There’s a reason steel shelving is one of the most popular types of storage solutions available. It’s stylish, innocuous, and easy to keep clean.

Even once you’ve settled on steel as your shelving material of choice, before outfitting your office space, warehouse, or library with a brand new storage system, there are a few questions you might want to consider.

Is the steel powder-coated?

Choosing to powder coat your steel shelving offers many benefits. To start with, it improves the durability of shelving, protecting the steel from scratching and corrosion. It also makes cleaning your shelves far simpler; the powder coating can be easily cleaned using a soapy water mixture.

Without powder coating, you risk your shelves becoming rusty and run-down in a very short time.

Can I reconfigure the shelving arrangement?

Over time, it’s likely that your shelving requirements will change. The last thing you want is to be left with a bulky storage unit that can’t be reconfigured to suit your current needs.

Before purchasing steel shelving in Melbourne, or any other type of shelving for that matter, check that you can add or remove shelves as required.

What is the shelf capacity?

Shelf capacity is particularly important if you’re storing heavy items, like machinery parts. It’s your responsibility to ensure that your working environment is safe and meets all occupational health and safety guidelines. Part of that is not overloading shelves, no matter whether you’re in an office or a warehouse.

Check the shelf capacity and calculate your expected load before making a final decision on what shelving unit is right for you.

How heavy is the shelving unit?

This question is particularly important if you're purchasing shelves for an office space. While you will likely have access to a forklift in a warehouse, rearranging shelving units in an office or archival environment might be a job for just you and a hand trolley.

If you expect to be moving your steel shelving around, even if it’s just from one side of the room to the other, be sure you understand how much it weighs and what kind of equipment you will need.

What shelf inserts should I use?

The descriptor ‘steel shelving’ refers primarily to the shelving frame itself. The inserts are another matter altogether.

While you can certainly get steel inserts to match your steel frame, there are other options available. Longspan shelving, for example, allows you to pick between steel, wire mesh, or particle board inserts. Each comes with its own benefits and it’s important that you do your research and pick the right insert to meet your specific needs. Consider aesthetics, weight requirements, and how easy it will be to clean your chosen insert.

The advantages of purchasing steel shelving are obvious, and the choice isn’t something you need to think too carefully about, provided that you’ve considered the above questions and are confident that you’re working with a quality, professional supplier.