Cantilever Racking System – Customizable Rack Builder

Cantilever rack is perfect for storing long objects, such as lumber, pipes, and building materials.

What Do You Need Before Configuring a Cantilever Rack?

A good configuration starts with the load, not with a general duty label. Gather these details before completing the builder:

1. Material type and shape
2. Longest item or bundle length
3. Load depth and height
4. Maximum weight per item, bundle, and storage level
5. How the weight is distributed across the support points
6. Required number of storage levels
7. Single-sided or double-sided access
8. Forklift or manual handling method
9. Available floor area, aisle space, and clear height
10. Indoor or outdoor placement and any site requirements

If the load weight, dimensions, or support requirements are uncertain, stop before finalizing the order. Guessing at arm capacity, upright spacing, or total system capacity can result in the wrong configuration.

How Does the Cantilever Rack Builder Work?

1. Select the Upright and Base Configuration

Choose the available upright height, base and arm length, and single-sided or double-sided base type. Orientation should match the planned location and the way handling equipment will approach the rack.

2. Choose the Bracing

Select the available brace spacing for the upright line. Bracing connects the uprights and must match the selected system, hardware, and final spacing.

3. Configure the Arms

Select the arm length, number of arm levels, and compatible stop pins when needed. Arm length should suit the load depth and must be checked against the rated capacity of the exact component.

4. Review the Summary and Bill of Materials

Review the selected specifications, quantities, components, and price before ordering. Confirm that the complete configuration matches the load and the installation area, not just the dimensions shown in one step.

Structural Cantilever Racks for Long and Bulky Materials

This structural cantilever racking system is designed for inventory that is difficult to place on conventional pallet rack or shelving. The open loading face provides access to materials that extend across several support arms.

Common applications include lumber, pipe, tubing, steel stock, furniture, and building supplies. The rack still needs to be configured for the exact material. Load length, depth, stiffness, weight distribution, arm length, upright spacing, handling equipment, and site conditions all affect the final selection.

Benefits of Cantilever Rack Systems

If you store lumber, pipe, steel, or anything, you already know how quickly it takes over the floor. Cantilever racks give those materials a proper home, with open-front access that makes loading and unloading faster and safer.

Load Length Design

Here’s how a cantilever racking system benefits your operation:

• Open linear storage: There are no front uprights in the way, so your forklift can load and unload long materials straight from the open face.
• Built around your load lengths: Have pipe or lumber in different lengths? Set up each section of the rack for the lengths it holds, so every piece gets the support it needs.
• More room on your floor: Store long items up and off the floor on multiple levels, and get your work areas back.
• Grows with your inventory: Move arm levels on compatible uprights as your stock changes, and choose single- or double-sided layouts to fit your space.
• Handles heavy loads: Structural steel takes the heavy loads you can’t safely put on other racking. Capacity depends on arm length, upright height, and configuration, so check the builder specs for your setup.
• Built to last: Heavy-duty steel construction is made for a long service life. Regular inspection keeps it that way.
• Works indoors or out: With a weather-resistant finish, cantilever racks work in your yard as well as your warehouse. See our outdoor cantilever rack.

Ready to see what yours would look like? Use the builder to get the full component list and live price before you order.

Cantilever Racking System Specifications

Components of Cantilever Racking Systems

Warehouse cantilever racks are made up of a few different components: bases, uprights, arms, and cantilever bracing. The bases serve as the cornerstone of the racking system and anchor it to the floor, acting as the main stabilizing component for the entire system.

Next, there are the upright columns. These connect to the base and have holes in them for the cantilever arms to connect to the system. The cantilever arms, in turn, serve as the actual shelving units where you can place your long and bulky items. They compose each of the storage levels of the cantilever racking system.

The braces are another part of the heavy duty cantilever storage rack system that increases stability.

They provide horizontal and diagonal support, ensuring that the items you place on the arms will have the support they need.

Should You Choose a Single-Sided or Double-Sided Cantilever Rack?

Choose single-sided for storage against a wall, where material is loaded from one side. Choose double-sided for open floor areas where forklifts can reach both sides.

Single Sided Cantilever Racks

Single-sided cantilever racks are commonly used in warehouses and storage facilities to store long and bulky items such as lumber, pipes, and furniture. This type of rack system is designed with arms that extend from one side of the uprights, allowing for easy access to stored items from one side. The single sided design makes these racks ideal for placement against walls or in areas where space is limited.

Double Sided Cantilever Racks

Double-sided cantilever racks are built with arms extending from both sides of the same upright line, so you can load and unload from either direction instead of one side only. This design is best suited for freestanding placement in the center of a warehouse or yard, where aisle traffic needs access from both directions. Because storage runs on both sides of the same upright, double sided racks hold more product per foot of aisle than a single sided run, making them a common choice for high-volume yards with room to spare on both sides.

How Do You Choose Arm Length and Upright Spacing?

Arm length should match the depth and support needs of the stored material while remaining within the rated capacity of the selected arm. Upright spacing determines where the load is supported along its length.

There is no single spacing rule for every product. Rigid steel stock, flexible pipe, bundled lumber, sheet goods, and furniture behave differently between supports. Use manufacturer data and request technical review when the material can sag, roll, shift, or concentrate weight on a small area.

How Do Light-, Medium-, and Heavy-Duty Cantilever Systems Differ?

Light duty, medium duty, heavy duty, and structural are broad product descriptions, not universal capacity ratings. Two systems using the same label may have different allowable loads.

Compare the verified capacity of the selected arms and uprights at the chosen dimensions. Also review the number of levels, bracing, component series, connection method, total rack load, and installation requirements. Choose from the final configuration data rather than the duty label alone.

Cantilever Racks for Steel & Metal

Cantilever racks for steel can store flat sheets (foil or leaf), coiled strips, as well as pipes. Since raw material pipes are long and have a large polar moment of inertia, movement, and rocking should be controlled.

For this, turn your attention to the arms of cantilever metal racks. Both single-sided or double-sided racks have arms that can be as straight as inclined to the center to prevent goods from rolling out.

• Straight arms up to 48″ long have a minimum pitch of 3/8″ per foot to compensate for deflection.
• Inclined arms have a pitch of 20° or approximately 4.36″ per foot. This is where you can put rolls or pipes.

Is there an alternative to cantilever racks? Yes, and no. For example, you can use stacked bunks to store pipes. However, this solution may rearrange your handling operations and require different equipment.

Storing Lumber and Building Materials

Cantilever racks work well for dimensional lumber, plywood, drywall, and other long building materials. For long-term storage, keep lumber horizontal and use enough arms to hold it flat without sagging. Outdoor setups need a rack and finish designed for weather exposure. For a rack built specifically for lumber, see our lumber storage rack.

See a Cantilever Rack Project in Action

Take a look at the finished system and hear from the customer in their own words. The full case study covers what they needed, how we planned it, and the final rack setup. View the Levi’s Sawmill Cantilever Rack Case Study.

Competitive Pricing on Cantilever Rack

Our industrial cantilever racks are competitively priced to fit your budget. Moreover, we keep common sizes in stock, so that we have what you need when you’re ready to order. We are your one-stop-shop for all your warehouse storage and industrial shelving needs.

Regardless of whether you need to store furniture, lumber, pipes or other oddly-shaped items or building supplies, we have the cantilever racks to simplify your storage process. So don’t settle for difficult, awkward, or unstable storage options when you don’t have to! Shop with Speedrack West and get the exact cantilever racks you need to store your inventory and supplies.

When Should You Request Layout or Technical Help?

Contact us before ordering if:

• The load weight or support requirements are uncertain
• The material is unusually long, flexible, concentrated, cylindrical, or irregular
• The system will be installed outdoors
• Forklift access or aisle space is limited
• The project includes multiple rack rows or a large facility layout
• Permitting, seismic review, anchoring, or slab conditions need to be addressed
• The available builder options do not match the required project

A CAD warehouse layout can account for rack placement, aisles, building columns, doors, turning space, sprinklers, and other facility conditions before installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What information do I need for the cantilever rack builder?

Gather the material type, length, depth, height, and weight, along with the required storage levels, handling method, floor area, clear height, and access needs.

How do I choose cantilever rack arm length?

Choose arm length using the actual load depth and the verified capacity data for the selected arm and rack series. Do not assume that different arm lengths have the same allowable capacity.

How far apart should cantilever rack uprights be?

Upright spacing depends on the load length, stiffness, weight, distribution, and allowable deflection. Flexible materials may require more support points. Request review if you cannot verify the support requirements.

Can cantilever racks be installed outdoors?

Yes, some cantilever systems can be used outdoors when the rack, finish, foundation, anchoring, weather exposure, drainage, and stored material have been addressed for the site. Confirm the complete outdoor design before ordering.

Does the builder replace engineering or permitting?

No. The builder helps select available product options. Engineering, permitting, seismic review, anchoring, slab evaluation, and layout services may still be required depending on the project and jurisdiction.