(678) 534-0450

(678) 534-0450

(678) 534-0450

How to Buy Wire Decking

It is important to choose right size or right type wire decking when you are buying new pallet racking system. Decking serves as horizontal support as well as falling protection for pallets or products. There are several different kinds of decks to choose but best option is wire mesh decking. Wire decks are accessory of pallet rack system. Following are advantages & tips to choose right kind decking in your storage system..

 

  • It is best practice to use same or higher capacity wire deck than the capacity of pallet rack beam. In the event if pallet just seats uniformly on wire deck & not on beam, the load is still consider secured as wire deck it self is capable to take that pallet load.
  • Wire decks must be secured to prevent from falling through the beam. Wire decks not designed to capture the beam, must need to secure by screwing, Riveting or other means to prevent beams from spreading under load.
  • Outside waterfall wire decks leaps over the beam & stay secured without screwing. This makes it most easy to install & use.
  • For Hand pick or case picks, Lay in or Drop in wire decks are widely used as operator can easily read or scan barcode as there are no leaps outside.
  • Lay in flat flush kind wire decks with closer 1″ x 4″ wire patterns or wood decking are widely used in retail display racks as it gives additional benefit to secure smaller base retail items like shops or shampoo bottles.
  • Capacity of wire decks are given for uniformly distributed static load.
  • Wire decks are not designed to be walked or stood upon as it gives point load. Also,Surface of wire decks are flexible & irregular & in the event of lateral motion, decks may slide upon the supporting beams or tip upward or disengaged from beam & may cause person to trip or fall.
  • It is important to choose right size or right type of  wire decking. There are several different kinds of decks to choose but best option is wire mesh decking. Upright depth, Beam length & Purpose of use actually determines right size & right type of wire deck.
 

Wire decking Size determination

1. Determine the beam length by measuring inside to inside edge of the beam connector as shown in picture A or by measuring clear distance between 2 uprights just underneath the beam clips as shown in picture A.

Pallet Racks Buying Guide
Picture A

2. Next you need to determine the upright depth of the Pallet Rack System. You can measure this distance by upright post to upright post or beam to beam as shown in picture B.

determine the upright depth
Picture B

3. Next you need to determine the type of beam you have in your system. Common types of beam are

  • 1-5/8 “ Standard Step beam. This is most common type of beam
  • ¾ “ Step beam
  • Structural C Channel beam
  • Box type beam

Please see picture below to determine type of beam you have used.

Picture D
Picture C

Most standard step beam (1-5/8 “step) goes with standard channel wire deck & rest all 3 types of beams goes with Flared channel wire decks

Please see picture below to see difference between those 2 kinds.                  

difference between
Picture D

Next you need to check the pallet you are using in your system. Most wire mesh decks are designed for evenly distributed load & not the point load. If your pallets are point load type, you might need to use interlock kind of decks or Bar grating.

Following are most common types decks: – (Picture E)

  • Wire Mesh deck Standard Channel
  • Wire Mesh – Flat Flush (Specially for Retail Display)
  • Wire Mesh – Inside Waterfall (Lay-in)
  • Wire Mesh – Flared
  • Wire Mesh – Up-Turned Waterfall
  • Wooden Deck
  • Interlock/Plank Decks
  • Solid Decks
  • Perforated Decks
  • Punched Decks
  • Bar Grating
most common types decks
Picture E

Most common type of decks are wire decks.

Following are major advantages to use wire decking over Solid Metal or Wood Decking

  • Allows more lights to pass through that will allow operators to easily read label or tags.
  • In the event of fire, it reduces time to activate sprinkler system. Also, water pass though & reach easily from openings, which may reduce overall damage to product &/or warehouse.
  • Easy & faster to install compare to other decking.
  • Less expensive or cheaper compare to other decking.

 Standard width on wire decks are 46”,  52” , 58” & Rarely 70”. Channel length of wire decks for standard size step beam =  (Upright Depth – 4″) + 1/4″ to 3/4″

 
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