A modern warehouse storage facility is made up of a number of components that work together to create an efficient and secure storage environment. The frame uprights (posts) and cross beams are the major components of the pallet rack storage system. This construction might be used to store pallets, but it is neither ideal nor safe. Aside from post protection, the system necessitates the installation of crossbars and decking between the front and back beams. This is critical for the safety of both the goods and the people. The dispute between wire mesh decking and wood decking will be the topic of this conversation.
This is a crucial space for pallet and product storage. As we all know, the beams in your racking system are there to support your pallets, so picking the right decking is crucial. The ideal method is to compare wire mesh decking to wood decking. It’s difficult to know which option is the best. Which one has the best support and the best price? Here are some reasons to choose pallet rack wire decking over wood!
Do I Even Require Wire Mesh Decking or Wood?
For a variety of reasons, the vast majority of engineers and integrators would say yes, and we would agree. If you don’t want to use decking, you must have safety bars, which is a given and a topic for another conversation. Decking provides the additional support that is necessary for safety and efficiency. On the wire and wooden decks, the support comes in the shape of crossbars, which is ideal if you don’t have any loose goods or cartons. When pallets, cartons, and other merchandise are placed on top, the decks will sit on top of the beam levels to keep it in place. Pallets that are broken or misplaced will be aided by decking on the beams.
Wood Decking
Pallets of all shapes and sizes can be stored on a wood deck in your warehouse. Pallets that don’t generally overlap the pallet racking area benefit from the additional support provided by wood decking. The smaller and broken pallets are supported by wood decking, which comprises of slats of wood that nestle across the racking beams. It also includes a smooth surface storage section where you may store smaller hand-loaded inventory cartons.
The slats are attached to longitudinal battens, which keep them in place. The pallet racking beams are then slid into place between them. For timber decks, there are two different styles to choose from:
- Closed-Deck: This sort of deck is attached to the batten, which serves as a support for the wooden deck against the pallet racking beams’ interior faces. Closed decking has the advantage of preventing tiny cartons or product from falling through to lower levels or onto pickers. When opposed to open pallets, closed-deck pallets provide acceptable hygiene and are easier to clean.
- Open-Deck: This decking is supported by pallet beams and may be customized to match any type or size of pallet racking. The biggest disadvantage of open decks is that they are more difficult to clean, which causes hygiene issues. Additionally, open deck pallets allow for better drainage and are often lighter than closed deck pallets, making them easier to handle.
Wire Mesh Decks
Wire mesh decks are used in many distribution centers and warehouse storage facilities to support pallets and products. Steel is a symbol of power, and it is certainly appropriate in this case. The wire decks fulfill industry standards for support of a uniform distributed load, including the surface of the deck above racking load beams, thanks to their tough and resilient material.
Why You Should Consider Using Wire Mesh Decks
Here are the main reasons why you should use wire mesh decks.
They Prevent Damage To Your Goods
Wire mesh decks keep loose items from dropping and protect your merchandise from damage. They also reduce the risk of product dropping through to lower levels and perhaps hitting a picker. When it comes to storing pallets or commodities, having peace of mind that people and goods are safe and secure is essential.
Great Storage
Wire mesh decks are well-known for storing a variety of products, including pallets, cartons, stillages, and select items. Wire mesh decks are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to serve a multitude of storage needs.
Additional Safety
The third and most important reason to adopt wire mesh decks is their fire resistance. Unlike timber decking, wire mesh decks will not catch fire immediately. Wire mesh decks also allow water from overhead sprinklers to travel through the racking, which is crucial for allowing water to help lessen fire damage before any of your belongings are harmed.
Types of Wire Mesh Decks
Wire mesh decking can support step beams, box beams, and structural channel beams in a variety of configurations. Wire mesh decks can be used instead of regular safety bars to add an extra layer of protection for misplaced pallets and pallets of various sizes. Unlike plywood or particle board decks, wire mesh decks are non-flammable and give better water access for sprinkler systems. Some of the more standard options can include up-turned waterfall styles, which have a built-in backstop that keeps the product from going too far. This further allows labels and barcodes to be legible without being obstructed by the beam. Besides this, some other types of wire mesh decks can include flat flush decking, which fits inside load beams and is designed for hand-stacked loads and order picking, and inverted flare, which is designed to work in a variety of situations.
In Summary
Solid wood or perforated metal decking are inferior to fully-welded, thick-gauge wire mesh decking for pallet rack systems. One of the biggest reasons for this is due to the fact that decking made of wire mesh is more durable than decking made of wood. Over time, wood decking will begin to warp. Besides this, smoke and heat rise through the wire decking, while sprinkler water falls through into storage spaces. For these reasons, fire inspectors advise against using wood decking for storage needs. As for cost, wire decking is less expensive than wood or solid metal decking, is mold- and mildew-resistant, and will not warp, bend, droop, or split, meaning you will not have to maintain these beams to the same level of care that wood would require.
We hope you have enjoyed our article on the reasons to choose pallet rack wire decking over wood. If you are considering purchasing pallet rack wire decking for your warehouse racking system, be sure to reach out to Rack Safety Products today! We are dedicated to stocking all the most relevant racking safety equipment to ensure that we are your one-stop shop for all your racking safety needs.
