Pallet racking and cantilever racking are both steel storage systems, but they are designed for fundamentally different types of load. Choosing the wrong system is costly — either you can't fit your stock in, or you end up with an under-used structure taking up valuable floor space. This guide cuts through the jargon and tells you exactly which system suits which situation.
What Is Pallet Racking?
Pallet racking (also called selective racking or adjustable pallet racking) is the most common warehouse storage system in the UK. It consists of upright frames connected by horizontal load beams, creating bays into which pallets are placed — typically by forklift or pallet stacker. Each beam level is adjustable in height, so you can reconfigure the system as your stock profile changes.
Ideal for: Boxed goods, sacked materials, drums, containers and any load that sits on a standard 800 × 1,200 mm or 1,000 × 1,200 mm pallet. The load must be self-supporting (it doesn't hang over the edges significantly) and accessible from the front face of the racking.
Typical UDL per beam pair: 800 kg to 3,500 kg depending on frame gauge and beam length. Bay loads of 10,000 kg+ are achievable with heavy-duty systems.
What Is Cantilever Racking?
Cantilever racking uses a central spine (the column) with horizontal arms that project outwards on one or both sides — there are no front uprights to block access. This open-fronted design means you can store items of any length without the load being interrupted by vertical steelwork.
Ideal for: Long and bulky materials — timber, steel bar, pipes, tubes, sheet materials, plastic extrusions, window frames, doors, furniture, carpet rolls, ladders. Essentially: anything that would span across multiple beam levels of standard pallet racking, or that can't be sensibly broken down into pallet-sized units.
Typical arm capacity: 200 kg to 1,000 kg per arm pair, depending on arm length and material weight. Systems are built to SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers' Association) guidelines.
Is Cantilever Racking the Same as Pallet Racking?
No. The fundamental structural difference is the absence of front uprights in cantilever racking — this is what allows unrestricted-length materials to be stored. Pallet racking has front and rear uprights (forming a frame) and uses horizontal load beams; cantilever racking has only the central column, with arms cantilevering out from it. The two systems are not interchangeable, and they are designed for entirely different stock types.
One point of confusion: you will sometimes see the term "cantilever pallet racking", which describes a hybrid system where continuous shelving is laid across cantilever arms to create a surface for pallets. This is a valid configuration for long or irregular loads that are also palletised, but it is not standard pallet racking.
What Are the Disadvantages of Cantilever Racking?
Cantilever racking is purpose-built for long loads — but that specialisation comes with trade-offs:
- Not suitable for palletised goods: Standard boxes and pallet loads are better suited to adjustable pallet racking, which achieves higher storage density for uniform loads.
- Higher cost per metre of height compared with standard pallet racking, because the column and arm system is structurally more complex.
- Access equipment required: Picking from upper arms still requires a forklift or reach truck, just as with pallet racking.
- Floor space: Double-sided (two-sided arm) cantilever bays require access aisles on both sides, which can reduce floor utilisation compared with single-sided (wall-mounted) bays.
How Much Weight Can Cantilever Racking Hold?
This varies significantly by system specification. As a general guide for industrial cantilever racking:
- Light-duty arms (e.g. 400–600 mm long): 200–400 kg per arm pair
- Medium-duty arms (600–900 mm): 400–700 kg per arm pair
- Heavy-duty arms (900–1,200 mm): up to 1,000 kg+ per arm pair
Total bay load is the sum of all arm pairs in that bay. Always work from the manufacturer's load tables, which take into account arm length, column gauge, base plate fixing and bracing configuration. Under SEMA code of practice and PUWER 1998, racking must be correctly installed, load-plated and subject to regular inspection by a competent person.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Pallet Racking | Cantilever Racking |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Boxed / palletised goods | Long, bulky or irregular loads |
| Load type | Self-supporting pallet loads | Timber, pipes, sheet materials, etc. |
| Access | Front face only (forklift/stacker) | Full length, no front obstruction |
| Height adjustability | Yes, beam levels | Yes, arm levels |
| Storage density | High for pallets | High for long loads |
| Typical aisle width | 2.5–3.5 m (selective) | 3.0–4.0 m (double-sided) |
| Compliance | SEMA, PUWER, FEM guidelines | SEMA, PUWER, FEM guidelines |
Can You Use Both Systems Together?
Yes — and many UK warehouses do. A common layout is pallet racking along the main floor area for palletised stock, with a cantilever bay or two along a side wall for long materials that arrive alongside palletised goods. Both systems can coexist in the same building providing the floor loadings and aisle widths are correctly calculated.
Which Should You Choose?
- If your stock arrives on pallets and leaves on pallets → pallet racking.
- If your stock is longer than 2.4 m, or irregular in shape → cantilever racking.
- If you handle both → consider a mixed system, or long-span shelving for the in-between sizes.
Browse the full KC Supply pallet racking, cantilever racking and industrial shelving range, or see the pallet stacker range if you're also looking for the equipment to move the loads once racked.
This article is for general guidance only. Always specify racking systems in accordance with SEMA guidelines and relevant building load data, and ensure installation is carried out by a qualified racking installer.