If you store lumber, pipe, conduit, steel bar stock, furniture, or anything else that is long, heavy, and awkward, pallet rack is not the right tool. Cantilever racking is. It is built specifically for loads that do not fit on a 48 inch pallet and that need to be loaded from the side rather than dropped in from above.
Cantilever rack is one of the most misunderstood storage systems in the warehouse world. Buyers either do not know it exists or assume it is only for lumberyards. In Las Vegas, we install cantilever rack for HVAC contractors, plumbing wholesalers, sign shops, electrical supply houses, fabricators, and furniture importers.
How Cantilever Racking Is Different from Pallet Rack
Pallet rack uses upright frames at both ends of every load and a horizontal beam between them. Cantilever rack uses a single column down the middle (or back) with arms that stick out to one or both sides. Loads rest on the arms, not between two uprights.
That single change unlocks long-load storage. There is no front column blocking your forklift from setting down a 20 foot length of pipe. The arms are open on the front, so the operator can drive in, set down, and back out without threading the load between vertical columns.
Single-Sided vs. Double-Sided Cantilever Rack
Single-sided cantilever rack has arms on only one side and is designed to sit against a wall. It is the right choice when floor space is limited and you only have access from one aisle.
Double-sided cantilever rack has arms on both sides of the column and stores twice as much in the same footprint. You need an aisle on each side, but you cut your storage footprint roughly in half. Most warehouses with the floor space go with double-sided for that reason.
Sizing Cantilever Rack: Arms, Columns, and Bases
Three numbers drive cantilever rack sizing: arm length, arm capacity, and column height. Arm length is how far out the arm extends. Common arm lengths are 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 inches. Choose an arm length that supports your load with no more than 25 percent of the load extending past the end of the arm.
Arm capacity is rated per arm. A typical medium-duty cantilever arm is rated 1,000 to 2,000 lbs. Heavy-duty arms can carry 4,000 lbs or more per arm. The column height and base length size up from there. The base must be long enough to keep the loaded rack from tipping. As a rule of thumb, base length should be at least half the arm length.
Common Mistakes When Buying Cantilever Rack
We see the same buying mistakes over and over.
- Underestimating arm capacity. Buyers spec for the average load and forget about the heaviest pipe or bundle. Spec for the worst case.
- Skipping the base calculation. A column that tips because the base is too short is dangerous and expensive to fix.
- Forgetting overhead clearance. Cantilever loads are loaded from the side, but you still need vertical clearance to get the forklift forks above the lower arms.
- Mixing brands. Cantilever arms, columns, and bases are not universal across manufacturers. Buying used pieces from three different brands almost never works.
- Skipping seismic anchoring. Nevada is a seismic zone. Cantilever rack needs anchored bases just like pallet rack.
Cantilever Rack and Las Vegas Building Code
Cantilever racking over 8 feet tall in Clark County requires the same building permit and PE-stamped engineering as pallet rack. The seismic calculations are different (cantilever loading creates different overturning forces) but the permitting process is identical.
If you are mixing cantilever and pallet rack in the same warehouse, both systems need to be on the same engineering submission. Trying to permit them separately just doubles your review time.
Source 4 and Cantilever Installations
We have installed cantilever rack across the Las Vegas Valley for warehouses storing everything from steel pipe to imported wood flooring. Our team handles the layout, the engineering, the permit submission, and the install.
If you are not sure whether cantilever rack is the right system for what you are storing, call us at (702) 291-9520 and describe your loads. We will tell you whether cantilever, pallet rack, or a combination is the right fit.
