How much space do you need between forklift racks?

If you are designing a warehouse, it is crucial to know how large your aisles need to be. If you disregard this process, you could end up with a facility in which forklifts are unable to load and pick inventory, or with way too much extra space so you are wasting money. There are a few things you need to know to figure out the optimal size of your aisles.

The most important piece of information you need is the size and turning radius of your forklifts. There are a few different models that would change the amount of space you need in between the pallet rack. If you have a wide aisle forklift (a sit-down counterbalanced truck), generally your aisles should be 3650-4000 mm wide for standard 1200 mm pallets. If you have narrow aisle trucks, the aisles should be 2450-3048mm wide, and for very narrow aisle trucks they can be 1828 mm or less. Remember, these measurements are just estimations, and the skill level of your forklift drivers could change the sizes as well so that knowledge is always good to have.

Forklift Aisle Width Calculation Example:

Let’s say you’re considering purchasing a forklift for your warehouse and want to make sure you would be able to turn in your aisles with a standard pallet. According to the forklift specs, the model you are considering has a Turning radius of 2230 mm.

1771 mm (Turning Radius) + 374mm (Load distance, centre of drive axle to fork ) + 1200 mm. (Load Length) + 200mm. (Clearance) = 3545mm. Minimum Aisle Width

It is always safest to consult your forklift dealer or a qualified racking and material handling company if you aren’t sure.