Wire Decking for Pallet Rack

What Wire Decking Actually Does

Wire decking adds a mesh support surface between pallet rack beams. A properly selected panel can support the intended goods and reduce some fall-through risks, while its openings admit light and air. It is not a catch-all safety barrier: small items can pass through the mesh, and a damaged pallet does not become safe simply because decking is underneath it.

Select the rack, deck and load arrangement together. The beam profile, panel dimensions, support-channel engagement, mesh openings and actual load contact pattern all matter. A panel that appears to fit is not necessarily rated for the way you will use it.

The Rack Manufacturers Institute’s decking guidance explains why buyers should give the deck manufacturer the load geometry and confirm the rating for that application. This page helps you collect those details before requesting a quote.

Pallet rack beams alone leave open space between them. Per Tony Sineni, Director of Sales at Rack Builders Inc. (a Rack Manufacturers Institute member), “wire deck can prevent loose items, small products, cartons, or compromised pallets from falling between the beams.” RMI also publishes ANSI MH26.2, the industry standard governing rack decking design and testing.

Decking also changes how load reaches the beam: RMI’s guidance states decking “helps distribute the load evenly across the beam… that minimizes point loading and reduces beam deflection” at the beam level. That’s a documented beam-level benefit — it does not mean the deck panel itself is rated for any load pattern placed on it; the deck’s own capacity is a separate question, covered below.

The right deck for your rack depends on three things: your beam profile (step beam vs. box beam), the load pattern actually sitting or moving on the deck, and any fire-protection requirements that apply to your building. We review all three before recommending a deck.

Match the Deck to What Actually Sits — or Moves — on It

A uniformly distributed load, or UDL, spreads weight over the specified supporting area. A point or concentrated load places more weight on a smaller contact area. The same total weight can stress a deck differently depending on the pallet runners, feet or container base touching it.

Do not assume a familiar pallet size or evenly stacked cartons automatically create the rated loading condition on the mesh. Provide the pallet’s underside construction and actual contact points as well as its loaded weight. Confirm the load basis and test conditions for the exact panel.

• Palletized loads: Confirm loaded weight, pallet construction and contact pattern rather than treating every standard pallet as a UDL.
• Equipment feet, metal bins, drums or narrow pallet runners — concentrated point loads needing a deck rated for that footprint, not just a UDL number.
• Loose cartons or bins without a pallet — may need tighter mesh spacing so small items don’t fall through.
• Pallet jacks, carts or wheeled equipment rolling across the deck — a different loading condition than static UDL, needing its own review, not an assumption from the catalog number.

RMI describes uniform and concentrated loading as separate selection questions. A static rating is not permission to walk on decking or roll a pallet jack across it. If the intended application includes people, wheels, impact or moving loads, stop and have that use specifically reviewed before selecting the system.

Wire Decking FAQ

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