These days, storage is at a premium. The price per square foot of warehouses isn’t getting any cheaper so it’s important for business owners to be able to make the most out of the space they already have.
If you have a sign making business, for instance, you’ll want to maximize your space by considering a variety of material racks before choosing the right one for your needs. This will help you utilize both your floor space and your vertical space, which saves you money.
We’ve put together a brief buying guide for material racks. From wall mounted to floor stands, there is plenty to choose from for different environments. Read on to learn more.
1. Understand Your Space
Before you start looking at different racks, first, you should understand the space that you’re in. There are a few different factors that you should consider.
For example, what’s the climate of your storage space and what does the space look like? If you know that the unit or warehouse has humid air, you’re going to want a rack with material that won’t corrode or rust. If the air is hot and dry, on the other hand, you’ll probably want a vented structure that won’t overheat your product.
You should also look at the room itself. How much wall space do you have? How many racks will need to be freestanding?
2. Know Your Products
Next, you should also keep in mind what you’re hoping to store. This will determine the shape of your racks, the material they’re made of, their size, and how much weight they’re able to support.
If you have plenty of wall space and you’re hoping to store rolls of material, you might want to buy a wall-mounted rack. For the same product that will be stored in a unit that’s mostly floor space, consider buying a floor rack or a floor stand instead.
3. Choose Your Shelving Material
Once you have a good idea of the space and understand the storage needs of your product, you can choose your shelving material.
Shelving units that are chrome plated are great options for storage areas that are dry or hot since they’ll increase ventilation and help keep your products safe. For more humid environments, you’ll probably want to go with something epoxy coated or made with a polymer.
4. Mount Your Material Racks
Your last decision will be how you want to mount your racks. If you’re not planning on moving anything around, buying stationary posts is a good idea. They’re sturdy and not built for movement.
If you’d like more flexibility in your configuration, though, buy mobile units instead. They’re built to help you move your storage operation from place to place and can even make cleaning easier.
Get Started Today
This quick guide will help you choose the best material racks. There are many choices, but as long as you understand what works best for your product, you’ll find the racks that suit your needs.
Ready to get started? Check out our selection of material racks and accessories, such as roller trays, application tools, handles, and more.
Simple Solutions International offers a full selection of plotter blades and plotter pens as well as a variety of useful tools for use in plotting and sign making such as plotter adapters, masking film, spray mask, and other sign making tools and accessories.