Upgrading your storage isn’t just about buying new racks and hoping for the best. It’s about planning smart to avoid costly mistakes, safety headaches, and that sinking feeling when you realise the new system doesn’t actually fit through the doorway.

Whether you’re dealing with overflowing archive boxes, expanding product lines, or simply trying to make better use of vertical space, a bit of upfront planning will save you time, money, and plenty of frustration down the line. Here’s your practical checklist to get it right first time.

1. The Numbers: Measure Twice, Order Once

Let’s start with the basics, but not just the obvious ones. Yes, you need to know your floor space, but there’s more to it than that.

Floor Space & Layout: Measure the total square metreage, but also note where pillars, columns, pipes, radiators, and other obstacles sit. That perfect row of shelving might look great on paper until you remember there’s a support column right in the middle of it.

Ceiling Height (Your Vertical Air Rights): This is where facilities managers can really unlock hidden capacity. If you’ve got 4 metres of ceiling height but you’re only using 2 metres with standard shelving, you’re wasting valuable storage real estate. Think vertically, high-bay racking or taller Speedrax systems can dramatically increase capacity without expanding your footprint.

Doors, Access Points & Turning Circles: Can you actually get the racking into the building? Measure doorways, corridors, and any tight corners. If you’re planning to use forklifts or pallet trucks, check turning radii too. There’s nothing worse than having a delivery day turn into a “how on earth do we get this inside?” day.

2. Weighty Decisions: Understanding Load Capacity

This is where things get a bit technical, but stick with me, it’s genuinely important for safety and compliance.

Uniformly Distributed Load (UDL): This refers to how much weight each shelf can safely hold when the load is evenly spread across its surface. For example, a shelf might have a UDL of 300kg, that’s fine for boxes of files, but if you’re planning to store car parts, industrial tools, or archive materials, you’ll want heavy-duty racking with higher UDL ratings.

Floor Slab Capacity: Here’s the bit people often forget. Your shiny new heavy duty racking might be rated for 500kg per shelf, but can your floor handle the combined weight of multiple fully-loaded bays? Older buildings, mezzanines, and first-floor spaces can have surprisingly low load limits. Check with a structural engineer if you’re in any doubt, it’s worth the peace of mind.

Point Loading vs. Distributed Loading: Pallet racking concentrates weight on small footpads (point loading), whereas shelving spreads it more evenly. If your floor is marginal, modular shelving systems like Longspan might be a better bet than full pallet racking.

Top tip: At Rackline, our design team can help you work through the maths and recommend systems that match both your storage needs and your building’s structural limits. No need to dig out your old engineering textbooks.

3. The Flow: Planning Access Routes

How you access your stock makes a massive difference to which storage system will work best. Ask yourself:

How Often Do You Need Access?

• High-frequency access: Wide aisles and open shelving work best. Think profile shelving or Longspan where staff can quickly grab what they need.
• Low-frequency access (archive storage): High-density systems like mobile shelving or roller racking let you compress aisles and unlock up to 50% more storage capacity. Perfect for records management or seasonal stock.

Forklift or Hand-Loaded?

If you’re using forklifts or pallet trucks, you’ll need wider aisles, typically 2.7–3.5 metres depending on the equipment. For hand-loaded industrial shelving, you can get away with much narrower walkways, often 1 metre or less.

Picking Efficiency: Map out how staff will move through the space. Are you encouraging a logical flow, or will they be zigzagging back and forth? Good warehouse design reduces travel time and improves productivity (and morale, no one likes unnecessary steps).

4. Fire & Safety: Don’t Block the Exits

Storage upgrades must comply with fire safety regulations and building codes. Here’s what to check:

Sprinkler Clearance: If your facility has a sprinkler system, there are strict rules about clearances. Typically, you need at least 450mm between the top of stored materials and the sprinkler heads. Installing racking that’s too tall can render your fire suppression system ineffective, and invalid your insurance.

Fire Exits & Escape Routes: Racking and shelving must never block fire exits, emergency lighting, or escape routes. Even temporary blockages during installation can be flagged in inspections. Plan your layout to maintain clear sightlines and access.

Aisle Widths for Emergency Access: Fire regulations often specify minimum aisle widths to allow emergency responders to navigate the space. Check your local requirements before finalising your design.

Racking Inspections (SEMA Guidelines): Once installed, your racking needs regular inspections under SEMA guidelines, typically every 12 months, with weekly in-house checks. Choose systems that are easy to inspect and maintain. At Rackline, our UK-manufactured racking is built to last and designed with safety in mind.

Seismic & Stability Considerations: For taller racking, ensure it’s properly anchored and, where necessary, braced. Freestanding units are great for flexibility, but heavier or taller configurations may need wall fixings or back-to-back bracing for stability.

5. Future-Proofing: Plan for Change

Your business won’t stay the same forever. Product lines change, stock levels fluctuate, and teams grow. The last thing you want is a rigid storage system that can’t adapt.

Modular Systems Are Your Friend: Systems like Speedrax and Longspan are designed to be reconfigured. Shelves can be adjusted in height, bays can be added or removed, and entire sections can be relocated without needing a forklift and a prayer.

Adjustable Shelf Heights: Look for racking with tool-free adjustment or simple clip-in shelves. This means you can adapt to different product sizes without buying entirely new units.

Scalability: If you’re planning to expand in the next few years, choose a system you can add to incrementally. Buying all matching components from one manufacturer (hint: that’s us) makes future expansions seamless.

Changing Use Cases: Maybe today it’s archive files, but in two years it might be bulky equipment or small parts. Flexible industrial storage solutions let you pivot without starting from scratch.

6. Let the Experts Handle the Tricky Bits

Look, we get it, facilities managers are already juggling a hundred things. HVAC maintenance, compliance audits, contractor management, and now you’re supposed to become a storage design engineer too?

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to do it alone.

At Rackline, we offer a free design consultation service. Our team can visit your site (or work from your measurements), assess load requirements, check compliance, and create a tailored storage design that actually fits your space and your budget. We’ll handle the measuring, the maths, and the “will it fit through that door?” questions.

All our shelving and racking is manufactured right here in the UK at our Stoke-on-Trent facility, so lead times are shorter, customisation is easier, and if something needs tweaking mid-project, we’re on it.

Your Quick-Reference Upgrade Checklist

Before you commit to any storage upgrade, tick off these essentials:

• Measured floor space, ceiling height, and noted all obstacles
• Confirmed floor load capacity (get a structural engineer’s input if unsure)
• Calculated shelf load requirements (UDL per bay)
• Mapped access routes and decided on aisle widths (forklift vs. hand-loaded)
• Checked fire safety compliance (sprinkler clearance, exit routes, aisle widths)
• Considered future needs and chosen a modular, adaptable system
• Consulted with a storage specialist (hello, that’s us!)

Ready to Start Planning?

Upgrading your storage doesn’t have to be a headache. With a bit of upfront planning and the right partner, you can create a system that’s safe, efficient, and ready to grow with your business.

If you’d like a hand working through your storage design: whether it’s a small shelving project or a full warehouse fit-out: our team at Rackline is here to help. We’ll take the measuring tape off your hands and make sure you get a solution that works.

Looking for advice? Get in touch with our team on: 01782 770144, email us: info@rackline.co.uk or fill in the form below and one of our team will be in touch.