Racking type
Push-back racking
Push-back racking holds two to six pallets in a lane on gravity carts. The truck stays in the aisle.
The system
What push-back racking is, and how a lane works.
Move
Both levels are full. Choose a level and pick a pallet: the face pallet comes out and the row rolls forward behind it.
Push-back racking is high-density pallet storage that holds two to six pallets in one lane, on nested carts set on a slight incline. Loading and picking happen from the aisle, so the truck never enters the rack and a lane runs last in, first out (LIFO).
Against single-deep adjustable pallet racking, a push-back scheme typically holds 30% to 60% more pallets in the same building, depending on lane depth.
Drive-in racking goes deeper but sends the truck into the lane between the frames; push-back keeps it in the aisle. It costs more per location than standard pallet racking, so weigh that against the floor released and the truck hours saved. Where stock has to rotate first in, first out, pallet live racking is the fit.
How it works
How a lane is loaded, and how it gives its pallets back.
Every beam level is one lane: nested carts on an inclined rail, worked from the aisle.
Loading
Each pallet goes on the front cart and pushes the one before it back.
Unloading
The front pallet is lifted away and the rest roll forward.
Rotation
Loaded and picked from one aisle, so a lane runs last in, first out.
Where it fits
Where it fits, and where it does not.
Suits
- Several pallets of one product, medium to high volume.
- Stock that arrives and leaves in batches.
- Density and quick access wanted in the same breath.
- Freezer and cold stores.
- Buildings with clear height to use.
Does not suit
- A wide catalogue held in ones and twos.
- Stock that has to rotate first in, first out.
- Operations with no appetite for moving parts.
Common sectors
- Food and beverage
- Manufacturing
- Third-party logistics (3PL)
- Retail distribution
- Automotive
- Building materials
- Consumer goods
Against its siblings
Five configurations on three axes.
Density, selectivity and affordability decide most racking choices. The scores are judgements, not measurements, read down a column against the other four.
AdjustableDensity 40 of 100, selectivity 96, affordability 100.
Drive-inDensity 96 of 100, selectivity 25, affordability 65.
Push-backThis page. Density 75 of 100, selectivity 62, affordability 48.
Pallet liveDensity 85 of 100, selectivity 40, affordability 30.
Double deepDensity 60 of 100, selectivity 55, affordability 82.
Specifying it
What moves the cost, and what a survey has to record.
A lane is priced by its depth and its carts.
- 01
Lane depth
Every extra pallet of depth adds a cart and a rail.
- 02
The mechanism
Carts and rails are priced by the lane.
- 03
Pallet weight
A heavier load moves the frame series, beam section and cart rating.
- 04
Height
Taller frames ask more of the slab, but height is the cheapest capacity.
- 05
Number of locations
Design, delivery and installation spread, so cost per location falls.
The survey
Recorded before anything is drawn.
- Internal dimensions, clear height, columns and services.
- The slab, its flatness and what it carries under concentrated load.
- Truck type, lift height and the aisle it needs.
- Pallet sizes, loaded weights and how deep each line fills.
- Daily throughput, which settles lane depth.
- Any racking already standing, which push-back sometimes reuses.
Components
- Upright frames
- Heavy-duty load beams
- Inclined rail sets
- Nested carts or roller tracks
- Beam locking clips
- Base plates and floor fixings
- Upright protection
- End-of-aisle barriers
- Load notices
Safety
What keeps it safe in use.
Nothing drives into the lane, so the mechanism is what needs watching.
- Load notices on every run, with the rated capacity.
- Racking inspected at intervals, damage graded and acted on.
- Drivers trained on loading from the aisle.
- Upright protection where trucks turn, barriers at aisle ends.
- Locking clips on every beam, base plates bolted down.
- Carts and rails kept clean and free-running.
- Damaged components replaced rather than watched.
- One matched system throughout: a mixed lane has no defensible rating.
Questions
Push-back racking, common questions
What is push-back racking?
Push-back racking is high-density pallet storage holding two to six pallets per lane on gravity carts. Each new pallet pushes the one before it back, and lifting the front one lets the rest roll forward.
How many pallets can one push-back lane hold?
Most push-back lanes hold two to six pallets. The depth follows the product, the pallet weight and the space, and is fixed when the system is designed.
Does push-back racking work first in, first out?
No. A push-back lane is loaded and picked from one aisle, so it runs last in, first out. Pallet live racking is the first in, first out system.
Is push-back racking safe?
Push-back racking is safe when it's designed, installed, load-noticed and inspected properly. Forklifts never enter the lane, so impact damage is lower than on drive-in racking.
Is push-back racking suitable for every warehouse?
No. Push-back racking suits warehouses holding several pallets of one product, and works well in freezer and cold stores. A wide catalogue held in ones and twos gains little.
Next step
How many pallets deep can you go?
We'll survey the building, draw the lanes and count the positions. No obligation.