Closed carries more than open
The side and back panels are not trim. They are the bracing, and the capacity figures prove it.
The intuitive model of closed shelving is an open unit with panels bolted on to keep dust off. On that model, closed shelving costs more and stores the same. The published figures say something else entirely.
Two suppliers quote "industrial shelving, 36 by 18, five shelves". One is open, one is closed. Those are not competing quotes for the same product, and the price difference is buying you load capacity and lateral stability, not just dust protection. Compare per-shelf ratings, not unit descriptions.
The full capacity ladder in this catalogue
| Family | Brand | Capacity per shelf |
|---|---|---|
| Hi-tech open shelving | Hallowell | Up to 1,250 lb |
| All-welded shelving | Little Giant | 2,000 lb |
| Closed shelving | Hallowell | Up to 2,200 lb |
| High capacity boltless | Hallowell | Up to 2,300 lb |
| Reinforced bolted | Hallowell | Up to 2,800 lb |
| Bulk shelving, steel decking | Hallowell | Up to 3,800 lb |
Enclosing a shelving unit makes it stronger and keeps dust out. It also turns every shelf into a solid surface that water cannot fall through. In a sprinklered building that is a fire protection question, not a housekeeping preference, and it can be an expensive one. Read section four before you specify closed units at scale.
Reading a per-shelf rating
Three qualifiers hide inside every shelving capacity figure, and all three are routinely ignored.
Dies, castings, motors, tooling and anything on small feet concentrate their weight into a few square inches. A shelf rated 2,000 lb evenly distributed may not take a 900 lb die sitting on four contact points. If you store concentrated loads, say so when specifying and ask for a shelf rated for a concentrated load, or add a load-spreading deck.
Modular drawer shelving in this catalogue is published at 400 lb per drawer. A drawer rating includes the slide mechanism, and it applies when the drawer is fully extended, which is the worst case for the cabinet as a whole. Do not compare a drawer figure with a shelf figure as though they measure the same thing.
The 30/30/15 rule
There is a precise line where your shelving stops being shelving and starts being racking, and crossing it changes your obligations.
In fire protection terms, "shelving" and "racking" are not loose descriptions. They are defined categories with different protection requirements, and the boundary is dimensional.
Back-to-back rows have their own definition
Putting two runs back to back is the standard way to use floor space, and the standard addresses it directly. Back-to-back shelf storage at 3.9.2.6.1 is defined as two solid or perforated shelves up to 30 inches deep each, not exceeding a total depth of 60 inches, separated by a longitudinal vertical barrier such as plywood, particleboard, sheet metal or equivalent, with a maximum 0.25 inch diameter penetrations, no longitudinal flue space, and a maximum storage height of 15 feet.
Published guidance is that in-rack sprinklers become required where the width exceeds 30 inches and there is no vertical barrier between the shelves. Two 30 inch units pushed back to back with an open gap between them is a 60 inch deep structure with no flue and no barrier. Fitting the barrier is what keeps the installation inside the shelf storage definition, and it is far cheaper than the alternative.
If your layout is drifting toward 36 inch deep units, 24 inch aisles or 16 foot heights because it fits more in, price the fire protection consequence before you commit to the layout. Very often a 30 inch deep unit with a proper aisle is cheaper overall than the denser arrangement plus in-rack heads. This guide is educational; your fire protection professional and authority having jurisdiction decide what applies.
Solid shelves and sprinklers
A sprinkler works by getting water down onto the fire. A solid shelf is a roof.
This is the counterweight to section one. Closed and solid-deck shelving is stronger, tidier and better at keeping dust off stock. It is also, in fire protection terms, an obstruction.
The NFPA 13 definition of solid shelving in the 1998 edition was "solid, slatted, and other types of shelving within the rack that obstructs penetration down through the rack." Note that slatted counts. The 2016 edition extended it to include obstruction "by the placement of loads that block openings that would otherwise serve as the required flue spaces", which means you can create solid shelving simply by how you stack, without buying anything.
Where solid shelving is present in a rack, published guidance is that ESFR and CMSA sprinkler designs require in-rack sprinklers in accordance with section 16.1.6 or 17.1.5, installed in every level below the highest solid shelf. For partial obstructions, heads go horizontally within the flue a minimum of 4 feet beyond the shelf end. In-rack sprinklers mean pipework, heads, hydraulic recalculation and often a permit. This is the single largest hidden cost in a shelving decision.
How to think about it when specifying
- Open wire is the friendliest option. Water and light pass straight through it. This is a genuine functional advantage of wire shelving and not just a marketing line.
- Solid decks are fine in small quantities and in the right places. A few solid shelves where small parts would fall through is not the same problem as an entire aisle of enclosed units.
- Mixed configurations exist for this reason. Polymer lines in this catalogue offer units with four open grid shelves and one solid, which puts the containment exactly where it is needed and leaves the rest open.
- Ask the question before you buy, not after. Tell your fire protection contact the shelf type, depth, aisle width and height you are considering. In many buildings the answer is that it makes no difference. Where it does, you want to know while the quote is a draft.
Flue spaces, obstruction and in-rack heads are the rack version of this problem. Our pallet racking guide covers where the boundary sits from the other direction, along with load plaques and the ANSI MH16.1 owner obligations.
How the shelf attaches
Four connection systems, and the choice sets your capacity, your assembly time and how easily you can change your mind later.
Fast and flexible
Boltless, rivet type
Beams lock into place without tools or hardware. Published capacities run from a few hundred pounds up to about 2,000 lb per shelf, and this catalogue lists a high capacity boltless line at up to 2,300 lb. Takes particleboard, plywood, wire mesh or solid steel decking, and comes in widths from roughly 1 to 8 feet. Best where budget matters, where you want access from both sides, and where you need unusual sizes.
Strong and compartmented
Clip, bolted type
Shelves land on compression clips with added bracing. Generally offers higher capacity per shelf than boltless, and this catalogue's reinforced bolted line reaches up to 2,800 lb. Typically supplied in 3.5 and 4 foot widths with depths up to 36 inches. Adjusts quickly and securely once built, and takes dividers, so it suits compartmentalised storage and SKU separation.
Nothing to loosen
All-welded
Arrives as a finished structure at 2,000 lb per shelf in this catalogue, with a three-sided retaining lip version at the same rating. No fasteners to work loose, no assembly labour, maximum rigidity. The trade is freight, because you are shipping air, and zero adjustability, because the shelf heights are set forever on the day it was made.
Post and sleeve
Wire shelving collars
Grooved posts with tapered split sleeves that lock the shelf by wedging. Super adjustable versions reposition at precise 1 inch (25 mm) increments; standard versions use the fixed groove positions. The fastest system in existence to reconfigure, and the reason wire shelving dominates stockrooms where the product mix changes constantly.
If the layout is settled and the loads are heavy, welded or bolted is the right answer and adjustability is a cost you do not need. If you genuinely do not know what will be on these shelves in a year, buy adjustability, because rebuying shelving is far more expensive than paying a small premium for a system you can move.
The 4 to 1 rule and anchoring
Shelving is less tolerant of height than racking is, and the arithmetic takes ten seconds.
Racking works to a 6 to 1 height to depth limit. Shelving is tighter. Published guidance puts the shelving ratio at 4 to 1: for every foot of depth you can go four feet high before anchors are required.
The same units back to back: depth becomes 36 in, so 87 ÷ 36 = 2.42. Comfortably inside, no anchors needed.
Two units bolted together every 16 to 18 inches function as a single unit with the combined depth. That is why a back-to-back run in the middle of a floor is stable at heights where the same unit against a wall would need anchoring. If you are tight on anchoring or the slab is poor, pairing rows may solve the problem for the cost of a few bolts.
Published guidance is explicit that footplates do not change the 4 to 1 ratio, and that shelf level spacing does not affect it either. Adding more shelves lower down does not make a tall narrow unit stable. What does help is heavier footplate gauge, larger anchor diameter and embedment depth, and a thicker slab.
Shelving does not usually collapse. It tips, and it tips when someone loads the top shelf heavily, or climbs it. Load heavy items low, keep the top shelf light, anchor anything over the ratio, and make it clear that shelving is not a ladder. If people need height, buy them something designed for it; our ladders and work platforms guide covers the OSHA thresholds that apply.
Wire shelving and finishes
The finish is not cosmetic. It is the specification that decides whether the unit survives the room.
Wire shelving earns its place three ways: air and light pass through it, water passes through it, and you can see what is on it from across the room. Published capacity is up to 800 lb per shelf evenly distributed and up to 2,000 lb per unit. The premium polymer equivalents reach higher, but for general stockroom duty this is the workhorse.
The short version is that 316 adds molybdenum and resists chlorides, which means salt, bleach and many disinfectants. If your cleaning regime involves chloride chemistry or your environment is coastal, 316 earns its premium. Otherwise 304 is usually sufficient. Our cleanroom and stainless guide goes into this properly, along with ISO 14644 classes.
Buying wire shelving as components
Wire systems are sold as shelves, posts, dividers and casters rather than only as complete units, which is a genuine advantage. You can convert a stationary unit to mobile by buying posts and casters, add a shelf level later, or split one unit into two. When quoting, ask whether you are being given a unit price or a component build, because the two are not comparable line for line.
Polymer shelving
The expensive option that is frequently the cheapest one, if the room is wet.
Polymer shelving costs more than wire up front and is bought for one reason: it cannot rust. Published claims are that it is corrosion-proof and will not rust or corrode, backed by lifetime corrosion warranties on the upper lines and a 20 year corrosion warranty on the economy line.
| Line | Capacity per shelf | Corrosion warranty | Relative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetroMax i | 2,000 lb | Lifetime | Highest |
| MetroMax 4 | 800 lb | Lifetime | Mid |
| MetroMax Q | 800 lb | 20 years | Economical |
Note the top line at 2,000 lb per shelf, which is two and a half times the standard wire figure and matches an all-welded steel unit. Polymer is not automatically the light-duty choice.
Open grid, solid grid, or both
- Open grid allows drainage and airflow. The right default in a cooler, a washdown area or anywhere condensation forms.
- Solid grid contains spills and wipes clean, which suits areas where something might leak and you would rather it stayed on one shelf.
- Mixed units exist, for example four open shelves and one solid on the same frame, which is the sensible answer when you need containment in one place and drainage everywhere else. It also limits how much solid shelf area you introduce, which matters for the reasons in section four.
Shelf mats are removable, so the surface that touches product can be taken out, run through a dishwasher or a sink, and put back. Nothing in steel shelving matches that. Where a sanitation programme requires verified cleaning rather than wiping, this is the feature you are actually buying.
These lines can be manufactured with an antimicrobial agent infused during production to inhibit the growth of mildew, mould, bacteria and fungus on the shelving surface. That is a claim about the shelf, not about the food on it. It reduces microbial growth on the equipment and is a useful supplement to cleaning. It is not a sanitiser and it does not replace a cleaning schedule.
Food, pharma and washdown
Three requirements drive nearly every specification decision in a food environment, and one of them is a number.
The six inch rule
That number is why dunnage racks exist as a product category. A dunnage rack is a low platform that elevates product off the floor, away from pooled water, condensation and cleaning chemicals, while letting air circulate underneath. It is the cheapest possible way to satisfy the requirement for stock that does not need a full shelving unit, such as sacks, cases and bulk containers.
| Type | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Aluminium, 4000 series | Up to 5,000 lb |
| Aluminium, 2000 series | Up to 4,000 lb |
| Polymer bow tie | Up to 3,000 lb |
| Aluminium, economy | Up to 2,000 lb |
| Wire shelf, stationary | Up to 1,600 lb |
| Aluminium with handle | Up to 1,000 lb |
| Wire shelf, mobile | Up to 800 lb |
NSF and what it actually certifies
NSF certification is the standard reference for commercial food service equipment, and it is conditional on the finish. The point worth repeating from section seven is that chrome is NSF listed for dry environments only. A supplier saying "it is NSF" without saying which environment has not answered your question.
Chrome in a cooler rusts under the lacquer. Rust on a food contact surface is an inspection finding, and by the time it is visible the shelf has been failing for a while. This is not a durability preference, it is a compliance exposure, and the epoxy or stainless premium is small against the cost of replacing a walk-in full of shelving mid-audit.
Wall mounted stainless shelving and tables put the work surface and the storage on the wall, leaving the floor clear for cleaning. In tight prep areas this frequently beats a freestanding unit, provided the wall construction can carry it. Confirm what is behind the plasterboard before specifying.
Getting density out of a footprint
Most shelving floor space is aisle. High-density systems buy that back.
A conventional shelving run needs an aisle beside every unit. In a room of fixed size, that means a large fraction of your floor is there so people can walk. High-density mobile systems remove all but one aisle by putting the units on tracks and letting you open an aisle wherever you currently need one.
High density suits archives, stockrooms, spares and anything where one person retrieves at a time. It is a poor fit where several people pick concurrently, or where a single slow retrieval blocks everyone else. Count how many people need to be in the aisles at once before you buy the density.
Cheaper ways to get some of the same benefit
- Back-to-back rows. Halves the number of aisles for a given number of rows, and as section six showed, it also improves stability enough that anchoring may not be needed.
- Go deeper rather than wider where stock allows, remembering that 30 inches is the boundary in section three.
- Mobile units on casters. Not a track system, but a unit that rolls out of the way when needed gives some flexibility for very little money. Note that the mobile version of a product is normally rated lower than the stationary one; in the dunnage line above, mobile is 800 lb against 1,600 lb stationary.
- Use the vertical. The cheapest density in most stockrooms is the unused space between the top shelf and the ceiling, subject to the 15 foot limit in section three and the 4 to 1 rule in section six.
Specialty shelving
Where a plain shelf is the wrong tool, and a purpose-built one pays for itself quickly.
Small parts, high count
Modular drawer shelving
Drawers inside a shelving frame, published at 400 lb per drawer. The argument is density and retrieval time: a drawer presents its entire contents at once, where a deep shelf hides everything behind the front row. For high-count small parts this is usually the correct answer despite the higher price per cubic foot, because the cost that matters is search time.
Visible and divided
Bin shelving
Configurable bin openings within an open shelving frame, so each part gets a defined location. Cheaper than drawers, slower to search than drawers, and much better than an undivided shelf. Our small parts bins guide covers sizing the bins themselves against inside dimensions rather than nominal size.
Controlled access
Security shelving
Enclosed, lockable units for high-value or controlled stock. The important design question is not the lock, it is whether the enclosure is a full cage or a panel that can be lifted. If you are securing regulated material, the specification is set by the regulation rather than by preference.
Tooling
CNC tool shelving
Shelving and drawer units built around tool holders, with adaptors for common taper types, plus high-density mini-racking. Tool storage is a case where generic shelving genuinely does not work, because holders need to be supported at the taper and kept from touching each other.
The rest of the specialist range
- Gravity flow shelving. Sloped shelves that feed stock forward automatically, so the pick face is always full and rotation happens without anyone managing it.
- Three-sided retaining lip shelving. All-welded units at 2,000 lb per shelf with a raised lip on three sides, so items cannot shift off the back or ends. Worth specifying anywhere shelves get bumped or loaded from a truck.
- Wine shelving. Cradle versions store bottles on their side individually; bulk versions maximise density. Two different products for two different jobs, and the cradle is not simply a fancier version.
- Machine and multi-purpose stands. Where the load is a machine rather than stock, a stand is engineered for a concentrated load on four feet, which as section two explained is exactly what a shelf is not.
- Wall mounted stainless. Shelving and tables that clear the floor entirely for cleaning access.
Common and costly mistakes
Each of these turns up regularly, and each has a cheap fix at specification time.
Comparing open and closed units as if they were the same product
Closed shelving in this catalogue carries up to 2,200 lb per shelf against 1,250 lb for open. The panels are bracing. Compare per-shelf ratings, not descriptions.
Multiplying the per-shelf rating by the number of shelves
Wire shelving published at 800 lb per shelf is published at 2,000 lb per unit. Five shelves does not give you 4,000 lb. The frame binds first.
Treating "evenly distributed" as decoration
Concentrated loads on small feet defeat a shelf rating regardless of the total weight. Specify for a concentrated load if that is what you store.
Buying chrome for a cooler or a washdown area
Chrome is NSF listed for dry environments only. It rusts under the lacquer where you cannot see it. Epoxy for cold and damp, stainless for aggressive cleaning.
Pushing two 30 inch units back to back with no barrier
That is a 60 inch deep structure with no flue space. The vertical barrier is what keeps the installation within the shelf storage definition.
Going deeper or taller because it fits more in
Past 30 inches deep, 30 inch aisles or 15 feet, you have left shelf storage and entered rack provisions, with a possible in-rack sprinkler consequence.
Enclosing everything for tidiness
Solid and slatted shelving obstructs water penetration. In a sprinklered building that is a design input, not a housekeeping choice.
Ignoring the 4 to 1 ratio
An 87 inch unit on an 18 inch depth is 4.83 and needs anchoring. Footplates and extra shelf levels do not fix the ratio.
Loading the top shelf heavy
Shelving tips rather than collapses. Heavy low, light high, and never use it as a ladder.
Buying welded when the layout is not settled
All-welded units are rigid, fast to place and completely unadjustable. If the product mix is still moving, that saving becomes a replacement purchase.
Forgetting that mobile derates
The mobile version of a unit is normally rated below the stationary one. In the dunnage range that is 800 lb against 1,600 lb.
Frequently asked questions
What comes up most often on quote calls.
Why does closed shelving carry more than open shelving?
Because the side and back panels are structural. A panel across the back of a frame acts as a shear panel, which resists the frame racking sideways far more effectively than a diagonal brace does. The shelves themselves have not changed.
The published figures in this catalogue show the scale of it: hi-tech open shelving is rated up to 1,250 lb per shelf, and the closed equivalent up to 2,200 lb, roughly 76% more. When comparing quotes, compare per-shelf ratings rather than unit descriptions.
Can I load every shelf to its rated capacity?
Usually not. Ratings are published per shelf and separately per unit, and the unit figure binds. Metro wire shelving is published at up to 800 lb per shelf evenly distributed and up to 2,000 lb per unit, so five shelves at full rating would be 4,000 lb and the unit is not rated for it.
Also note the phrase "evenly distributed". Every shelving rating assumes a uniformly distributed load. A concentrated load on small feet produces a much higher bending moment for the same total weight, so specify for a concentrated load if that is what you store.
When does my shelving legally become racking?
NFPA 13 defines shelf storage at section 3.9.2.6 as storage on structures up to and including 30 inches deep, separated by aisles at least 30 inches wide, and Chapter 14 and 15 provisions cap shelf storage at 15 feet of storage height.
Go deeper than 30 inches, narrower than 30 inch aisles, or higher than 15 feet, and the structure is treated as a rack. That brings solid shelving provisions into play and can require in-rack sprinklers. It is a design question worth settling before you commit to a layout.
Will closed or solid shelving affect my sprinklers?
It can, and this is the largest hidden cost in a shelving decision. NFPA 13 has defined solid shelving as solid, slatted and other types of shelving within the rack that obstructs penetration down through the rack, and the 2016 edition extended that to obstruction caused by the placement of loads blocking openings that would otherwise be flue spaces.
Where solid shelving is present, published guidance is that ESFR and CMSA designs require in-rack sprinklers per section 16.1.6 or 17.1.5, installed in every level below the highest solid shelf, with heads placed horizontally within the flue a minimum of 4 feet beyond the shelf end for partial obstructions. Open wire shelving avoids the issue entirely because water passes straight through. Ask your fire protection contact before ordering; this guide is educational rather than a compliance assessment.
Do I need to anchor my shelving?
The published rule of thumb for shelving is a height to depth ratio of 4 to 1, tighter than the 6 to 1 used for pallet racking. Divide the unit height by its depth: an 87 inch high unit that is 18 inches deep gives 4.83 and needs anchoring.
Putting two units back to back changes the answer, because bolted together every 16 to 18 inches they act as one unit with the combined depth. The same 87 inch units back to back give 87 divided by 36, or 2.42, which needs no anchors. Note that footplates do not change the ratio and neither does shelf spacing; what helps is heavier footplate gauge, larger anchor diameter and embedment, and a thicker slab.
Which wire shelving finish do I need?
Chrome is the classic dry storage finish with a protective lacquer, and it is NSF listed for dry environments only. Green epoxy is engineered for walk-in coolers, freezers and high-humidity environments and carries a 15 year warranty against rust. Grey epoxy offers the same protection and warranty in a finish for customer-facing areas. Stainless in types 304 and 316 is the most durable option, for sterile environments, cleanrooms and sterile processing.
The most common and most expensive mistake in this category is chrome in a cooler or a washdown area. It rusts under the lacquer, out of sight, and rust on a food contact surface is an inspection finding.
Is polymer shelving only for light duty?
No. The top polymer line in this catalogue is published at 2,000 lb per shelf, which is two and a half times the standard wire figure and matches an all-welded steel unit. The mid and economy lines are published at 800 lb per shelf.
What you are really buying is corrosion immunity. The lines are described as corrosion-proof and carry lifetime corrosion warranties on the upper ranges and 20 years on the economy line, plus removable shelf mats that can be taken out and washed. In a wet room that combination often makes polymer the cheapest option over the life of the installation despite the higher purchase price.
Boltless or bolted?
Boltless rivet shelving locks together without tools or hardware, runs from a few hundred pounds up to about 2,000 lb per shelf with a high capacity line here at up to 2,300 lb, accepts particleboard, plywood, wire mesh or steel decking, and comes in widths from roughly 1 to 8 feet. It suits budget-conscious projects, two-sided access and unusual sizes.
Clip and bolted shelving uses compression clips with added bracing, generally carries more per shelf, and this catalogue's reinforced bolted line reaches up to 2,800 lb. It typically comes in 3.5 and 4 foot widths with depths up to 36 inches and takes dividers, so it suits compartmentalised storage. All-welded units at 2,000 lb per shelf are the most rigid of all but cannot be adjusted at all.
How far off the floor does food have to be stored?
FDA Food Code guidance, adopted by most state and local regulators, is that food must be stored at least six inches above the floor. The purpose is practical: it allows staff to sweep and mop underneath, spot spills before packaging is damaged, inspect for pest activity, and keep product clear of splash and cleaning chemicals.
Some jurisdictions allow limited exceptions for pressurised drinks and fully sealed waterproof containers, but these vary locally so confirm with your own health authority. Dunnage racks exist specifically to satisfy this requirement for stock that does not need a full shelving unit, with published capacities in this catalogue from 800 lb for a mobile wire version up to 5,000 lb for heavy aluminium.
What is a dunnage rack and do I need one?
A dunnage rack is a low platform that elevates product off the floor, away from pooled water, condensation and cleaning chemicals, while letting air circulate underneath. It is the cheapest way to keep sacks, cases and bulk containers off the floor in a food environment.
Published capacities run from up to 1,000 lb for a lightweight aluminium version with a handle, through 3,000 lb for polymer bow tie, to 5,000 lb for the heaviest aluminium series. Note that the mobile wire version is rated at 800 lb against 1,600 lb for the stationary one, which is typical: adding casters normally reduces the rating.
Is high-density mobile shelving worth it?
It depends on how many people need to be in the aisles at once. A conventional run needs an aisle beside every row, so six static rows need six aisles. Six rows on track need one, opened wherever you are currently working, which converts close to five aisles of floor into storage.
The trade is that only one aisle exists at a time. High density suits archives, spares and stockrooms where one person retrieves at a time, and is a poor fit where several people pick concurrently. Before buying the density, count the concurrent pickers. Cheaper partial alternatives include back-to-back rows, which halve the aisle count and improve stability at the same time.
Shelving or drawers for small parts?
Drawers, in most cases, if the part count is high. A drawer presents its whole contents at once, where a deep shelf hides everything behind the front row, so the real saving is search time rather than cubic feet. Modular drawer shelving in this catalogue is published at 400 lb per drawer.
Note that a drawer rating is not comparable to a shelf rating: it includes the slide mechanism and applies with the drawer fully extended, which is the worst case for the unit. Bin shelving sits between the two, cheaper than drawers and slower to search, but far better than an undivided shelf.
Quick-reference spec table
Published figures, verified against manufacturer data and the published standards. Confirm against current documentation before ordering.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shelf storage max depth | 30 in (750 mm) | NFPA 13, 3.9.2.6 |
| Shelf storage min aisle | 30 in (750 mm) | NFPA 13, 3.9.2.6 |
| Shelf storage max height | 15 ft (4.6 m) | NFPA 13, Ch. 14 and 15 |
| Back-to-back max total depth | 60 in (1.5 m) | NFPA 13, 3.9.2.6.1 |
| Barrier max penetration | 0.25 in diameter | NFPA 13, 3.9.2.6.1 |
| In-rack head beyond shelf end | Min 4 ft | Published guidance |
| Shelving height to depth, unanchored | 4 to 1 | Published guidance |
| Back-to-back bolt spacing | Every 16 to 18 in | Published guidance |
| Food storage floor clearance | At least 6 in | FDA Food Code guidance |
| Wire shelf adjustment increment | 1 in (25 mm) | Super adjustable models |
| Family | Brand | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk shelving, steel decking | Hallowell | Up to 3,800 lb per shelf |
| Reinforced bolted | Hallowell | Up to 2,800 lb per shelf |
| High capacity boltless | Hallowell | Up to 2,300 lb per shelf |
| Closed shelving | Hallowell | Up to 2,200 lb per shelf |
| All-welded, and 3-sided lip | Little Giant | 2,000 lb per shelf |
| MetroMax i polymer | Metro | 2,000 lb per shelf |
| Hi-tech open shelving | Hallowell | Up to 1,250 lb per shelf |
| Wire shelving | Metro / Nexel / Eagle | Up to 800 lb per shelf, 2,000 lb per unit |
| MetroMax 4 and Q polymer | Metro | 800 lb per shelf |
| Modular drawer shelving | Rousseau | 400 lb per drawer |
| Finish | Environment | Warranty note |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Dry storage only, NSF listed for dry environments only | Protective lacquer |
| Green epoxy | Walk-in coolers, freezers, high humidity | 15 year rust warranty |
| Grey epoxy | Same protection, customer-facing areas | 15 year rust warranty |
| Stainless 304 / 316 | Sterile environments, cleanrooms, SPD | Most durable option |
| System | Assembly | Adjustability | Typical capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boltless rivet | No tools or hardware | Reposition beams manually | Few hundred lb to 2,300 lb |
| Clip, bolted | Compression clips plus bracing | Quick and secure changes | Up to 2,800 lb |
| All-welded | Arrives assembled | None | 2,000 lb |
| Wire post and sleeve | Tapered split sleeves | 1 in increments | 800 lb per shelf |
| Family | Brand | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Open, closed, bin and bulk steel shelving | Hallowell | General storeroom through heavy bulk storage |
| All-welded steel shelving | Little Giant | Maximum rigidity, no assembly, no adjustment |
| Wire shelving, shelves, posts, dividers, casters | Metro / Nexel / Eagle | Airflow, visibility and fast reconfiguration |
| MetroMax polymer shelving | Metro | Corrosion-proof storage for wet and cold rooms |
| Modular drawer shelving and multi-purpose stands | Rousseau | High-count small parts and tooling |
| CNC tool shelving and mini-racking | Rousseau | Tool holder storage by taper type |
| Dunnage racks | New Age / Metro / Nexel | Six inch floor clearance for food storage |
| Security shelving and stationary cages | Various | Lockable storage for high-value stock |
| Top track high density shelving | Metro | Removes all but one aisle from a run |
| Wall mounted stainless shelving and tables | Eagle Group | Clears the floor for cleaning access |
| Wine shelving, cradle and bulk | Metro | Bottle storage by individual cradle or density |
| Heavy duty machine and work stands | Jamco / Rousseau | Concentrated machine loads rather than stock |
Capacity figures are as published and are family maxima; match the figure to the exact part number, width and depth you are buying, and remember that per-shelf and per-unit ratings are different numbers. Fire protection and food code material here is educational and is not a compliance assessment; shelf depth, aisle width, storage height and shelf type must be assessed by your fire protection professional and authority having jurisdiction, and food storage requirements vary by local health authority. Tell us what goes on the shelves, how heavy it is, whether the room gets wet, and how high the ceiling is, and we will specify it.