Commercial, Industrial & Warehouse Shelving Solutions
Wire, steel, boltless, stainless, polymer, bin, wall and library shelving for warehouses, stockrooms, kitchens, labs and records rooms. MH-USA sizes each shelving solution to the room and the load, quotes the right manufacturer, and delivers and installs nationwide from Salt Lake City.
Since 1997 · 50 states shipped · sales@mh-usa.com
10
Shelving families quoted
1997
Serving the West since
50
States shipped
(800) 326-4403
Talk to a shelving specialist
Which Shelving Do You Need?
Choose the buying path that matches the job. “Shelving” can mean a quoted and installed system for a whole room, a ready-to-ship unit you assemble yourself, or one shelving family you already know you need. Each path has its own page cluster below.
Quoted & installed shelving systemFor stockrooms, parts rooms, kitchens, labs and archives that need a layout, load ratings, anchoring and delivery coordination. We draw the room, quote by manufacturer and install. Send us the room →
Ready-to-ship shelving unitsFor a few units that need to arrive this week: wire shelf kits, boltless bays and add-on shelves priced online. Some common sizes are stocked at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation. Build & price shelving →
Wire shelving units & cartsThe most-bought commercial shelving: chrome, epoxy and stainless wire units, add-on bays and caster carts, specified by finish, depth and post height. Compare wire shelving →Start With the Room, Not the Catalog
Bad shelving purchases start the same way: someone picks a unit that looks about right, then finds the shelves are too deep to reach into, too light for what sits on them, or made of a material that corrodes in that room. Shelving is cheap to buy and expensive to replace, because replacing it means emptying the room.
MH-USA quotes shelving the way we quote pallet rack and mobile systems: we ask what is stored, how it is picked, how often the room is washed or cleaned, what the floor and walls allow, and how much aisle the operation actually needs. The answers pick the family, the finish and the shelf depth; the catalog only picks the part numbers.
Buyers arrive here under several names — commercial shelving, industrial shelving, storage shelving, metal shelving, warehouse shelving, stockroom shelving. They describe the same decision: a static, fixed-aisle shelving system chosen for a specific room and load. That is what this page organizes.
- Wire, steel, boltless, stainless, polymer, bin, wall and library shelving from the manufacturers we represent
- Shelf-by-shelf load ratings, uniformly distributed, confirmed against current manufacturer data
- Seismic anchoring and aisle clearance planned for Utah, Nevada, Idaho and California projects
- Delivery, phased installation in occupied rooms and removal of old shelving quoted with the new work
Shop Ready-to-Ship Wire Shelving Kits
Complete light-duty chrome wire shelf kits — posts, shelves and leveling feet in one box — priced in our online store. For epoxy, stainless, heavier capacities, steel or boltless runs, request a quote and we will price the run by manufacturer.
Need more than a few units?
Kits cover a closet or a single wall. A stockroom, parts room or archive is quoted as a system: unit count from your room dimensions, shelf depth from the product, capacity from the heaviest shelf, plus anchoring, freight and installation. Request a shelving quote or use the shelving configurator to configure boltless bays with live pricing.
Warehouse Shelving Solutions by Type
Most warehouse shelving solutions come down to one question: is the load placed by hand or by a lift truck? Hand-loaded storage belongs on shelving; anything a forklift places is pallet rack. Inside that line, the right warehouse shelving is set by the heaviest shelf, the carton depth and how often the room is picked.
- Pick modules and fast movers: warehouse shelving systems built from boltless or steel bays, with bins at the pick face.
- Heavy parts and MRO: industrial shelving and closed or open steel shelving with shelf dividers and drawers.
- Mixed stockrooms: the metal shelving comparison covers steel, wire and galvanized options side by side. For per-foot pricing by shelving type, see stock room shelving cost.
- Airflow, coolers and carts: chrome and epoxy wire shelving, stationary or on casters.
- Oversized cartons by hand: bulk rack shelving with wire or board decks.
- Many bulky SKUs picked by hand: wide span shelving with open 48"-96" bays and steel, wire or board decks.
- Heavy items on every level: heavy duty shelving in rivet, boltless, steel and wire, with published ratings up to 2,500 lb per level.
- Back-of-house rooms in a business: commercial shelving for retail backrooms, offices, kitchens, healthcare supply rooms and schools.
Projects in Utah, Idaho and Nevada are planned and installed by our Salt Lake City team; see Utah shelving solutions for local layouts, installation and case studies.
Wire, Steel or Boltless — Which Construction Fits
Almost every shelving decision resolves to one of three constructions. The right one depends on what sits on the shelf, how the room is cleaned, and how often the layout will change.
Wire ShelvingOpen wire decks on adjustable posts. Air, light and sprinkler water pass through; shelves adjust in one-inch increments with a clerk and a mallet. Chrome for dry rooms, epoxy for coolers and washdown, stainless for sanitation. Best for boxed goods, kitchens, labs, healthcare supply and any room that must stay visibly clean.
Steel Clip & Four-Post ShelvingSolid steel shelves on angle or beaded posts. Small parts, powders, paperwork and bins sit flat without falling through. Open or fully closed with backs and sides, with dividers, doors and drawers. Best for parts rooms, records, libraries, tool cribs and anything that must be enclosed.
Boltless (Rivet) ShelvingRivet-lock beams with particleboard, steel or wire decks. Goes together fast with no hardware, spans wide bays and carries heavy static loads on the lower levels. Best for warehouses, distribution, archives, bulk cartons and anywhere a single tall unit replaces several light ones.Shelving Constructions Compared
Use this table to narrow the family, then open the detail page for sizes and load ratings.
| Consideration | Wire shelving | Steel clip / four-post | Boltless (rivet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical per-shelf capacity | Light duty through roughly 800 lb on heavier series | Roughly 350–800 lb depending on gauge and width | Highest — wide-span units carry the heaviest static loads on lower levels |
| Adjustability | 1″ increments, no tools | 1″ to 1½″ clips or slots | 1½″ rivet slots; decks lift out |
| Small loose items | Fall through unless mats or inlays are added | Sit flat on solid steel | Sit flat on particleboard or steel decks |
| Wet, cold or washdown rooms | Epoxy, polymer or stainless versions built for it | Painted steel chips; stainless available | Particleboard decks swell — specify steel or wire decks |
| Enclosure and security | Add-on enclosure panels and locking doors | Closed backs, sides, doors and drawers | Not typical; pair with wire partitions or security cages |
| Reconfiguring later | Very easy | Moderate | Easy — decks and beams re-seat |
| Relative cost per shelf-foot | Moderate | Moderate to higher when closed | Lowest for heavy loads |
| Detail page | Wire shelving | Steel shelving | Boltless shelving |
Capacities shown are typical published ranges for uniformly distributed loads and vary by manufacturer, width, depth and gauge. Every quote confirms the exact rating for the exact part.
The Shelving Families We Quote
Need access to upper shelf levels? Compare catwalk shelving systems with elevated picking aisles, stairs and project-specific decking.
Each family has a dedicated page with sizing, load ratings and configuration detail. Narrow to one or two here, then go deep.
Stainless Steel ShelvingType 304 for kitchens, coolers, labs and food plants; Type 316 where chlorides or aggressive chemistry are present. Wire, solid and perforated shelves, stationary or mobile. Stainless steel shelving →
Polymer & Plastic ShelvingThe part you touch comes off and goes through the dish machine. Polymer mats on steel or polymer frames for washdown, walk-ins and dish rooms. Plastic shelving → or MetroMax detail →
Bin & Small-Parts ShelvingShelving, posts, sloped or flat shelves and the bins that fit them, shipped as one matched package for parts rooms, maintenance shops and pick modules. Bin shelving →
Basket ShelvingBaskets replace flat shelves for loose items that will not stack and get lost at the back of a shelf. Single-sided against a wall, double-sided as an island. Metro basket and wire systems →
Wall & Cantilever ShelvingStandards, brackets and wall-mount units keep the floor clear for a mop, a cart or a work surface. Wall construction has to be confirmed first. Industrial wall shelving →
Library & Archive ShelvingCantilever bookstacks with welded frames, canopy tops and display shelves for libraries, plus four-post archive shelving for boxed records. Estey library shelving → · Archive shelving →
Security & Enclosed ShelvingA standard unit wrapped in enclosure panels with lockable doors — for controlled inventory, pharmaceuticals, tools and high-shrink stock — without building a cage. Metro security units → · Security cages →
Industrial & Steel ShelvingOpen and closed steel units, clip and boltless runs for parts rooms, MRO cribs and warehouse pick aisles, chosen by duty and shelf load. Industrial shelving → · Steel shelving →
Decking, Metal & Galvanized OptionsWire, steel and particleboard decks, galvanized finishes for utility and back-dock rooms, and the full metal shelving comparison. Metal shelving → · Galvanized → · Decking options →Out of floor space?
Everything on this page is static, fixed-aisle shelving. When the room is full and the building cannot grow, the same wire, steel or library shelving can be mounted on carriages that share one moving aisle. That is a different system with its own planning, so compare mobile shelving systems on their dedicated hub.
When the building has suitable clear height and inventory needs upper-level picking access, compare Western Pacific multilevel shelving. High-bay catwalks and deckover arrangements use elevated access rather than moving aisles, with the shelving, stairs and platform engineered as a coordinated system.
If the upper levels are for active order picking rather than added storage, plan warehouse pick modules instead. They start from your SKU velocity, replenishment path and conveyor takeaway, with shelving-supported or rack-supported levels sized around the order profile.
How a Shelving System Is Specified
- Posts or uprights — set the height and the capacity of the unit. Wire posts are numbered in one-inch grooves; steel posts are slotted or beaded; boltless uprights take rivet beams. Heights from 39″ bench units to 96″ and taller runs.
- Shelves and decks — set what can sit on them. Open wire, solid steel, particleboard, wire mesh or removable polymer mats. Depth is the most-missed dimension: deeper than the product is wasted floor; shallower and cartons overhang.
- Capacity — published per shelf, uniformly distributed, and again per unit. The heaviest single shelf decides the series, not the average.
- Add-on units — share posts with the starter unit, so a 20-foot run does not buy 20 feet of doubled posts. Configuring starter + add-on is where a quote saves real money over a catalog cart.
- Anchoring and bracing — sway braces, floor plates, wall ties and seismic posts where height, load or local code requires them.
- Accessories — ledges, dividers, label holders, inlays, casters, doors and enclosure panels that change how the shelf is used.
Shelving vs. pallet rack
Shelving is loaded by hand; pallet rack is loaded by forklift. If a lift truck will ever place a load, it is rack and belongs on our pallet rack hub. Bulk rack and wide-span boltless sit in between for oversized items handled by hand — see boltless shelving vs pallet racking.
How to Size a Shelving Room
A useful shelving plan starts with six inputs. Fill them in before comparing units and the first quote is close to the final one.
Worked Example: Same Room, More Shelf Feet
Illustrative geometry only — not a customer installation or an engineered layout. A 20 ft × 12 ft stockroom with a single door on the short wall. Units are 48″ wide × 24″ deep, 5 shelf levels.
| Layout | Units | Shelf levels | Linear shelf-feet | Aisle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. One wall run only | 5 along the 20 ft wall | 5 | 5 × 5 × 4 ft = 100 ft | Open room |
| B. Wall run + double-sided island | 5 wall + 10 island (back-to-back) | 5 | 15 × 5 × 4 ft = 300 ft | Two 36″ aisles (2 ft + 3 ft + 4 ft + 3 ft = 12 ft) |
| C. Layout B with 86″ posts | 15 | 6 | 15 × 6 × 4 ft = 360 ft | Same; top shelf needs a step |
The jump from A to B is a layout decision that costs nothing but a drawing; and the jump to C is a taller post. Actual plans add door swing, egress, sprinkler clearance, seismic anchoring and the reach height your staff can work safely. Send us the room dimensions and we return this table for your room, by manufacturer.
Shelving by Application and Industry
Planning goods-to-person automation? Our robot-ready shelving and RiveTier AMR racks guide covers WPSS mobile shelving units, robot-specific bases, pallet movers and put walls.
For prescription dispensing areas, OTC retail displays and hospital back-stock rooms, compare our pharmacy shelving layouts and storage-system options.
The same unit is a good decision in one room and a bad one two doors down. Pick your industry to see the shelving we specify there, with layouts, finishes and load guidance.
More application pages: NSF shelving · food & beverage storage · Metro healthcare storage · cleanroom storage · stockroom shelving · stockroom design · distribution center shelving · fulfillment center shelving · parts room shelving · archive shelving · university storage · evidence storage shelving · forensic evidence storage · military storage shelving · GSA contracts · maintenance storage · supply room shelving · inventory storage systems · cannabis facility shelving.
Materials and Finishes: What Actually Fails, and Where
Finish selection causes more shelving replacements than load capacity does. A correctly rated unit finished wrong corrodes in a wet room in eighteen months, while the identical unit lasts decades in a dry storeroom. Match the finish to the moisture, chemistry and cleaning routine of the actual room.
The detail people miss: posts, shelves, casters and accessories can each be a different material. A stainless shelf on a chrome post in a cooler still fails — at the post. Quote the whole unit, casters included, in one corrosion class.
| Finish / material | Best for | Avoid when | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome-plated steel | Dry storerooms, offices, retail floors, back-of-house dry goods | Coolers, dish rooms, washdown, outdoor or unheated space | Lowest cost; plating pits once moisture is constant |
| Epoxy / powder-coated steel | Coolers, freezers, damp basements, humid environments | Direct washdown with aggressive chemicals; heavy cart impact zones | Resists moisture but chips at impact points, and chips corrode |
| Galvanized steel | Industrial, utility and back-dock storage | Food-contact and high-sanitation surfaces | Tough and economical, harder to keep visually clean |
| Type 304 stainless | Kitchens, coolers, labs, sterile processing, food plants | Chloride-heavy or aggressive chemical exposure | The default sanitation-grade choice |
| Type 316 stainless | Brine, chlorides, coastal air, pharma and harsh lab chemistry | Budget-driven dry storage — it is over-specified there | Better pitting resistance than 304 |
| Polymer with removable mats | Washdown rooms, walk-ins, dish rooms, sterile processing | Very high point loads and hot-surface contact | Mats come out for cleaning |
| Painted steel (clip / four-post) | Parts rooms, records, libraries, offices, tool cribs | Wet or washdown rooms | Widest color and enclosure options; specify stainless or epoxy where wet |
| Static-dissipative (ESD) | Electronics assembly, SMT storage, board handling | Anywhere the grounding path cannot be maintained | Only ESD-safe while properly grounded |
Need a shelf surface with built-in antimicrobial product protection for a wet or frequently cleaned room? Compare aluminum, polymer, epoxy wire and powder-coated steel options from Pegasus, Metro, Eagle, Quantum and Aurora in our antimicrobial shelving guide.
Accessories That Change How Shelving Works
Accessories are where a shelving order goes from adequate to good, and they cost less than adding units. Inlays and mats turn an open wire shelf into a solid deck. Label holders are the difference between a stockroom anyone can pick from and one only its builder understands.
Casters convert stationary units to mobile — polyurethane for hard floors and heavy loads, rubber for quiet operation, specialty casters for high temperature or conductivity. Enclosure panels add security to a standard shelving footprint. Buy ledges, dividers and label holders with the original order; they cost a fraction of the shelving and decide whether it gets used as designed.
Parts and add-ons by family: boltless shelving accessories · Metro EZ-ADD add-on shelves · shelf bins · adjustable wire shelving · particle board shelf decks · shelf clips & dividers · shelving replacement parts (matching uprights, shelves, beams and braces for shelving you already own).
Shelving Design Decisions
What must be confirmed before a shelving order is placed — the same checklist our quotes follow.
| Decision | What must be confirmed |
|---|---|
| System definition | Static shelving on a fixed footprint, shelving on casters, or shelving on carriages — each is quoted and installed differently. |
| Construction | Wire, steel clip / four-post, or boltless, based on load, stored item and cleaning routine. |
| Finish | Chrome, epoxy, galvanized, painted, polymer, 304 or 316 stainless, or ESD — matched to moisture, chemistry and washdown. |
| Unit size | Width, depth and height from the stored item and the room; starter and add-on units planned so posts are shared along the run. |
| Capacity | Heaviest single shelf and total unit load, uniformly distributed, confirmed against current manufacturer data. |
| Shelf count and spacing | Clear height per shelf from the tallest item plus handling room; deepest product decides depth. |
| Aisle and access | Cart width, ADA reach, ladder use, egress and door swing set the aisle; the aisle sets the unit count. |
| Floor and structure | Slab condition, leveling, anchoring and seismic requirements reviewed for the actual site, including Utah, Nevada, Idaho and California projects. |
| Enclosure and security | Open, closed, doors, enclosure panels or a security cage around the run. |
| Logistics | Dock, door and elevator sizes, install window, phasing in occupied rooms and removal of old shelving. |
Shelving spec checklist
Copy this into your email and answer what you can: room dimensions (plus doors, drains, columns, sprinklers) · what is stored · heaviest single shelf load · environment (dry, refrigerated, frozen, washdown, chemical) · cleaning routine · finish class · shelf depth and length · mobility (stationary, casters, track) · anchoring requirement · logistics. Or use the free Warehouse Opportunity Scanner and SKU Upload Analyzer to size the room from your own data.
How MH-USA Quotes and Installs Shelving
We are a Salt Lake City material handling distributor serving the West since 1997 and shipping nationwide. We represent Metro (InterMetro Industries), Aurora, Penco, Tennsco, Lyon, Borroughs, Hallowell, Equipto, Estey, Eagle Group and others — which lets us put the right family in each room instead of forcing one catalog onto every application.
Tell us the room
Dimensions, product mix, weights, moisture and cleaning routine. A photo and a sketch are enough to start.
We lay it out
Runs plotted against doors, drains, lights and sprinklers, with aisle widths checked against your widest cart.
We quote it
Model-by-model, with finishes, capacities, accessories, lead times, freight and any sanitation or seismic documentation confirmed in writing.
We deliver and install
Scheduled freight, phased installation in live facilities, anchoring where required, old shelving hauled away.
Installed and supported, not dropped off
Shelving is deceptively easy to install and remarkably easy to install badly. Posts that are not plumb transfer load unevenly; shelves seated on tapered split sleeves that are not fully driven work loose; a run that starts a half inch off square is two inches off by the end of the wall. On a project scale, we install: site survey — dock height, door widths, elevators, floor level, ceiling and sprinkler clearance — then a delivery plan that follows from it.
In occupied buildings we phase the work — stage material, rebuild one bay at a time, and schedule nights or weekends where a kitchen, cooler or supply room cannot go offline. Removal and disposal of old shelving is quoted with the new work, and every install ends with a walk-through and punch list. For a small storeroom, self-installation is entirely reasonable — our wire shelving installation guide walks through it step by step, and boltless shelving installation covers the rivet systems.
Compare Shelving Manufacturers
Material Handling USA is an authorized dealer for several shelving manufacturers, so the choice is not about which brand we happen to sell — it is about which construction, finish and accessory set fits your room, your load and who has to reconfigure it. Every line below has its own page.
| Manufacturer | Shelving lines we quote | Construction | Typically the right fit for | Detail page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro (InterMetro) | Super Erecta & Super Adjustable wire, MetroMax polymer, qwikSIGHT baskets, security units, qwikTRAK / Top-Track | Wire and polymer | Kitchens, coolers, healthcare, labs, cleanrooms, retail back-of-house | Metro · Metro wire shelving |
| Aurora Storage | Quik-Lok four-post steel shelving, Times-2 rotary files, mobile carriages | Four-post steel | Records, filing, libraries, supply rooms; CSI-format specs for architects | Aurora shelving |
| Penco Products | Clipper clip shelving, rivet shelving, lockers | Steel clip | Parts rooms, stockrooms, government and institutional storage | Penco shelving |
| Tennsco | Q Line, Imperial and Z Line boltless shelving, lockers | Steel clip and boltless | Industrial, office and library storage with a wide accessory set | Tennsco shelving |
| Lyon | Steel shelving, cabinets and storage systems | Steel | Industrial and institutional storage | Lyon shelving |
| Borroughs | Rivet-Span boltless, Box Edge Plus steel shelving, Flexi-Bins, Wilsonstak library shelving | Boltless and steel | Automotive parts, distribution, manufacturing, libraries | Borroughs shelving |
| Hallowell | Steel shelving, MedSafe and storage cabinets, lockers | Steel | Public safety, healthcare and industrial storage | Hallowell |
| Equipto | V-Grip shelving, bulk rack, wire rack, modular drawer cabinets | Steel | Stockrooms, parts rooms and MRO storage with drawer integration | Equipto V-Grip shelving |
| Estey (Tennsco) | Cantilever library bookstacks, static or mobile | Welded cantilever | Public, school and university libraries | Estey library shelving |
| Eagle Group | Foodservice and cleanroom wire and stainless shelving, worktables | Wire and stainless | Commercial kitchens, food plants, labs and cleanrooms | Eagle Group |
| Nexel | Wire and stainless shelving, Nexelite vented plastic shelving | Wire, stainless, plastic | Foodservice and general commercial storage | Nexel shelving |
| Jaken / RiveTier | Boltless rivet shelving with particleboard, steel or wire decks | Boltless | Warehouses, archives and bulk cartons, configurable online | RiveTier shelving · Shelving configurator |
Construction, finish and accessory needs usually decide the outcome long before brand does. If you are unsure which row you belong in, send us the room and we will lay it out — call (800) 326-4403 or request a free layout. More lines: Sandusky Lee · Tri-Boro · E-Z Rect · clip shelving.
Shelving Case Studies
Project write-ups by application and location. Each keeps its own project context.
Featured Project Examples
More Shelving Projects
Design & price it online: Metro Wire Shelving Configurator
Configure Super Erecta wire shelving units, posts, shelves and casters in our free Metro Wire Shelving configurator — build the layout, see a full bill of materials and save or send the quote in minutes. Need a different Metro product? Browse all 17 tools in the Metro configurator hub.
Shelving Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between wire, steel, boltless, stainless and polymer shelving?
How much weight can a shelving unit actually hold?
What is the difference between shelving and pallet rack?
Do you provide shelving that meets sanitation requirements?
Do shelving units need to be anchored?
Can I add on to shelving I already have?
How much does commercial shelving cost?
How fast can shelving ship?
Do you install shelving, and do you work in occupied facilities?
Which shelving brands does MH-USA quote?
Can government agencies buy shelving from you on contract?
Do you serve Utah, Idaho, Nevada and the surrounding states directly?
What information do you need for a shelving quote?
Plan Your Shelving System
Every question that comes up on a shelving project has its own reference below — structure and floor, design and selection, procurement, applications, brands and locations.
Site & Structure
Design & Selection
Procurement & Compliance
Applications
Shelving Families & Related Products
Brands & Manufacturer Resources
Shelving by Metro Area
Get a Shelving Layout and Quote
Send the room dimensions and what goes on the shelves. We will return a layout, capacities, finishes, freight and lead times — by manufacturer.
Plan this before you buy
Free planning tools you can use right now — results on screen first, no gate to see them.
- Build & Price Your Shelving — compare shelving systems and configure boltless bays with live MH-USA pricing.
- Warehouse Opportunity Scanner — diagnose cube utilization and the storage strategies your building allows.
- SKU Upload Analyzer — upload a SKU list and get a storage-method breakdown and footprint estimate.
- Delivery Deadline Planner — check whether a system can ship and install by your date.
Specifying shelving? Architect & designer resources
For architects and specification writers: the architect specification package, shelving specifications, Aurora CSI-format specifications and the Specification & RFP Analyzer. Shelving and storage specialties fall under CSI MasterFormat Division 10 — see Division 10 Specialty Products. Federal buyers: GSA shelving contracts.