What’s The Difference Between Box Beams And Step Beams in Pallet Racking?

Pallet racking systems consist of multiple components that are designed to ensure the safe storage of your product inventory, from uprights (also known as frames) to beams that run horizontally across the uprights. There are two types of beams that can be used for pallet racks: box beams and step beams.

Beam Design

Box beams are rectangular in shape and they form a box-like structure when connected to uprights. Box beams are usually constructed of 2 interlocked U channel shaped pieces and welded on the tops and bottom along with the end brackets to hold the beam securely together. These beams are typically used with universal wire mesh deck and universal one piece pallet bars or welded pallet bars.

Step beams, also known or refereed to as crossbeams, are designed to connect to uprights and are completely secured in place to ensure safe and reliable pallet storage. Step beams are typically roll formed from one piece and have a step (ledge) with the connectors being welded into place on both ends of the beam. The purpose of the step is it is designed to support instep wire mesh deck, DIP’s (Drop In Panel’s), clip in pallet bars and other solid surface materials to help in keeping a flat storage surface area and the supports flush to the top of the beam.

Durability

Box beams have always been the popular choice in pallet racking market, and are preferred for their superior strength per square inch. Because of their basic rectangular shape, box beams are able to hold heavier loads compared to Step Beams, which have a more intricate design.

However, although Box Beams are stronger than Step Beams per square inch, this can be mitigated by simply getting a taller Step Beam, but this will increase the cost.

Support Bar

Pallet racking support bars, otherwise known as support bar, are steel bars that run perpendicular to the rack beams in order to keep pallets or other products stored in the racking system from falling through. Box beams require universal support bars, which have a U-shaped design on each end that is placed over the top of the box beam.  The issue with this design is that clothing and products get snagged on the support bar, causing minor damage.

Step beams require the use of clip-style support bars. These support bars fit neatly inside the step beam, and therefore the risk of snagging is greatly reduced. Additionally, you typically are not required to bolt in clip-style support bars, which give you the flexibility to move them when needed.

Wire Mesh Decking

Wire mesh decks are a great safety apparatus to keep product falling off of pallets on to the staff below. In this case there are 3 types of wire mesh decks that work with these pallet racking beams.

• Universal waterfall mesh decking (works with both box beam and      step beam)

• Step waterfall type wire mesh decks (only works with step beam,      NEVER use these type of mesh decks with box beams).

• In-Step wire mesh deck (only works with step beams)

  
  

Box beams are only suitable for a universal waterfall type wire mesh decking while a step beam is capable of use with all 3 types of mesh decks that are available.

Step beam mesh comes in 2 styles, a waterfall instep type mesh deck which is similar to the universal type decks only it works with the step part of the beam for the support of the mesh deck rather than sitting over the beam itself for support as a universal deck does, the second type is an in-step mesh deck that sits inside the beam on the step part of the beam flush to the top of the beam and does not have any parts of the decking above the top of the beam itself. The universal wire mesh decks also designed to work with step beams.