There are some rules of thumb that I use to estimate warehouse aisle spacing requirements for pallet rack sizes and their distance from the wall. Pallet rack spacing requirements for forklifts vary based on the size of the forklift you use to service the racks. On average a large sit-down forklift requires a 12′ aisle between rack rows. A small size sit-down lift requires est. 10′ of aisle space. A stand-up reach truck requires est. 9′ of warehouse aisle space. A swing mast lift truck can work in a est. 60″ aisle space because it doesn’t turn in the warehouse aisle.

Warehouse aisle spacing requirements for other styles or pallet racking vary due to application. Drive in Racks typically require 12′ of aisle space in order to back-out of the racks and turn. Like selective rack, pushback and pallet flow rack aisle requirements vary based on the type of forklift you use. I suggest you measure your existing warehouse aisles to see what aisle size best meets your needs or confirm these pallet rack spacing requirements for forklifts with your rack or forklift provider. If you want to know where I think the future of Pallet Rack Freight Classes is heading, see our blog. You can also check out our wire mesh security partitions for added security.

Warehouse Aisle Space Requirements For Pallet Rack Sizes: (based on the size of the lift truck that you use to service the racks):

Large Forklift – Est. 12′ Aisle
Small Forklift – Est. 10′-11′ Aisle
Stand-Up Reach Truck – 9′ Aisle
Order Picker – 5′ Aisle
Swing Mast – 60″ Aisle