Cantilever Racking Explained: The Ultimate Guide to Storing Long and Bulky Items
Cantilever Racking Explained: The Ultimate Guide to Storing Long and Bulky Items
When it comes to warehouse storage systems, not all goods fit neatly onto pallets. Long, heavy, or irregularly shaped materials like timber, pipes, steel bars, furniture, and sheet materials need a different approach to storage.
That’s where cantilever racking comes in a highly adaptable solution designed to handle items that traditional pallet racking simply can’t.
At A-Z Storage Systems, we design, supply, and install cantilever racking solutions across the UK, helping businesses make the most of their warehouse space while maintaining safety and efficiency.
In this guide, we’ll break down what cantilever racking is, how it works, the main types available, and why it’s one of the most versatile racking systems for industrial and commercial storage.
What Is Cantilever Racking?
Cantilever racking is a storage system designed to hold long, bulky, or irregularly shaped products that can’t easily be stored on standard pallet racks.
Instead of using front uprights or beams, cantilever systems use vertical columns with horizontal arms that project outward to support the load. The open-front design provides unrestricted access to goods, making it easy for forklifts or cranes to load and unload items of varying lengths.
This makes cantilever racking ideal for industries such as timber merchants, steel fabrication, construction, and furniture manufacturing.
Key Features of Cantilever Racking
✔ Open-front design: No front uprights for easy access.
✔ Adjustable arms: Adaptable to different load sizes.
✔ Modular and extendable: Expand your system as your storage needs grow.
✔ Heavy-duty construction: Built from durable steel to withstand heavy loads.
✔ Custom configurations: Available in single-sided, double-sided, light-duty, heavy-duty, and external designs.
Benefits of Cantilever Racking
Cantilever racking is one of the most flexible and efficient storage systems available. Here’s why it’s so effective:
1. Ideal for Long and Oversized Items
Perfect for storing timber lengths, steel pipes, plastic tubing, and sheet materials that don’t fit neatly on pallets.
2. Maximum Accessibility
The open design means forklifts can easily lift items directly from the rack — improving workflow and saving time.
3. Better Space Utilisation
By using vertical height effectively, cantilever systems free up valuable floor space, increasing your overall storage capacity.
4. Adaptable and Scalable
Whether you need a single-sided system along a wall or a double-sided configuration for central aisles, cantilever racking can be tailored to your layout and expanded as your business grows.
5. Safe and Organised
Keeps materials off the floor, reducing trip hazards, improving stock control, and creating a safer, more efficient workspace.
Types of Cantilever Racking
At A-Z Storage Systems, we provide a range of cantilever racking types to suit different environments and applications:
1. Single-Sided Cantilever Racking
Installed against a wall or solid surface.
Provides access from one side only.
Ideal for warehouses with limited floor space or where racking needs to sit flush against a wall.
2. Double-Sided Cantilever Racking
Accessible from both sides.
Designed for central warehouse aisles.
Doubles your storage capacity without increasing floor area.
3. Heavy-Duty Cantilever Racking
Engineered for industrial environments.
Suitable for storing steel beams, metal pipes, and large timber sections.
Built with reinforced steel arms for maximum load-bearing capacity.
4. Light-Duty Cantilever Racking
Designed for smaller or lighter products such as PVC pipes, wooden trims, and lightweight boards.
Ideal for retail warehouses, workshops, or small-scale storage.
5. External Cantilever Racking
Weather-resistant system designed for outdoor storage.
Hot-dip galvanised steel finish protects against corrosion.
Perfect for builders’ merchants, timber yards, and outdoor fabrication sites.
Cantilever Racking vs. Pallet Racking
While both racking systems are essential for warehouse efficiency, they are designed for different types of storage needs. Here’s how they compare:
Best for:
Cantilever Racking: Long, bulky, or irregularly shaped items.
Pallet Racking: Palletised goods and boxed stock.
Access:
Cantilever Racking: Open-front design for direct loading and unloading.
Pallet Racking: Structured pallet locations requiring forklift access.
Flexibility:
Cantilever Racking: Adjustable arms to support materials of varying lengths.
Pallet Racking: Adjustable beams suitable for different pallet sizes and weights.
Typical Users:
Cantilever Racking: Timber merchants, steel suppliers, and furniture manufacturers.
Pallet Racking: Logistics centres, retail distribution hubs, and e-commerce warehouses.
Many modern warehouses benefit from using both systems together, pallet racking for standard palletised products and cantilever racking for long or oversized materials.
Safety and Compliance
Like all racking systems, cantilever racking must meet UK safety standards under HSE (HSG76) and PUWER regulations.
To maintain a safe and compliant warehouse:
Carry out daily visual checks for damage or overloading.
Appoint a PRRS (Person Responsible for Racking Safety) to oversee routine inspections.
Schedule an annual racking inspection by a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) — a UK legal requirement.
Our sister company, A-Z Rack Inspections Ltd, provides professional, SEMA-approved racking inspections to ensure your cantilever racking remains compliant, efficient, and safe to use.
Why Choose A-Z Storage Systems?
At A-Z Storage Systems, we specialise in designing and installing bespoke cantilever racking systems that suit your warehouse layout and operational goals.
Our services include:
Professional warehouse design consultation
Supply of single-sided, double-sided, heavy-duty, light-duty, and external cantilever racking
SEIRS-approved installation teams for safe, compliant setup
Racking repairs, dismantling, and reconfiguration
Partnership with A-Z Rack Inspections Ltd for annual inspection
Whether you need a small-scale setup or a large industrial installation, we provide end-to-end solutions tailored to your business.
Conclusion
Cantilever racking is the ideal storage system for long, bulky, or awkwardly shaped materials. Its open design, versatility, and strength make it an essential solution for many industries — from timber and steel to manufacturing and logistics.
At A-Z Storage Systems, we provide expertly designed, high-quality cantilever racking systems that maximise storage capacity, improve safety, and future-proof your warehouse operations.
📞 Ready to optimise your warehouse with cantilever racking?
Call us today: 07917 664940 | 07947 886161
📧 Email: sales@a-zstoragesystems.co.uk
