Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Warehouse Layout
- Pallet Rack Supply
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 4
...And how to sidestep them before they cost you time, space, and serious money
Planning a warehouse layout is more than just placing racks and hoping for the best. Whether you're setting up a new facility or reworking an existing space, small planning oversights can lead to big operational headaches down the road.
Here are the top 5 mistakes we see clients make again and again, and how you can avoid them when planning your warehouse:
❌ #1 Underestimating Pallet Height (and Load Clearance)
Your tallest pallet isn’t just a measurement; It’s the ceiling of your entire storage system. Forget to factor in pallet height plus forklift clearance, and you risk dangerous stacking, damaged inventory, or needing a full reconfiguration post-install.
✅ Pro Tip: Always measure your tallest, heaviest pallet and leave room for airflow, safe access, and local code compliance.
❌ #2 Poor Aisle Spacing
Too wide? You’re wasting valuable floor space. Too narrow? You’re inviting forklift collisions and productivity bottlenecks.
Your aisle width should match the turning radius of your equipment and the flow of your operations.
✅ Pro Tip: Design with your actual forklifts and workflow in mind—not just textbook measurements.
"An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing." -Dale Carnegie
❌ #3 Skipping Permit Planning
If your city or county requires warehouse permits - and most do - you must have proper drawings and engineering docs before racking goes up. Skipping this can delay operations and even trigger costly teardowns.
✅ Pro Tip: Involve a layout consultation early. We can guide you through permitting requirements and help avoid permit denials or code violations.
❌ #4 Forgetting Future Growth
Too many layouts are built with just today in mind. But what happens when you scale?
If you don’t plan for growth (new product lines, higher volumes, different pallet sizes), your layout might need a full overhaul sooner than you'd like.
✅ Pro Tip: Design modularly, think in phases so your racking can grow with your business.
❌ #5 Ignoring Safety Zones & Walkways
It’s easy to hyper focus on maximizing storage, but forgetting egress paths, fire access, or employee walkways can compromise safety and trigger compliance issues.
✅ Pro Tip: OSHA guidelines aren’t optional. Build safe, clearly marked zones into your layout from day one.
Ready to Get It Right the First Time?
We’ve helped dozens of clients avoid these pitfalls and design warehouse layouts that actually work, for today and tomorrow.
📐 Book a free layout consultation and let’s plan a space that’s safe, scalable, and built for ROI.
👇 What’s one layout decision you wish you’d made differently? Share it below, it might save someone else a major headache.
Comments