Pallet rack is a material handling storage aid system used to store materials on pallets (also known as “skids”). It comes in a variety of styles, but all allow for the storage of palletized materials in horizontal rows with multiple levels. Pallet rack base plate is used for anchoring it to the floor .
Pallet racks are usually made with cold formed steel hat shaped profile. The weight of material stored inside them tries to flip them over. Therefore they need to be connected firmly with the concrete floor. Base plates serve the purpose of firm connection between the rack and the floor.
This article will explain why you need a base plate to connect a pallet rack to the floor and what type of base plate you should use. I’ve also included a few links to websites where you can purchase prefabricated base plates.
Why you need base plate for pallet racks?
You need to have base plate at bottom of pallet rack for two reasons:
- The footplate adds surface area and stability to the upright frame’s foot.
- If the base plate are anchored to floor, they also prevent overturning of the pallet racks.
When you should anchor the base plate to floor
Baseplates should always be anchored to the floor unless the pallet racking is less than eight feet tall and exclusively used for hand-stacking. This is an important part of responsible and safe pallet rack operation because it prevents racking from tipping in either direction due to impacts during loading or unloading. Tipping over can also be caused by earthquakes.
Footplates normally have two holes at the front of the plate that are intended to be used as anchor holes. Surprisingly, just one of these holes should be utilized for anchoring. The second hole is designed to serve as a backup rather than a primary anchor hole, and utilizing both anchor holes might undermine the flooring into which they are bored.
Anchoring to uneven floors: When using uprights on uneven flooring, shims, which are metal plates that fit below the footplates and are built to the same size, should be used.
Which base plate to select?
The selection of base plate for pallet rack depend entirely on the size of upright column of base plate. You need to make sure that a base plate is twice the size of the column.
Another you need to look for is the fixing mechanism of base plate with columns. The more are the number of bolts connecting column and base plate stronger would be the connection.
Learn more: How to design a steel column base plate (under axial load only)?
Where to find base plate for pallet racks?
Usually there are specific retailers for these base plates. I have summarized them in the next section. However you can find some options on the global online e-commerce stores.
Amazon
Amazon.com offers only fewer pretty basic options for base plates.
Alibaba
Alibabab.com offer much better options in this case. They have bigger variety of these plates with them.
Best manufacturers of base plate pallet racks
Australia
USA
UK
