Don’t Get Stuck, Colorado! Embracing Narrow Aisles in Pallet Rack Design

Maximize The Efficiency of Your Colorado Warehouse by Working with Pallet Rack Aisle Width!

We know you’re not likely to get stuck sideways in a hallway (unless your last name is Powers) – but it’s still critical to ensure the aisle width between your pallet rack is appropriate. Getting this distance wrong can be costly because you’ll be severely limited in forklift choices, which directly impacts pallet rack storage capacity and speed of access. Your Colorado business deserves the best of the best, so let’s put those math skills to the test to design your perfect pallet rack layout. 

Your forklift, rack depth, and pallet length are critical for defining aisle width. Let’s look closer at the most variable component – the forklift. Most forklifts fall into (but are not limited to) the following categories:

• Counterbalanced (electric and internal combustion):
  • Sit down
  • Stand up
• Reach trucks:
  • Narrow aisle
  • Deep reach
• VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) trucks:
  • Swing-mast/turret
  • Order picker

Each forklift type has an aisle width differential (shown below). The range is quite broad depending on the lift – and if your pallet rack layout is defined before you choose your equipment, you’ll be limited to the forklift that fits your aisle size rather than what may work best for your operation.

Typical Forklift Aisle Requirements: (Calculated with standard 40”w x 48”d pallet, 8” clearance)

There are three major aisle width categories to remember when considering pallet rack design.

• Wide aisles > 10′
• Narrow aisles = 9’
• Very Narrow Aisles< 9’

Proactively Plan your Pallet Rack Configuration

The best practice is to consider the forklift needed to work most efficiently in your operation and then use the above information to construct your pallet rack design. This will dictate whether you need wide, narrow, or VNA aisles between rack rows. 

How to determine aisle configuration in pallet rack design:

• Start with forklift “head” length (from back of truck to front of load backrest)
• Add Load length – length of pallet
• Add at least 6” for pallet overhang (could be more with oversized pallets)
• Add 12” for maneuverability

Many warehouse managers default to a 12’ measurement to install selective pallet rack without considering the forklift equipment in use. For example, if you’re using a single reach or stand-up lift, this 12’ measurement would equal a waste of real estate and a far less efficient design – even as much as 3’-6’ of wasted space in some instances. On the flip side, if your operation utilizes internal combustion equipment, well,… your employees may be in a pickle like our friend Austin Powers! These lifts need a significantly higher turning and operation radius than standard lifts due to their width. 

Using deep-reach pallet rack? This rack design requires 12”-18” of additional aisle space compared to standard selective racking. 

The diagrams below do a great job of illustrating this point. There is a significant differential when comparing standard and VNA configurations. For example, consider VNA configurations if you anticipate an increase in inventory counts in the near future. You can achieve an entire extra rack row with a VNA configuration – allowing for flexibility in the space you already occupy. This eliminates the cost (and stress!) of replacing equipment or moving the warehouse entirely. 

The Apex PROs Can Help!

Creating a good plan that considers space, inventory, and equipment is vital to maximizing your operational time, budget, and inventory goals. Consult the specs offered by each forklift manufacturer in your planning process to make the most of the available space –or reach out to Apex for help in your planning efforts. 

Your Apex Colorado team has the knowledge and experience to help design or reconfigure your storage operation, and we have skilled project managers and installation teams to complete the job. The Apex team is ready to help tackle any of your operational challenges from start to finish. Just give us a call —We Got This!

Lastly, those of you who were hoping the Austin Powers picture at the top of the page was a video link; here you go, enjoy!

Let’s get your Colorado Warehouse performing at peak efficiency! Call today!