Steel Pallet Racking

Steel pallet racking stores pallet loads on roll-formed or structural steel uprights and beams. CustomMHS lists up to 52,200 pounds per bay when vertical beam spacing does not exceed 60" on MECO 4" Extreme Duty, and 34,800 pounds per bay on MECO 3". SourceBySpec says The two construction families, roll-formed and structural, dominate the market.

Last reviewed: September 4, 2026

Steel pallet racking

Roll-Formed vs Structural Steel

Apex says Pallet racking columns are constructed of either roll-formed or structural steel. SourceBySpec says The two construction families, roll-formed and structural, dominate the market, and Roll-formed rack is cold-formed from light-gauge steel coil (typically 1.5 to 3.0 mm) into open C or omega upright sections. Apex says Structural steel is made from hot-rolled steel, which forms a solid C-channel shape and Roll-formed components are made from cold-rolled steel sheets that are shaped with rollers to create an assortment of shapes. SJF says Structural pallet rack is going to be capable of supporting more weight than roll-formed pallet rack.

Capacity ranges

• MECO 4" Extreme Duty: CustomMHS lists up to 52,200 pounds per bay when vertical beam spacing does not exceed 60"
• MECO 3" structural: CustomMHS lists maximum capacity of 34,800 pounds per bay when vertical beam spacing does not exceed 60"
• Structural load beams: CustomMHS overview lists Structural Load Beams, up to 26,000 lb per pair
• Per level: Reynolds says Standard selective racking typically supports 2,500-5,000 lbs per beam level; Heavy-duty systems can exceed 10,000 lbs per level
• Structural vs standard spacing: DuraRack lists weight bearing capacity to 48,000 lbs at 84"beam spacing as opposed to 35,000 lbs. at 54" beam spacing for standard pallet rack
• SK3000: Steel King dealer listing lists 35,200 lb capacity
• Tier / beam / frame ranges: Shelving.com says systems support loads ranging from 1,800 lbs to over 12,000 lbs per tier; MH-USA lists typically 2,000–12,000 lbs per pair and typically 15,000–30,000 lbs

Connections, yield, and deflection

• Bolted structural: Ridg-U-Rak lists Beam-to-column bolted pallet rack systems and hot-rolled structural steel channels for uprights and beams
• Yield / safety: Ridg-U-Rak lists 50,000 psi minimum yield and safety factor of 1.92 based on minimum yield of steel
• Roll-formed boltless: Steel King SK2000 says Its boltless design makes it easy to assemble without tools and Roll-formed steel is a popular and versatile selection for pallet racking due to its light weight
• Impact: Steel King SK2000 lists 250% more front impact strength (closed-back vs open-back)
• Deflection: SJF says maximum allowable beam deflection is defined as L/180

Cost range (Conesco)

Conesco lists Selective (Structural) new cost per position $80–$250 and used $30–$75 on its cost guide (Conesco cost guide).

Frequently Asked Questions