A guide to cantilever racking for long/bulky goods: pipe, timber, steel sections, panels — upright/arm/brace structure, straight vs inclined arms, capacity per arm, single/double-sided, standards FEM 10.2.09 / AS 4084 / RMI, and selection in Thailand.
"Long" and "bulky" goods — steel/PVC pipe, sawn timber, steel bar, structural sections (H-beam, channel), boards/metal sheet, aluminium profiles — cannot go on standard pallet racking. Stacked on the floor they waste space, are hard to pick, and get damaged.
Cantilever racking is the answer — designed specifically for long goods. This article explains the structure, arm selection, capacity, and the standards used.
1. Structure — Three Main Parts
flowchart TD A[Cantilever Rack] --> B[Upright/Column
vertical column + floor-bolted base] A --> C[Arm/cantilever
straight or inclined] A --> D[Brace Set
ties columns together] B --> E[Choose by: weight + length of goods] C --> E D --> E E --> F[single or double-sided]
- Upright (column + base) — load-bearing column; the long base resists overturning + floor anchors
- Arm (cantilever) — holds the goods, height-adjustable, no front beam = easy long-item loading
- Brace set — ties columns into a row
Arranged single-sided (against a wall) or double-sided (mid-warehouse, used from both sides).
2. Straight vs Inclined Arms
| Arm type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Straight | sawn timber, panels, boxes — non-rolling goods |
| Inclined | pipe, round bar — tilted up to prevent rolling off the front |
Specify the stored goods up front — round pipe always needs inclined arms, or it rolls off.
3. Capacity — Three Levels
- Per arm — depends on arm length + steel section (longer = lower)
- Per upright — the sum of arms on the column
- Whole system + overturning — the row's tipping stability
Don't just read the "maximum number" in a catalog — state the real weight + length + load positions for the engineer to calculate.
4. Design Standards
| Standard | Origin |
|---|---|
| FEM 10.2.09 | Europe — cantilever racking specifically |
| AS 4084 | Australia — steel storage racking |
| RMI ANSI MH16.1-2023 | USA |
| SS 2643 (INSTA 253) | Sweden/Nordic |
| DPT 1311-50 | Thailand — regional seismic forces |
For seismic work (Bangkok metro) → see our seismic rack article.
5. Checklist Before Ordering Cantilever Racks
- State the stored goods — type (pipe/timber/steel), length, weight per piece
- Choose arms — straight (non-rolling) / inclined (round pipe)
- single vs double-sided by floor space
- Handling method — forklift / crane → sets the clearances
- Bangkok → consider seismic + engineer-certified drawings for acceptance
We design and supply cantilever racking for all long goods (pipe, timber, steel bar, sections, panels) to FEM 10.2.09 / AS 4084 / RMI — with straight/inclined arms matched to the goods, capacity calculation per arm/column/system, seismic support to DPT 1311, and engineer-certified drawings for government/inspection-acceptance work.
Talk to our engineering team to design your warehouse's cantilever racking — call 02-096-2118 or LINE OA @406rrgvm.
Summary
- Cantilever racking = cantilevered-arm racking (no front beam) for long/bulky goods that won't fit pallets
- Three parts: upright + arm + brace · single/double-sided
- Straight arms (non-rolling) vs inclined arms (round pipe — anti-roll)
- Capacity at three levels: per arm · per column · whole system + overturning
- Standards: FEM 10.2.09 / AS 4084 / RMI + seismic DPT 1311 (Bangkok)
Correctly designed cantilever racking = safe long-goods storage, space saved, fast picking, no toppling.
Need help with this in your facility?
Our team handles full procurement and installation for the topics covered in this article. Free quote within 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
1How does cantilever racking differ from selective racking?
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2Straight or inclined arms — which to choose?
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3How is cantilever rack capacity calculated?
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4Do cantilever racks in Thailand need to consider earthquakes?
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Comparison tables related to this article
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