Bulk Storage Rack & Wide Span Shelving
Heavy-duty bulk storage racks and wide span (longspan) shelving for cartons, totes, equipment and records that are too big for standard shelving but loaded by hand, not by forklift. Jaken FastRak, Lyon, Hallowell and more, sized, quoted with freight and installed nationwide.
48"-96"
Common beam spans
Hand-load
No pallets or forklift
4 decks
Wire, board, steel, ribbed
Nationwide
Quote, freight, install
Shop Bulk Storage Rack Online
Starter units from Jaken FastRak, Lyon and Equipto ship from our online store. Add-on bays, extra levels and other sizes are in the categories below, or request a quote for a full layout with freight.
What Is a Bulk Storage Rack?
A bulk storage rack is heavy-duty shelving built like a small rack system: braced upright frames, long steel beams and a deck on every level. People load and pick it by hand from the aisle, so it holds the cartons, totes, boxed equipment and records that are too wide, deep or heavy for standard 36" or 48" shelving but never arrive on a pallet.
The same product goes by several names. Wide span shelving and longspan shelving describe the long beams, usually 48" to 96". Bulk rack, bulk shelving and bulk storage shelving describe what it holds. Brand names such as Jaken FastRak, Lyon bulk storage rack, Hallowell Rivetwell and Equipto V-Grip all sit in this family.
Signs you need bulk storage rack instead of standard shelving
- Cartons hang over the front of 18" or 24" deep shelves, or end up on the floor in the aisle.
- Long or bulky items need a 72" to 96" opening with no post in the way.
- Heavy items live on the bottom shelf because the upper levels feel undersized.
- Stock arrives by hand truck or cart, so pallet rack would waste height and aisle space.
- You want an open floor-level bay for drums, totes or wheeled equipment, with shelves above it.
Types of Bulk Storage Rack and Wide Span Shelving
Most bulk storage falls into four configurations. They share the same frame-and-beam idea but differ in frame weight, beam style and the accessories that come with them.
Bulk storage rackWelded or bolted upright frames with step or Z beams. The heaviest hand-load option, with 1,900 lb levels on some published units.
Wide span / longspan shelvingLighter frames with long rivet or step beams. Common in stockrooms and parts rooms where loads are moderate and spans are long.
Archive and records configurationsBoard decks sized for records boxes, often in deep frames that hold boxes two deep.
Tire and specialty racksBulk rack frames with tire beams, reel bars or flow levels for one specific load.Bulk Rack Components: Frames, Beams, Decks and Bays
Every bulk storage rack is built from the same handful of parts. Knowing them makes quotes and add-on orders much easier to read.
- Upright frames: two posts joined by diagonal and horizontal bracing. Some ship fully welded, others bolted and largely pre-assembled.
- Beams: step beams or Z beams lock into the post slots. A step beam has a ledge that the deck drops onto, so the deck sits flush with the beam.
- Deck supports: front-to-back channels under a deck on wider or heavier levels.
- Decking: wire mesh, particleboard, laminated board or steel.
- Foot plates and anchors: tie the frames to the floor.
Starter vs. add-on units
Bulk rack is sold as a starter unit with two upright frames, then add-on units with one frame that share the last frame of the bay before. A run of five bays needs one starter and four add-ons, which is why add-ons cost less per bay. Back-to-back runs use row spacers to tie the two rows together.
| Part | What it does | What to check on a quote |
|---|---|---|
| Upright frame | Carries the load to the floor | Depth, height and whether frames are welded or bolted |
| Beam (step or Z) | Carries each level | Length, beam style and the rated level capacity |
| Deck supports | Stiffen wide or heavy decks | Count per level for the deck and load |
| Decking | The surface you load | Wire, board or steel, and sprinkler requirements |
| Foot plates / anchors | Keep frames from tipping or walking | Anchor type for your slab |
| Row spacers | Tie back-to-back rows together | Needed whenever two rows share a flue |
Decking Options for Bulk Storage Rack
Wire mesh decking is the most common choice in warehouses. It lets light through, sheds dust and lets water from overhead sprinklers reach lower levels. Many fire marshals prefer open decks in sprinklered buildings, so check with yours before choosing solid decks.
Particleboard gives a smooth, solid, low-cost surface for small loose items and records boxes. White laminated board looks cleaner in retail stockrooms. Solid or ribbed steel stands up to oily parts, rough castings and point loads that would crush board. For more on board decks, see our particle board shelving decks guide.
| Deck type | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized wire mesh | Cartons, totes, equipment, sprinklered buildings | Small loose items can fall through: add bins or a liner |
| Particleboard | Records boxes, soft goods, small items | Moisture and heavy point loads |
| White laminated board | Retail backrooms and clean storage | Same limits as particleboard |
| Solid or ribbed steel | Oily, rough or heavy parts | Solid surface; may face sprinkler limits |
| No deck (open level) | Drums, totes, wheeled items on the floor | Uses step beams to clear the floor |
You can mix decks in one run, for example wire on upper levels, a board deck at waist height as a packing surface and an open floor level below the first beam.
Bulk Storage Rack vs. Rivet Shelving vs. Pallet Rack
These systems overlap at the edges. The right one depends on how the items arrive and how people handle them. Ratings vary by manufacturer, beam length and decking, so always confirm the rated capacity for your exact configuration.
| Rivet / boltless shelving | Bulk storage rack / wide span | Pallet rack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical load | Cartons, bins, parts | Heavy cartons, totes, equipment | Palletized loads |
| How it is loaded | By hand | By hand or cart | Forklift or pallet jack |
| Common depths | 12"-48" | 18"-48" | 36"-48"+ frames |
| Common spans | 36"-96" | 48"-96" | 96"-144" |
| Frames | Angle or T posts, rivet beams | Braced upright frames, step or Z beams | Structural frames |
| Learn more | Rivet shelving | This page | Pallet rack |
A simple test: look at the heaviest single item and how it moves. A 60 lb carton carried by one person belongs on shelving or bulk rack. A 1,500 lb pallet belongs on pallet rack. Many buildings use all three: pallet rack for inbound stock, bulk storage rack for broken-case and oversize items, and boltless shelving for small parts.
If your loads are lighter and you mostly need long openings, rivet-style wide span shelving may be enough. Compare rivet shelving, Rivetier shelving and wide-span boltless shelving before you decide.
How to Choose and Size a Bulk Storage Rack
- Depth: 24" for cases and totes, 36" for most bulky cartons, 48" for large boxed goods or records boxes two deep.
- Span: 72" and 96" beams are the usual choices. Longer spans mean fewer frames but need the right beam and deck for the load.
- Height: frames commonly run from 72" to 120" and taller. Above reach height, plan a rolling ladder and keep lighter items up top.
- Load per level: start from the heaviest full level, not the average item, and compare it to the manufacturer’s rating for that beam length and deck.
- Clearances: keep the top level below sprinkler heads and lights as your fire marshal requires.
From measurements to a quote
Send the basics
Largest and heaviest items, room size, ceiling and sprinkler heights, and a few photos.
Layout and spec
We pick depth, span, height, levels and decking, and draw larger rooms first.
Quote
Equipment, freight and optional installation on one page, with the brand that fits the load and budget.
Ship and install
The order ships from the manufacturer. Your team or our installation partners assemble and anchor it.
Want to try a layout first? Our Jaken shelving configurator lets you rough out bays and send them with your quote request. For a whole building, see warehouse design.
Bulk Storage Rack Brands We Supply
Specs below come from the manufacturers’ published product data for specific units. Capacity changes with beam length, deck and frame height, so we confirm the rating for your exact configuration.
Jaken FastRak
FastRak is Jaken’s bulk storage shelving and our most-ordered bulk rack. Units use heavy-duty bolted uprights that arrive largely assembled, with 3" step beams as standard. Because the step beams carry the deck, you can leave the floor level open and store directly on the floor without a bottom shelf.
Decks come in wire mesh, particleboard and 3/4" white laminated board. Our store lists starter and add-on units such as 96" x 36" x 120" and 96" x 48" x 120", plus FastRak archive units with records boxes, tire storage units, reel racks and workbenches. See all FastRak products or the Jaken page.
Lyon bulk storage rack
Lyon’s bulk storage rack is built for hand-loading intermediate-weight bulky items. Its uprights are fully welded 14-gauge steel with MIG-welded tubular bracing and ship assembled. Lyon rates them up to 10,000 lb per pair. Beams use a 14-gauge Z profile that installs without tools and adjusts on 1-1/2" centers.
On the 4-level 72" x 36" x 96" starter with galvanized wire decking, Lyon publishes 1,900 lb per shelf. The wire decks use a 4" x 2" mesh. Lyon offers the same rack with particleboard, solid and ribbed steel decks or no decking, plus tire rack and flow-rack versions. Browse Lyon bulk storage rack.
Hallowell Rivetwell and H-Post
Hallowell’s wide span option is Rivetwell boltless shelving. Rivet beams tap into keyhole-slotted posts with a rubber mallet, with no bolts. Levels adjust on 1-1/2" centers. Hallowell publishes units 48" to 96" wide, 18" to 48" deep and 84" or 120" high, with particleboard, EZ-Deck steel or flat wire decks. Ratings run about 500 to 750 lb per level without center supports, and up to 1,400 lb on 48" heavy-duty units with center supports.
For heavier bulk loads and tall rows, Hallowell’s H-Post high-capacity shelving is the step up. Both lines can be built into multi-level systems with walkway decks and stairs. See our Hallowell shelving page.
Photo: Hallowell
Other bulk rack lines
Bulk Storage Rack Applications
Bulk storage rack earns its place anywhere heavy, bulky items are stored and picked by hand. These are the uses we plan for most, with what to specify for each.
Warehouses and distributionBroken-case and oversize cartons beside the pallet rack. 36"-48" deep frames, wire decks, 96" spans.
Manufacturing and MROSpare motors, tooling and work-in-process near the line. Steel or board decks, open floor bay for drums.
Automotive and truck partsBoxed parts, body panels and fluids. Mix wire and board levels by item size.
Fleet and maintenance shopsFilters, brake parts and fittings by the service bays, often in a tool crib.
Schools and public agenciesFurniture, seasonal equipment and supplies in district warehouses. Anchored, deep frames.
Dealership parts departmentsWindshields, bumpers and other awkward parts in open bulk rack bays.More bulk storage uses
- Records and archive boxes: board-decked frames that hold boxes two deep. See archive shelving.
- Healthcare supply rooms: cases and bulky supplies with carts parked under the first level. See hospital stock room design.
- Tire storage: bulk rack frames with tire beams. See tire storage racks.
- Shipping containers and conex boxes: shorter frames sized to the interior. See shipping container shelving.
- Utah facilities: local sizing, anchoring and installation on bulk rack shelving in Utah.
Installation, Anchoring and Safety
Bulk rack goes up quickly, but a long run is still a two-person job with a level, a drill and anchor hardware. Treat floor anchoring as the default for tall frames, runs beside walkways and anything in a public building or seismic area, and tie back-to-back runs together with row spacers. Exact anchoring, permit and clearance requirements come from your building official and fire marshal. We include the hardware they expect in the quote and flag tall layouts early.
We can quote installation with receiving, carry-in, assembly, anchoring and cleanup spelled out. See shelving installation for what that covers, and our note on concrete slab requirements before anchoring into an older or thin slab.
Safety checklist after installation
- Post the rated capacity per level where people load the rack, and keep heavy items low.
- Check that every beam is fully seated and any safety pins or clips are in place.
- Inspect for bent posts, cracked welds and loose anchors, especially near cart and pallet-jack traffic.
- Keep the top level clear of sprinkler heads by the distance your fire marshal requires.
- Re-check capacity before moving beams, since level spacing can change the rating.
New vs. Used Bulk Storage Rack
Used bulk rack and wide span shelving look like a bargain, but the savings are usually used up by installation. Parts rarely fit well after they have been taken apart, and the installer’s time to straighten and fit them often costs more than new parts would. Reusing rack you already own can work, but new is sometimes still cheaper once fix-up time is counted. The quickest way to decide is a call to our sales team with a few pictures of what you have.
Related Case Studies
We have not published a dedicated bulk storage rack project write-up yet, so these are the closest real MH-USA projects: tire storage built from the FastRak family and records-box storage on boltless shelving. They show the same sizing, delivery and installation process.
Luxury dealership tire storage, Murray, UTTire storage shelving for a dealership service department.
Auto salvage yard tire racks, West Valley City, UTStarter and add-on tire storage bays for a high-volume yard.
Law firm archive box storage, Lehi, UTRecords boxes on wide boltless shelving in an offsite storage room.Bulk Storage Rack FAQs
What is a bulk storage rack?
Is wide span shelving the same as longspan shelving?
How much weight can a bulk storage rack hold?
What is the difference between bulk rack and pallet rack?
What decking should I choose?
What does starter and add-on mean?
Does bulk storage rack need to be anchored?
Can I buy bulk storage rack online?
Planning a Bulk Storage Rack Layout?
Send item sizes, room dimensions and a few photos for a free layout and a freight-included quote.