Wide Span Shelving
Heavy-duty wide span (longspan) shelving for bulky cartons, parts, records and supplies that people load and pick by hand. Open 48" to 96" bays with no center post, from Interlake Mecalux, Penco, Tennsco, Hallowell and more, designed, quoted with freight and installed by MH-USA.
4-8 ft
Typical bay widths
Hand-stack
Person-to-goods picking
3 decks
Steel, wire or board
Nationwide
Design, freight, install
Shop Long Span Shelving Online
Tennsco long span shelving units and add-on shelves from the Z-Line family ship from our online store in light grey, medium grey and sand. Need other sizes, a full room or installation? Request a quote and we include freight.
What Is Wide Span Shelving?
Wide span shelving is hand-loaded steel shelving built with long horizontal beams between braced upright frames, so each bay opens up to 48", 72" or 96" wide with no post in the middle. It holds the medium-to-heavy, bulky items that crowd standard 36" or 48" shelving: master cartons, boxed parts, records boxes, uniforms, small equipment and seasonal stock.
It is also called long span shelving, longspan shelving, wide span storage racks or wide span racks. Manufacturers describe it the same way: storage for many different items in small quantities, picked by a person walking the aisle rather than by a forklift.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
Signs your stockroom has outgrown standard shelving
- Cartons hang off the front of 18" deep shelves or wind up stacked on the floor.
- Center posts in 36" or 48" units split up long or bulky items.
- Shelves sag or feel undersized for boxed parts, so heavy stock lives on the bottom level.
- You pick by hand from hundreds of SKUs, so pallet rack would waste height and aisle space.
- You want one system that can mix steel, wire and board decks, hanging bars and dividers.
Wide Span Shelving vs. Bulk Storage Rack, Boltless Shelving and Pallet Rack
Wide span shelving bridges the gap between conventional shelving and pallet rack. These four systems overlap, so the right one depends on the heaviest item, how it arrives and how people handle it. Ratings vary by manufacturer, beam length and deck, so we always confirm capacity for the exact configuration.
| Boltless / rivet shelving | Wide span shelving | Bulk storage rack | Pallet rack | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical load | Bins, cartons, small parts | Bulky cartons, parts, records, garments | Heavy cartons, totes, boxed equipment | Palletized loads |
| How it is loaded | By hand | By hand, at floor level or from walkways | By hand or cart | Forklift or pallet jack |
| Common bay widths | 36"-96" | 48"-96" | 48"-96" | 96"-144" |
| Frames | Angle or T posts | Braced upright frames, often welded | Heavier braced frames, step or Z beams | Structural frames, teardrop or bolted beams |
| Decking | Board, wire, steel | Steel panels, wire, board, hanger beams | Wire, board, steel, open levels | Wire deck or pallets on beams |
| Learn more | Boltless shelving | This page | Bulk storage rack | Pallet rack |
A quick test: if one person can lift the heaviest item, and you have many different items in small quantities, you are in shelving territory. If the items are heavy cartons and drums that ride in on a hand truck, look at bulk storage rack, which uses heavier frames and step beams. If the load arrives on a pallet, it belongs on pallet rack.
Many buildings use all of them: pallet rack for inbound stock, wide span shelving for broken-case picking and bulky parts, and rivet shelving or bins for small items. If your loads are light, boltless shelving may be all you need. For general back-of-house storage, compare commercial shelving.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
Wide Span Shelving Components
Every wide span system is built from four basic parts. Knowing them makes a quote, or an add-on order for an existing run, much easier to read.
- Upright frames: two posts joined by diagonal and horizontal bracing with foot plates. Many ship fully welded; very tall frames come in two pieces.
- Beams: Z beams, step beams or channel beams lock into slots on the posts and adjust in small increments. Heavier-duty beams are taller.
- Shelf or deck supports: front-to-back members that carry the deck on deep or wide levels.
- Decks: steel shelf panels, wire mesh or particleboard.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
Starter and add-on units
A starter unit has two frames and stands on its own. An add-on has one frame and shares the last frame of the bay before it, so a run of six bays is one starter plus five add-ons. Add-ons cost less per bay, which is why longer runs bring the cost per foot down. Back-to-back rows are tied together with row spacers, and single rows along a wall use wall ties or rigid wall brackets.
| Part | What it does | What to check on a quote |
|---|---|---|
| Upright frame | Carries every level to the floor | Depth, height, welded or bolted, one or two piece |
| Beam | Spans the bay and carries the deck | Length, beam height, rated level capacity |
| Shelf / deck supports | Stiffen wide or deep decks | Number per level for the deck and load |
| Deck | The surface you load | Steel, wire or board, plus sprinkler rules |
| Row spacers / wall ties | Keep runs straight and stable | Needed for back-to-back and wall runs |
| Accessories | Hanging bars, dividers, end and back panels | Only where the load needs them |
Wide Span Shelving Sizes and Capacity
Most wide span shelving is built in even-foot bay widths from 4' to 8', depths from 18" to 48", and heights from about 5' to 10' in one-piece frames, with taller two-piece frames for multi-level systems. These are the sizes we specify most often:
| Dimension | Common choices | How to pick |
|---|---|---|
| Bay width | 48", 60", 72", 96" | Longest item plus handling room; longer bays mean fewer frames |
| Depth | 18", 24", 30", 36", 48" | Deepest carton; 24"-36" for most cases, 48" for large boxes |
| Height | 72"-120" one piece; taller for multi-level | Reach height for picking, plus sprinkler clearance |
| Levels | 3-5 per bay | Tallest item per level plus a few inches of lift-off room |
| Load per level | Set by beam length and deck | Use the heaviest full level, not the average item |
How capacity really works. On wide span shelving the beam, not the post, usually limits what each level can carry, and the longer the beam, the lower its rating. A 96" level and a 48" level from the same line will carry different loads. Frames have their own rating too. Penco, for example, publishes 7,500 lb per Wide Span upright frame when vertical beam spacing stays at or under 60".
Deep or wide decks also need supports underneath: a board deck resting only on a front and back beam will sag in a long bay, so wide span systems add front-to-back supports or a reinforced steel panel. We match the supports to your load and post the rated capacity on the run.
Decking Options for Wide Span Shelving
Galvanized steel shelf panels give a smooth, cleanable surface that small items cannot fall through. They are a common choice for parts rooms and manufacturing. Reinforced wire decking lets light and sprinkler water reach lower levels and sheds dust, which is why many fire marshals prefer open decks in sprinklered buildings.
Particleboard is the low-cost solid surface for cartons, records boxes and soft goods; see our particle board shelving decks guide for thickness and moisture tips. You can mix decks in one run, for example steel at the pick levels and wire up top.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
| Deck | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized steel panel | Parts, small items, oily or rough goods | Solid surface; check sprinkler rules |
| Reinforced wire mesh | Cartons, totes, sprinklered warehouses | Small loose items need bins or a liner |
| Particleboard | Records boxes, cartons, soft goods | Moisture and heavy point loads |
| Hanger beams (no deck) | Garments, uniforms, textiles | Bay height must clear the longest garment |
Accessories that change what a bay can hold
- Hanging bars or hanger beams turn a bay into garment or uniform storage, with a deck above for folded stock.
- Dividers split a long level into compartments for cartons or files.
- End and back panels keep items from sliding out the side or back of a run.
- Tire bars hold tires on edge in a shelving footprint.
- Label holders and aisle signs speed up picking in long runs.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
Multi-Level Wide Span Shelving with Walkways
When floor space runs out but the ceiling is high, wide span shelving can be built two or three levels tall with elevated walkways between the aisles and stairs at the ends. Pickers still work on foot, just on a second floor, so you add a second level of pick faces in the same footprint.
Interlake Mecalux pairs its wide span shelving with stairs and catwalks for exactly this, and Penco Wide Span is offered in multi-level picking systems as well. Raised levels bring code requirements: guardrails, stair design, live loads, sprinklers and often a building permit. We plan those with the shelving from day one. For larger raised areas, compare a free-standing mezzanine or industrial catwalks.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
What to decide early on a multi-level system:
- Walkway floor: grating lets sprinkler water and light through; solid decks are smoother for carts.
- How product reaches the upper level: stairs and hand carry, a lift, or a conveyor.
- Where the stairs go, how many exits the fire code needs, and how wide the walkways must be.
- Lighting under the walkway, since the lower aisles lose overhead light.
Photo: Penco Products
Wide Span Shelving Brands We Supply
We are not tied to one manufacturer, so we can match the line to your load, your budget and anything you already own. Specs below come from each manufacturer’s published product data.
Interlake Mecalux wide span shelving
MH-USA is an authorized Interlake Mecalux distributor that designs, supplies and installs its systems. Interlake Mecalux wide span shelving is a hand-stack system for medium to heavy loads, built on the person-to-product principle. Its Z-beam design takes galvanized steel shelf panels, reinforced wire decking, particleboard or hanger beams for garments, and each module adapts to its own load.
It assembles quickly, reconfigures easily, and pairs with stairs and catwalks for multi-level storage. Interlake Mecalux also runs a Quick Ship program for its most popular wide span components. See our Interlake Mecalux page for its racking range.
Photo: Interlake Mecalux (authorized distributor use)
Penco Wide Span
Penco Wide Span is built for high, wide or bulky hand-loaded items. Upright frames are heavy-gauge steel, MIG welded into one rigid assembly with posts, braces and foot plates, so there is no frame assembly. Beams place on 2" vertical centers and lock with Penco’s patented beam lock.
Rigidity beams are 3" steel channels in even lengths from 4' to 8'. Steel shelves are 1-3/4" high with a welded reinforcing pan, and plywood beams carry board decks flush with the beam. When planning a row, Penco says to allow 1-3/4" per upright post plus 1/4" per bay for beam ends. See Penco shelving.
Photo: Penco Products
Tennsco long span shelving (Z-Line)
Tennsco’s long span shelving is the unit our online store carries in the most sizes, from 48" x 24" up to 96" x 48". It uses a 3-1/4" high steel channel beam, tapered keyhole slots with a snap-in rivet design, and no side or back braces, so items can be reached from every side. Shelves adjust in 1-1/2" increments, and center supports reinforce deep shelves. Extra long span shelves, posts, end panels and cross-aisle ties are sold separately in the Z-Line category. More on Tennsco shelving.
Other wide span lines
Wide Span Shelving Applications
Wide span shelving fits anywhere many different bulky items are stored in small quantities and picked by hand. These are the uses we plan for most, with what we usually specify.
Records and archive storageCartons and files in deep bays, often with dividers and board decks.
Healthcare and uniform roomsScrubs and linens on hanger beams with supply cases above.
Tire storageTire bars in a shelving footprint for shops and dealers.More places wide span shelving earns its space
- Distribution and e-commerce: broken-case picking beside the pallet rack. See warehouse shelving and racks.
- Automotive parts departments: boxed parts, body panels and fluids by bay. See parts department shelving.
- Manufacturing and MRO: spare motors, tooling and maintenance parts. See parts shelving.
- Retail and footwear backstock: long runs of shoe boxes and cartons. See shoe inventory management.
- Schools, cities and public works: supplies, furniture and seasonal equipment in long, anchored runs. See industrial shelving.
How to Plan a Wide Span Shelving Layout
Measure the stock
List the largest, heaviest and most common items, and how many of each you keep.
Measure the room
Walls, doors, columns, ceiling and sprinkler heights, plus a few photos.
Set bays and aisles
We pick width, depth, height and levels, then size aisles for people and carts.
Quote and install
Equipment, freight and optional installation on one quote, then delivery and setup.
Layout rules of thumb
- Allow for frame growth. A row is longer than the sum of its beams, because every frame post adds width. Measure actual post widths for the line you choose.
- Aisle width follows the way you pick. Hand picking needs less room than carts, and carts need less than a pallet jack. Plan for the widest thing that will use the aisle.
- Heavy and fast-moving stock goes low. Keep the top level for light, slow items, and add a rolling ladder above reach height.
- Keep sprinkler clearance. Your fire marshal sets how close the top of the stock can get to the sprinkler heads.
- Leave room to grow. Add-on units make it easy to extend a run later if you leave space at the end.
Installation, anchoring and safety
A long run is a two-person job with a level, a mallet or drill and anchor hardware. Anchor tall frames, runs beside walkways and anything in a public building or seismic area, and tie back-to-back rows together with row spacers. Your building official and fire marshal set the exact anchoring, permit and clearance requirements; we include the hardware they expect in the quote. We can also quote installation with receiving, assembly, anchoring and cleanup spelled out; see shelving installation for what that covers. After installation, post the rated capacity per level, check that every beam is fully seated and locked, and re-check capacity before moving beams.
New vs. used wide span shelving
Used wide span shelving can 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. Reusing shelving you already own can work, but new is sometimes still cheaper once fix-up time is counted. A quick call to our sales team with a few pictures is the fastest way to decide.
Related Case Studies
These real MH-USA projects used long, wide shelving bays and show the same sizing, deck-support and delivery decisions covered on this page. Both were built on boltless shelving rather than a structural wide span line.
City hall and public works shelving, Draper, UTEight-foot sections with deck supports, ordered to one standard across departments.
School district carpenter shop, Salt Lake City, UTWide bays with double rivet beams and center deck supports for heavy shop stock.Get a free quote
Tell us what you are storing, the room size and your timeline. A project specialist will follow up with layout options and pricing. Prefer to talk? Call (800) 326-4403.
Wide Span Shelving FAQs
What is wide span shelving?
Is long span shelving the same as wide span shelving?
How much weight can wide span shelving hold?
How far can a shelf span without support?
What is the difference between wide span shelving and pallet rack?
What is the difference between wide span shelving and bulk storage rack?
What decking can I use on wide span shelving?
Can wide span shelving be built more than one level high?
Do you install wide span shelving?
Planning a Wide Span Shelving Layout?
Send item sizes, room dimensions and a few photos for a free layout and a freight-included quote.