How to Decide Between Heavy Duty Cantilever Racks and Pallet Racks in Fontana
When it comes to warehouse storage, two of the most common solutions are pallet racks and heavy duty cantilever racks. Both are designed to maximize floor space and improve efficiency, but they serve very different purposes. Choosing the right system depends on the products you handle, your warehouse layout, and how you want your material flow to operate.
What Are Pallet Racks?
Pallet racks are the most widely used storage system in warehouses across California and beyond. They consist of uprights and beams that create bays, designed to hold pallets of product stacked vertically. This system is versatile, scalable, and works with most types of forklifts.
Best for:
- Standard palletized goods
- Warehouses with high SKU counts like 3PLs
- Businesses that need flexibility for different product sizes
- Operations that use selective pallet racks, drive-in racks, push-back racks, or other pallet rack styles
What Are Heavy Duty Cantilever Racks?
Cantilever racks are different in design they use uprights with horizontal arms that extend outward, leaving the front completely open. This makes them perfect for storing long, bulky, or irregularly sized items that don’t fit neatly onto pallets.
Best for:
- Lumber, steel pipes, and rebar
- Sheet materials like drywall, plywood, or metal panels
- Furniture or oddly shaped products
- Warehouses or manufacturing facilities that need quick access without front uprights in the way
Key Factors to Help You Decide
- Product Type
- Palletized boxes and goods → Pallet Racks
- Long or bulky items → Cantilever Racks
- Forklift Type
- Standard forklifts are perfect for pallet racks.
- Side-loaders or specialty forklifts often work better with cantilever racks.
- Available Space
- Pallet racks maximize vertical storage positions.
- Cantilever racks are more open but may require wider aisles for maneuvering.
- Future Growth
- Pallet racks are modular and easy to expand.
- Cantilever racks can also be extended, but are usually for specialized products.
- Cost vs. Efficiency
- Pallet racks are usually the lower-cost option and fit the majority of warehouses.
- Cantilever racks are an investment for businesses with specific storage needs.
Final Thoughts
If most of your inventory arrives on pallets, pallet racking is almost always the smarter choice. If your operation relies on storing long or oversized products, heavy duty cantilever racks are the right solution. Many warehouses actually use both rack types together, dedicating areas for palletized goods and others for specialty storage.
At IMH, we design layouts that factor in product type, forklift equipment, dock doors, and flow of traffic. If you’re unsure which option fits your space, we’ll gladly stop by, take measurements, and create a free racking layout plan tailored to your business.
👉 [Contact us today to schedule a free on-site visit and layout design.]
