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Push Back High Density Racking
Push back racking stores 2 to 6 pallets deep per lane—up to 12 pallets deep back to back—while keeping selectivity in the horizontal and vertical storage plane.
Push back systems are engineered to your pallet type, lane depth, and throughput goals. These are not standard add-to-cart items—each system is planned to fit your operation.
What Is Push Back Racking?
Our push back system provides selectivity in the horizontal and vertical storage plane while maintaining multiple pallets stored in depth. This flexible system allows a customer to store from 2 to 6 pallets in depth. These systems can be placed back to back allowing for a maximum of 12 pallets deep of storage.
A cart is manufactured with a welded front, middle and rear cross member. The wheels on the carts travel inside an I-beam rail. This heavy-duty system even ties the rails to all the support beams.
Full Pallet Support & Flexible Frame Layouts
The carts provide full support for the pallet, and the Konstant Push Back system can provide a safety bar between the rails for the last pallet stored on the rails.
This versatile system allows the frames to be arranged in a traditional straight line front to back or a staggered frame pattern. The patented staggered pattern reduces the column load, which reduces loading on the floor. It also reduces the capacity required on the support beam—thus reducing the height of the beam and increasing the available vertical height.
Benefits of Push Back High-Density Racking
Push back racking increases storage density without sacrificing the selectivity warehouses need for mixed-SKU operations.
- Selectivity: Every vertical level pick face can be a different SKU. This system, properly used, averages an occupancy rate of 80–90%. It works with most types of forklifts, and pallet configuration can range from 2 to 12 pallets deep.
- Durability: All carts, rails, and support structure are produced from structural components. The only mechanical parts in the system are the four wheels per cart.
- Inventory Control: FIFO can be achieved when handling batch-lot products. The fork truck remains in the aisle and does not enter the system.
How It Works (Using a Three-Deep Pushback as an Example)
Push back racking uses gravity and nested carts so operators load and unload from a single aisle, with pallets rolling forward as the front load is removed.
- Each lane is equipped with a pair of inclined rails and a series of color-coded nested carts. The first pallet (supports up to six) is placed by the lift truck on the top (orange-colored) cart.
- The second pallet is loaded by pushing back the first load and placing it on the next exposed cart.
- Pallet three is loaded similarly. The last pallet is placed on the rails themselves.
- When removing product, the lift truck takes out the front pallet, allowing the pallets on carts behind it to roll gently to the front of the rack.
Features and Benefits of Push Back Racking
The Konstant structural cart is what sets this push back system apart. Every cart is built from structural angle and tube sections for years of trouble-free operation.
Structural Cart
The structural cart is the heart of the push back system. Here is what makes it more durable and easier to operate than competing designs.
- Carts are fully welded with a front, middle, and rear structural tie. Better support for weaker or damaged pallets results in years of trouble-free operation—a hallmark of Konstant.
- Unlike other pushback designs, all carts in each lane are full size—not progressively smaller. This provides a consistent loading platform for each pallet, helping the operator load the system quickly and safely.
- Carts are made from structural angle and tube sections. Pushback handles abuse better than other systems during loading and unloading—it can take the bumps and knocks that happen too often.
- Upper carts are visible from the aisle. Loading the system is much easier when carts can be seen by the operator, and the multi-colored carts provide a great guide.
- Carts are color-coded. The color of carts visible at the front of the installation lets staff know—at a glance—how many pallets are in each lane, perfect for counting inventory.
- The cart legs position the wheels to run flat on the surface of the rail. Better wheel contact requires less force to turn the wheel, which means less force to push the pallet—far less wear and tear on the lift truck mast and a much smaller power draw.
Frequently Asked Questions About Push Back Racking
Shelving.com helps warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing teams understand push back racking, compare it with other high-density storage systems, and identify the details needed before requesting a quote.
What is push back racking and how does it work?
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Push back racking is a high-density pallet storage system that stores 2 to 6 pallets deep per lane using inclined rails and nested, color-coded carts. Pallets are loaded and unloaded from a single aisle: each new pallet pushes the previous load back, and when a front pallet is removed, the pallets behind it roll gently forward.
How many pallets deep can a push back system store?
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A single push back lane can store from 2 to 6 pallets in depth. When systems are placed back to back, you can achieve a maximum of 12 pallets deep of storage.
Is push back racking LIFO or FIFO?
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Push back racking primarily operates on a LIFO (last-in, first-out) basis because pallets are loaded and retrieved from the same aisle. FIFO rotation can be achieved when handling batch-lot products. Throughout, the fork truck stays in the aisle and never enters the system.
What makes push back racking high density without losing selectivity?
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Every vertical level pick face can hold a different SKU, so you keep selectivity in both the horizontal and vertical plane while storing multiple pallets in depth. Properly used, the system averages an occupancy rate of 80–90%.
Does push back racking work with standard forklifts?
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Yes. The system works with most types of forklifts, and the lift truck loads and unloads entirely from the aisle without driving into the rack. Pallet configuration can range from 2 to 12 pallets deep depending on your layout.
What information is needed to quote a push back racking system?
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Helpful details include pallet dimensions and weight, the number of pallets you need to store deep, available floor space and clear height, forklift type, SKU count, and your throughput goals. Push back systems are configured to your operation rather than sold off the shelf.
High-Density Storage Resources & Planning Guides
Compare push back racking with other high-density pallet storage systems before requesting a quote. These resources can help you weigh storage density, selectivity, and inventory rotation for your warehouse.
Selective Pallet Racking
Selective pallet racking offers 100% pallet selectivity and immediate access to every load. It is the most common system for operations with many SKUs and frequent picking.
View Pallet Racking →Gravity Flow Racks
Gravity flow racks use inclined roller lanes for FIFO rotation, loading from one side and picking from the other. They are ideal for high-density carton picking and date-sensitive products.
View Gravity Flow Racks →Pallet Track
Pallet track adds gravity flow rails to pallet racking for dense, first-in/first-out pallet storage. A strong complement to push back where rotation matters.
View Pallet Track →Start Your Push Back Racking Plan
Tell us what you store, and we’ll help define the right high-density push back system.
We Can Help YouStart Your Push Back Racking Plan
Tell us what you store, and we’ll help define the right high-density push back system.
We Can Help You