What exactly is a Pallet Rack?

The wikipedia website describes Pallet Racking as "Pallet rack, also referred to as “pallet racking,” is a material handling storage aid system designed to store materials on pallets (or “skids”). Although there are many varieties of pallet rack, all types allow for the storage of palletized materials in horizontal rows with multiple levels. All types of pallet rack create some level of increase storage density with the least dense being the least expensive and cost increasing with storage density". We have prepared the below table as a ready reckoner to help you understand the various aspects of a Pallet racking system used by the industry suppliers as a rule of thumb.

We will illustrate below using 4 Types of Pallet Racking Systems to show you why and how they are used to maximise the storage capacity of a typical 1000 square meter warehouse.
Note: Please note that each warehouse has its own size and shape and the designs will have to be varied to suit each requirement as necessary.

We request you to note the positions and widths of the aisles as well as frequency of the rack rows in the below layouts as they change with the introduction of the various systems below.

Selective Rack (SR)– Layout shown with approx storage of 976 pallets stored 4 high in a typical 1000 sq.mt warehouse. We will use the 976 pallets that can be stored in this warehouse as a benchmark for the other systems.

Double Deep Rack (DDR) – Layout shown with approx storage of 1232 pallets stored 4 high in a typical 1000 sq.mt warehouse. The storage capacity of the warehouse has grown by 26% with this system when compared to a Selective system.

Drive In/Through Rack (DIR) - Layout shown with approximate storage of 1624 pallets 4 high in a typical 1000 square metre warehouse. The storage capacity of the warehouse has grown by 66% when compared to the selective system.


Narrow Aisle Rack (NAR) – Layout shown with approx storage of 1824 pallets stored 6 high in a typical 1000 sq.mt warehouse. The storage capacity of the warehouse has grown by 85% over the capacity as compared to a selective system.