A Dozen Reasons to Choose Wire Mesh Decking Over Wood or Solid Metal

When designing a pallet racking system for a warehouse, one thing you may want to consider is what kind of extra pallet support to use in your racks. The beams in your racking system will support your pallets, but it ‘s never a bad idea to have some extra support in place. 

Support can come in the form pallet support bars, or crossbars, which are a simple and economical choice if you don ‘t have any loose items to store. Typically, you will use two crossbars per pallet position, and they sit on or in the pallet rack beams to hold the pallet. Crossbar supports will also help reduce pallet rack “beam spread and will help prevent broken or misplaced pallets from falling through the beam levels.  While crossbar supports are better than no support at all, they can still allow small pieces to fall through.

Pallet rack decking serves as a horizontal base (or shelf) for storing your products. Decking can come in the form of solid wood (usually plywood), metal panels, or steel wire mesh. Decks are more versatile than pallet support bars because they capable of storing palletized and non-palletized items.

Fully welded, heavy gauge wire mesh decking for pallet rack systems is superior to solid wood or metal decking. Here ‘s a look at the reasons.

1. Wire mesh decking is stronger than wood decking.
2. Unlike solid shelves, wire decking allows smoke and heat to rise and sprinkler water to fall through into storage areas. Fire inspectors discourage solid decking for these safety reasons. 
3. Wire decking is more cost-effective than either wood or solid metal.
4. Wood decks are less resistant to mould and mildew and are prone to warp, bend, sag or split
5. Wire decks distribute the full weight of your products across the beams of your structure, adding sturdiness, while utilizing your capacity to its fullest extent.
6. Wire decking is easy to install — drops into place without tools or hardware.
7. Wire decking improves air circulation.
8. Wire decking is maintenance-free, rust-free, and, if zinc-finished, it ‘s chip proof as well.*
9. Wire decking allows more light to filter down, so it is easier to view the product, as well as read labels and tags on pallets, reducing errors.
10. The light reflective qualities of the steel wire decking will brighten the warehouse.
11. Zinc-finished wire decking is weather-resistant for outdoor use.*
12. Wire decking minimizes dirt and debris.

*Wire deck that ‘s powder coated is not chip proof or weather resistant. The zinc finish referred to here only has these qualities if it is a post-production process, as opposed to pre-processing finish. Next Level uses the post-production process for our zinc finished wire decking. We can provide a powder coat finish upon request.

Next Level wire decking provides versatility, strength, and security for your storage needs. It is maintenance free, looks great, and meets fire code standards. Choose from our standard size options or call us today at 800-230-8846 for your custom order. Learn more about Next Level Wire Decking here.