Standard pallet racking is designed for palletised product with defined dimensions. Timber packs, steel sections, PVC pipe, sheet cladding and carpet rolls and the like do not fit that format. They are too long, too irregular or too loose to sit safely on pallet racking beams, and floor stacking creates access delays, product damage and safety risk that compounds as inventory grows.
Cantilever racking is a freestanding steel storage system engineered specifically for this problem. It uses horizontal arms projecting from a vertical column with no front upright, giving unrestricted access along the full length of the stored product. Across manufacturing, construction and trade supply operations in New Zealand, it is the standard solution for long or irregularly shaped product that cannot be accommodated any other way.
How cantilever racking works
A cantilever racking system has four structural components: the base, the column, the arms and the cross bracing. The base anchors the column to the floor slab. The column is the vertical steel upright from which the arms project. Arms are the horizontal members on which product rests, adjustable up the column in set height increments. Cross bracing connects adjacent columns and provides the structural rigidity that distributes load across the system.
The absence of a front column is the defining structural feature. Unlike pallet racking, which has vertical uprights at the front and rear of each bay, cantilever racking is open along its full face. A forklift can approach from any point along the run and lift product without obstruction. For operations handling long timber, steel or pipe, this access geometry makes a material difference to handling time and product damage rates. Arms can also be specified with a removable pin at the outer end for round or loose product such as pipe and tube, preventing rolling.
Single-sided vs double-sided configurations
Cantilever racking is available in two configurations, and the right choice depends on available floor area, access requirements and load type.
| Configuration | Arms | Placement | Best suited for |
| Single-sided | One side of column | Against a wall | Space-constrained indoor warehouses; perimeter yard runs |
| Double-sided | Both sides of central column | Freestanding in aisle | High-volume yards; indoor bays requiring bilateral access |
Single-sided systems sit against a wall and maximise floor space by concentrating storage along the perimeter. Double-sided systems are freestanding in an aisle, with arms on both faces of a central column. They provide access from both sides, increase storage density per column and are more structurally stable under heavy asymmetric loads. Double-sided configurations are the standard choice for trade supply yards where forklift access from both sides of a run is a daily operational requirement.
What cantilever racking stores
Cantilever racking suits any product that is too long, too loose or too irregular for pallet racking beams. Common product types stored on cantilever racking in New Zealand include:
- Timber packs and framing timber
- Structural steel sections: beams, channels and angles
- Steel tube and pipe
- PVC pipe and plumbing materials
- Plywood, MDF and sheet cladding
- Aluminium and steel extrusions
- Carpet rolls and flexible sheeting
- Fabricated steel sections
The industries that rely on cantilever racking in NZ are timber merchants, steel distributors, plumbing and building supply businesses, manufacturing and fabrication workshops, and construction contractors managing on-site material storage.
Indoor warehouse applications
Indoor cantilever racking is typically powder coated and anchored to a concrete floor slab. Column heights for indoor warehouse applications generally range from 2.4 metres to 9.0 metres, with arm lengths specified to match the depth of the product being stored. Load per arm varies by steel gauge, arm length and seismic zone; confirm the specification with Storepro before purchasing.
AS/NZS 4084:2023 governs cantilever racking as a steel storage racking system in New Zealand. It covers structural design, installation tolerances, load signage and inspection obligations. Safe working load (SWL) notices must be displayed on every bay from the first day of operations. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) holds the duty of care for racking safety from the moment the system goes into use.
For operations running both cantilever and pallet racking in the same facility, pallet racking for palletised and standard-dimension product covers the structural and compliance requirements that apply to each system.
Outdoor and yard storage applications
Outdoor cantilever racking requires a different material specification and a higher standard of structural engineering than an equivalent indoor system. New Zealand’s coastal climate and seismic environment both affect what an outdoor cantilever installation must withstand.
For outdoor and coastal environments, hot-dip galvanised finishes (per AS/NZS 4680) or duplex coatings (per AS/NZS 2312.2) are the appropriate specification. Powder coat alone does not provide adequate corrosion protection in exposed yard conditions. Outdoor systems must also be designed and certified to NZS 1170.5, the New Zealand seismic actions standard, and to FEM 10.2.09, the international cantilever racking design code. These requirements apply across New Zealand’s seismic zones and are not optional for permanent outdoor installations. All outdoor cantilever specifications should be confirmed with Storepro before work begins, as seismic zone, soil class and site conditions affect the engineering requirements.
For buyers specifically managing timber or building supply yards, cantilever racking in timber and building supply yards covers the yard-specific application in detail.
Cantilever racking vs alternative storage methods
| Storage method | Long product suitability | Access | Safety | Compliance |
| Cantilever racking | Well suited | Unrestricted forklift and manual access | High (engineered SWL, certified) | AS/NZS 4084:2023 |
| Floor stacking | Limited (unstable for long product) | Difficult; requires product shifting | Low (collapse and trip risk) | None |
| Pigeon hole racking | Suited for hand loading only | Manual only; restricted | Moderate | Varies |
| Pallet racking with decking | Suited to shorter product only | Forklift; limited for very long product | High (if correctly specified) | AS/NZS 4084:2023 |
The right storage method depends on product length, weight, access frequency and whether the environment is indoor or outdoor. For medium-length product that does not require the full cantilever arm format, long-span shelving for medium-length product storage may be the more appropriate solution.
Installation and specification
Cantilever racking is a custom-engineered structural system. It requires installation by a qualified team to protect load rating accuracy, seismic compliance and the validity of the installation record required under AS/NZS 4084:2023. Building consent under the Building Act 2004 may also be required depending on the scale and configuration of the installation; confirm this with Storepro as part of the scoping process.
Storepro manages the full delivery scope: site assessment, engineered design, fabrication, installation and compliance facilitation including producer statements (PS3/PS4) where required. With over 20 years of experience and a team with over 200 years of combined expertise, Storepro has delivered cantilever racking installations across manufacturing, construction and trade supply operations throughout New Zealand.
Before enquiring, gather the following: product type and maximum length, maximum weight per arm level, indoor or outdoor environment, available floor area and ceiling height, configuration preference (single or double-sided), required column height and arm levels, finish requirement and whether compliance facilitation is part of the scope. Storepro’s racking compliance facilitation service covers the full certification process from engineered design through to code compliance.
Talk to a cantilever racking specialist
Storepro designs, supplies and installs custom-engineered cantilever racking solutions for indoor and outdoor applications across New Zealand. Request a site assessment