How Much Space Do You Need Between Pallet Racks

Time:4/9/2025

How much space do you need between pallet racks? When designing the layout of storage shelves, the aisle width between shelves is a key factor affecting work efficiency, safety and space utilization. The required spacing is mainly determined by the following factors:

Forklift type and operation mode

The turning radius and operating characteristics of different forklifts directly affect the aisle width requirements:

Counterbalance forklift: 3.0–4.5 meters, general-purpose forklift, suitable for wider aisles and heavy goods.

Reach Truck: 2.4–3.0 meters, narrow aisle design, the fork can move forward to pick up and put pallets.

Narrow-Aisle forklift: 1.8–2.4 meters, requires a track or guidance system to improve space utilization.

VNA forklift (Very Narrow Aisle): 1.5–1.8 meters, extremely narrow aisle, relying on automated guidance and high-precision alignment of shelves.

Hand Pallet Jack: 1.2–1.5 meters, manually operated, only minimum aisle width is required.

Cargo size and shelf layout

Pallet size: Standard pallet size (such as 1200×800mm or 1200×1000mm) will affect the shelf depth and aisle width.

Shelf depth: Single Deep shelves require narrower aisles than Double Deep shelves.

Cargo protrusion: If the cargo exceeds the edge of the pallet, an additional 5-10cm safety gap must be reserved.

Safety and operating specifications

Safety margin: The aisle width must be 10-15cm more than the actual turning radius of the forklift to prevent collision.

Fire requirements: The main aisle must meet the fire escape standard (usually ≥1.2 meters).

Regulatory standards:

OSHA requires that the aisle width can accommodate the safe passage of equipment and personnel (29 CFR 1910.176).

EN 15635 (European Shelf Safety Standard) recommends calculating the minimum aisle width based on equipment parameters.

Typical scenario examples

General warehouse (counterbalanced forklift): aisle width of 3.5–4 meters, suitable for low-frequency, large-volume cargo handling.

High-density warehouse (VNA forklift): aisle width of 1.6 meters, with high-rise shelves above 10 meters, storage density increased by 30–50%.

Cold storage or manual operation area: aisle width of 1.2–1.5 meters, suitable for manual handling or small electric forklifts.

Optimization suggestions

Simulation test: Use a forklift model for virtual layout verification to avoid dead ends or congestion.

Dynamic adjustment: Reserve aisle expansion space according to business growth (such as the introduction of AGV robots in the future).

Professional calculation: Estimate the minimum channel width through the formula:

Channel width = forklift turning radius + cargo length + safety margin

Summary

The spacing between shelves needs to balance between storage density and operating efficiency:

Narrow channels (1.5-2.4 meters) are suitable for high-density warehousing, but require special equipment and high-precision management.

Wide channels (3-4.5 meters) are compatible with general equipment, with high flexibility but low space utilization.

It is recommended to combine equipment selection, cargo characteristics and safety regulations, and determine the optimal solution through professional warehouse design software or engineer evaluation.

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