If you're using steel shelving for storage in your office or warehouse, you'll need more than metal shelves. You also need braces, brackets, corner posts, clips, uprights and other supplies for steel shelving to assemble, strengthen and even add on to your steel shelving units. Whether you have industrial steel shelves, rack shelving, stainless steel shelving or a wire shelving unit, you'll need the necessary parts to put your shelving to its best use.

From extra steel storage shelves to bins for added storage options, you'll have plenty to choose from when it comes to supplies for steel shelving. Whether you're installing new steel shelving units or adding on to existing steel storage shelves, here are some supplies for steel shelving you'll want to look for to complete your project:

1. Make your steel shelving units stronger with backing, bracing and other accessories.

2. Use clips, brackets or other supplies to hold your steel shelving in place.

3. Add on to existing units with extra steel shelves.

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Strengthen your steel shelving units for heavier loads

Steel shelving used to store reams of copy paper or heavy equipment needs more support than steel shelving units used for light office supplies. If you're starting to store heavier items on steel shelves that are set up to hold much less weight, you'll need braces or backing to give your shelving added support.

I recommend: Prepare your steel shelving units for heavy loads with shelving components, such as side and back braces, back panels and shelf reinforcers, from C & H Distributors. Make your steel shelving as strong as it can be with sway braces, cross braces, reinforcing angles and floor plates available from Amscor.

Install the best support for your steel shelving

You can have the best, strongest steel shelves, but you won't be able to utilize them until you have a way to hold them up. Support brackets, post clips and uprights are just a few of the supplies for steel shelving that'll get your steel storage shelves up and working for you in no time.

I recommend: Select from an inventory of wire shelving brackets, wall brackets, support brackets, steel shelving mounts and uprights at TheFind.com. Buy steel shelf hold-down clips, shelf fillers and brackets from Rangine Corporation.

Get the right supplies for steel shelving if you're adding on to existing units

You can add on to many types of steel shelving units, from rack shelving to wire shelving units and even pallet racks. If you find you need more storage space and adding on is an option, you'll need the necessary clips, posts and extra shelving to complete the job.

I recommend: Get extra steel shelves that can hold up to 600 pounds, for under 20 dollars, at Industrial Shelving Systems. Find extra steel shelving and add-on panels in a variety of sizes at A Plus Warehouse.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Add drawers or bins to steel shelving units for small parts or office supplies to keep them better organized.

Steel shelves — stainless steel shelves, in particular — are the gold standard in commercial shelving and storage. Whether you’re organizing an entire warehouse with industrial shelving, or just picking your office supplies up off the floor, steel shelving is a brawny storage solution that’s as versatile as it is durable.

While industrial shelving comes in many shapes, sizes and styles, it’s the material of which it’s made that truly separates strong commercial shelving from weak. Consider some of the benefits of steel storage, in particular, which can easily outperform plastic, wood or aluminum alternatives:

1. Because steel is such a rigid compound, steel shelves tend to be stronger and more durable than other shelves.
2. Its durability makes steel shelving ideal for storing especially large or heavy items.
3. Stainless steel shelves, in particular, are immune to corrosion.
4. Steel shelving units can be assembled on site in a variety of settings, and are therefore more flexible than many other options.

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Measure in order to accommodate your steel shelves

Before you populate your space with steel shelving, consider its layout. Measure for width, depth and height, as well as aisle space in between steel storage units.

I recommend: If your space is especially large or small, you may need to consider custom steel shelving systems; approach steel shelving vendors such as Easy Rack or steel storage manufacturers such as Tennsco to discuss customizing their products for your needs.

Choose between closed steel shelving and open steel shelving

Closed steel shelving, which includes panels on the back and sides of the steel shelves, and sometimes doors on the front, is discreet, private, secure and stable. Open steel shelving, meanwhile, is more affordable and more accessible.

I recommend: You can find both open and closed steel shelving systems online courtesy of companies such as Industrial Shelving Systems, Nationwide Industrial Supply and C&H Distributors.

Pay attention to steel shelves' construction

Light-duty steel shelving, including wire steel shelving, can be easily cleaned, assembled, installed and transported. Heavy-duty steel shelving, on the other hand, is a more permanent industrial shelving solution; heavy-duty stainless steel shelving can hold up to 1,000 pounds in your stockroom, warehouse or office.

I recommend: Download the Shelving Manufacturers Association's 'Shelving Users Guide' in order to better understand steel shelving specifications, then browse the selection of steel shelves and steel storage at Global Industrial.

Consider purpose-built steel shelving

If you have unique requirements--for instance, if you work in an industry such as foodservice or health care that requires clean, sterile surfaces, like those offered by stainless steel shelving--there is steel shelving that's ideally suited to your needs.

I recommend: Search for steel shelving and stainless steel shelving vendors online at GlobalSpec, where you can filter your search according to size and special features.

Select a commercial shelving installer

Consider hiring a professional to install your steel shelving; professional installation will ensure maximum efficiency and safety alike.

I recommend: Purchase your commercial shelving from a company that will also install it, such as SteelShelving-USA, Yankee Supply or Storage Services,Inc.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  All industrial shelving, including stainless steel shelving, is subject to local, state and federal building codes. Therefore, make sure your steel shelves are compliant with all standards before you buy or install them.
• •  If your storage needs are growing, consider starter steel shelving; a starter is intended to be extended and expanded with additional steel shelves, called 'add-ons,' that are designed specifically to attach onto starter steel shelving.
• •  In selecting stainless steel shelves, consider not only the weight of the items you're storing, but also their size; especially tall items might reduce the vertical capacity of your steel shelving units and therefore require you to purchase additional steel storage.
• •  Steel shelving is more than stainless steel shelves; buyers should also pay attention to the posts, connections and bracing in a particular steel-shelving unit before making a selection.
• •  For added stability and safety, consider anchoring your steel shelves to either the floor or the wall, or both.
• •  If your stainless steel shelving is being installed in a warehouse setting, protect it by installing guardrails and corner protectors in order to prevent damage from potential collisions with pallet jacks, material handling vehicles and other heavy-duty equipment.
• •  Post-installation, regularly check your steel shelves for loose hardware and damage in order to keep them safe and effective.

Utilizing steel shelving is a great way to store and organize equipment and supplies in any location, from small offices to large warehouses. Durable and practical, steel shelving will help you utilize whatever storage space you have. Whether you need heavy duty steel shelving or a wire shelving unit, you'll find that investing in long-lasting steel shelving for storage solutions is a smart business move.

The pricing and costs of steel shelving varies depending on whether you need industrial steel shelves, stainless steel shelving or rack shelving for large products or equipment, or just a few steel shelves to hold office supplies. Whatever your needs, you'll find that steel shelving will solve many of your storage problems. To best figure the pricing and costs of steel shelving, consider the following:

1. Compare the prices of different types of steel shelving.

2. Weigh the costs of open and closed steel shelving units.

3. Look into used steel shelving solutions to a lot for less.

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Choose from a variety of steel shelving units depending on your particular needs

The pricing and costs of steel shelving will, of course, vary greatly depending on what you're storing, and where. Purchasing pallet racks or industrial steel shelving for large warehouses, for instance, is much more costly than buying a few simple wire shelving units designed to hold supplies for a small office.

I recommend: View Lowe's wide inventory of steel shelving, from industrial steel shelving to wire shelving units, which cost about $150 and under. Find wide solid steel shelves or wire shelving for between $130 and $400 at ULine. Let Material Handling Solutions solve all your warehouse storage problems with starter kits and add-ons, most of which run between $100 and $250.

Price open and closed steel shelving units

Open shelving units are a good idea for large storage rooms where you can access the shelving from both sides of the racks, while closed steel shelving is a good idea for heavier supplies or equipment, as the backing allows for more sturdy construction.

I recommend: Select closed steel shelving units from Cisco-Eagle, sized at 36-, 42- and 48-inches in width, from just under $300 to nearly $500 per section. Pick from a large inventory of open steel shelving units of various gauges and sizes, in most cases for under $200, at A-Z Factory Supply. Find both open and closed steel shelving units, from a couple of hundred to a several hundred dollars, at Steel Shelving USA.

Save money by filling your warehouse or storage room with used steel shelving units

Steel shelving, especially for large warehouses, can be expensive. One way to make sure you stay at or under budget is to shop for used steel shelving. Check out companies that specialize in dealing with used steel shelving units liquidated from establishments that have gone out of business.

I recommend: Find used metal shelving of various widths and lengths for under $120, with extra shelves for under $10, at Warehouse Rack Company, which specializes in used steel shelving. Find used shelving at Industrial Shelving Systems, with prices ranging from $60 to $150, depending on whether your purchase includes boards. The Surplus Warehouse has used steel shelving units from between $50 and $100 per section, depending on the height and width you choose.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Explore custom steel shelving if standard sizes and styles won't work in your designated storage area. In many cases, you'll pay a certain price per square inch of the area for custom steel shelving.
• •  Factor in the costs of installing steel shelving if you're not doing the job yourself. Installation costs vary depending on what type and how many steel shelving units you're having installed. Get quotes from at least three installers before deciding on which one to use.

If you're looking to set up a warehouse or storage room for your business, you may want to start with steel shelving. Before you begin to shop, it might be wise to gain an understanding of some steel shelving key terms. There are many types of steel shelving such as: open, closed, wire or rivet. There are also related accessories, such as cross braces and angle sway braces. Knowing several steel shelving key terms might help you find exactly what you can use to satisfy your storage needs.

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Open and closed shelving

The two basic styles used by most warehouses and storage areas are open and closed steel shelving. Open steel shelving has no backing or side panels, while closed steel shelving does. Strength and stability differ between the types of shelving.

I recommend: Cisco-Eagle compares and explains open and closed steel shelving and also provides pictures of both types of shelving.

Wire shelving

Stainless wire shelving is another type of steel shelving. Wire steel shelving can be of industrial strength or is available for light duty storage as well. Using a mesh design for improved air flow, wire shelving can store anything from boxes to fixtures and more.

I recommend: Material Handling Solutions describes wire steel shelving, what it can be used for and provides pictures as well.

Starter and adder units

Some types of steel shelving units have what is called a starter unit, to which adder units can be attached to. Starter units come complete with all shelving and side panels, and adder units have an open end instead of a side panel for a continuous flow to the shelving.

I recommend: Find a description and illustrations of starter and adder units at Gaylord.

Cross braces

Cross braces are strips of steel used to add stability to steel shelving. They form an X at the back of the shelving, attached from one upright to another. They can be used on both open and closed steel shelving units.

I recommend: E System Sales explains steel braces, why they are used and has an illustration included.

Rivet shelving

For those on a budget, rivet shelving is the most affordable type of steel shelving. This type of steel shelving snaps together. Rivet shelving is also called boltless shelving.

I recommend: Find a detailed description of rivet shelving at Easy Rack.

Modular drawers

For added versatility to steel shelving, modular drawers can be used in both open and closed shelving styles. Modular drawers come in a variety of sizes to store small parts and other accessories.

I recommend: Felix Loeb describes modular drawers and also supplies a photo.