating layer improves adhesion and corrosion resistance beneath the powder, and coating thickness is controlled within normal industry ranges for structural steel powder coating. Corrosion performance is verified by neutral salt-spray testing following the applicable ISO 9227 method.
Applications: Where Cantilever Racks Earn Their Space
Cantilever racks suit any industry that stores long, flat or irregular goods. The table below shows typical configurations built for the most common sectors.
| Industry | Typical goods | Typical configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Steel and tube distribution | Steel pipes, tubes, bars, rebar bundles | Double-sided, medium arms, high per-arm capacity |
| Timber and lumber | Planks, beams, engineered timber | Double-sided, wide level spacing, long arms for bundles |
| Aluminium and profiles | Extruded profiles, window and curtain-wall sections | Single or double-sided, long arms, protective arm tops |
| Sheet and panel products | Metal sheet, board, composite panels | Double-sided, wide arm spacing, flat load supports |
| Furniture and joinery | Panels, mouldings, wrapped components | Single-sided picking wall, light-to-medium arms |
| Building materials | Pipes, ducts, insulation, long fittings | Double-sided, mixed arm lengths, forklift served |
| Machinery and fabrication | Long machined parts, shafts, jigs | Single-sided, custom arm spacing, arm cradles |
Combining Cantilever Racking with Pallet and Heavy Duty Racking
Most warehouses need more than one rack type, and this racking is rarely installed alone. A common layout pairs cantilever bays for long stock with standard pallet racking for boxed and palletized goods, so the whole facility shares one aisle network and one handling fleet.
If your project mixes long goods with palletized inventory, our pallet racking guide covers beam levels, load ratings and bay configuration. Designing the two systems together, with matching upright finish, level heights and forklift reach, usually saves aisle space and reduces total project cost.
Factory Customization: OEM Sizes and Full-Container Export
King Global is a warehouse racking factory with 16 years of experience, a 60,000 square meter plant and 17 intelligent production lines. Our products are fully self-manufactured and positioned in the mid-to-high end of the racking field, and we hold ISO, CE and ROHS certificates.
Because everything is made in-house, your cantilever racking is built to drawing rather than taken off a shelf. We produce OEM and custom sizes: arm length, level spacing, upright height, finish colour, arm cradles and end stops are all made to order. We also recruit agents and distributors worldwide with regional price protection, so your market is not undermined by parallel supply.
Export packing is designed around long, thin profiles. Cartons hold uprights, beams and shelf panels separately, so edges and coated faces are not abraded in transit, which reduces transport damage and the after-sales risk that follows it. From the factory we ship 4 x 40HQ containers per day, giving us full-container-load export capability on repeat orders.
Request a Custom Cantilever Rack Quote
Send us your load list: goods length, item weight, number of levels and available height, plus a sketch or drawing if you have one. Our engineers will return a layout and a quotation against your own dimensions.
Browse the standard models in our cantilever rack range, or contact the King Global factory directly. For the fastest answer, send your drawings by WhatsApp to +86-13761540945.
FAQ: Cantilever Racking Questions Answered
What is cantilever racking used for?
Cantilever racking is used to store long, bulky or irregularly shaped goods that do not fit standard pallet positions: steel pipes, tubes, timber, aluminium profiles, sheet materials, furniture components, building materials and long machinery parts. Because the front of the bay is open, items can be loaded and picked along their full length with a forklift.
Is cantilever racking good for lumber?
Yes. Cantilever racking for lumber is one of the most common applications. Wide level spacing lets banded bundles of planks or beams sit directly on long arms, and a double-sided configuration doubles the usable storage face. Arm length should match bundle width, and base length should be at least equal to arm length to keep the load stable.
What is cantilever rack capacity?
Cantilever rack capacity is not a single fixed number. Per-arm capacity is engineered by specification and depends on arm length, arm section, upright spacing and how many arms share the load. Longer arms reduce per-arm capacity because the bending moment increases. Always quote the heaviest single item and its position on the arms so the engineer can size the arms correctly.
What is the difference between single-sided and double-sided cantilever racking?
A single-sided cantilever rack has arms on one face only and is normally placed against a wall as a storage or picking wall. A double-sided cantilever rack shares one line of uprights with arms on both faces, which raises storage density per column and reduces the number of aisles needed. Double-sided is the standard choice for high-volume long stock.
How much space does cantilever racking save?
Because long goods can be stacked in multiple levels up to the clear height of the building instead of being floor-stacked or stored outdoors, cantilever racking converts vertical space into usable storage. The exact gain depends on clear height, level spacing and item mix, so a layout drawing is the only reliable way to quantify it.
Can cantilever racking be customized?
Yes. King Global manufactures cantilever racking to order in OEM and custom sizes. Arm length, level spacing, upright height, load capacity, colour and accessories such as arm cradles and end stops are all specified per project. Send your drawings for a quotation.
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