Wire shelving

Wire Shelving is commonly used in industrial and commercial uses, and more recently in residential use. It is also known as wire decking or ventilated shelving.

Wire decking consists of wire mesh supported by metal supports and is intended to be load-bearing. The mesh is usually welded to the supports, but may be attached in other ways as well. In commercial and industrial applications, the wire mesh usually has a minimum wire gauge of 0.105 inches when round wire is used. The most common shelf size is 42 inches deep by 46 inches wide, while two such shelves placed side-by-side can usually be combined to allow for a single shelf of 8 feet wide. The weight capacity of a 42x46 shelf ranges from 2,000 to 3,500 pounds, while the decking itself weighs from 24 to 30 pounds. The finish on the steel may either be painted or sprayed on, or be electroplated with zinc. Electroplating is more common with Chinese manufacturers while painting or spraying is more common with American manufacturers.

Wire shelving is used in a broad range of commercial and home applications. It is often used in restaurant, food service and retail store applications due to its ability to stay clean and resist rust and mold. It is also used by retailers, in industrial applications and in home kitchens as well. Wire shelving is excellent in areas where fire prevention is stressed because its open design allows sprinkler systems to function where solid shelving might block water flow.

Chrome-plated steel is much cheaper and much less rust resistant to scratches. Typical colors are chrome, white and black.

Wire shelving for industrial use consists of steel wire, used for the decking, and steel sheets, used for the supports. The wire makes up about 60% of the weight and the sheet steel about 40%.

Coiled steel wire is cut to the correct lengths required using straight-cut machines. Then, these individual wires are fed through a welding machine that joins them, using electric-resistance welding at each junction. The creates a continuous wire mesh, which is then cut to the lengths required.

Manufacturers receive sheets of steel pre-cut for the widths required. The sheets are fed through a roll-forming machine to create a "U" or "V" shape. The roll-forming machine also cuts the supports to the length required.

After welding, the decking is coated with either baked-on enamel or baked-on powder coating. This requires a cleaning process, heat drying, cooling, paint dip, and then final curing. The decking can instead be electroplated with zinc.

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Wikipedia