Clip Shelving Installation Guide

Clip Shelving Installation Guide


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What is Clip Shelving?

Clip shelving is a common type of industrial shelving system that is versatile and customizable. This type of shelving features strong, steel shelves that are fully lapped and welded for extra strength. Due to its heavy-duty properties, clip shelving is a great fit for maintenance or manufacturing environments where heavy-duty storage requirements need to be met.

Clip shelving systems consist of uprights, beams, and shelves similar to other shelving types. But as opposed to other industrial shelving systems, clip shelving is entirely made of steel and requires clips to secure the shelves to the uprights. This makes clip shelving perfect for heavy-duty storage applications where corrosive materials or products with abrasive properties are stored.

The shelves of a clip-type system are attached to the uprights using compression clips. Sway braces are also added to clip shelving systems to increase the stability of the system. 

Clip shelving is also available in both open and closed-type systems. Open clip shelving systems allow you to access stored items from all sides, whereas a closed clip shelving system has panels that cover the back and sides. Open clip shelving systems are the most versatile, however, closed clip systems provide additional protection of your products from environmental elements like dust and debris, allowing you to keep your things clean while ensuring the product doesn’t slide from one shelf to another.

 

How to Determine the Needs of your System

Coming up with a practical design for your clip shelving system is an important process that will ensure that you have an efficient system that matches your business needs for years to come. The goal is to make sure that you can maximize your space and get the most out of your shelving system while improving the efficiency of your operation. This process requires some thought about your business operation, the space where the shelving will be installed, your products.

Clip shelving systems are a little more complex to design because they include clips, side bracing, and back bracing.

Layout

The first step is to determine the area where your shelving will be installed. Clip shelving is only accessible from the front and therefore can be installed alongside a wall, or in back to back rows. Determine the length of each row, the width of the aisles, the space between each aisle, and the height of your ceiling. The aisle space depends on the size of your products and the equipment you use to access them. Also, consider how many people will need access to products at the same time and whether you need to leave extra space for that. Once you have the dimensions figured out, you can see which size shelving will fit your space. Keep in mind that the posts will add extra width to the measurement of the shelves. American Storage and Logistics carries shelves that are 38” to 48” wide and 12” to 36” deep.

Capacity

Consider the type of products your shelving system is going to hold. Clip shelving is very customizable through different accessory options. Below is a list of accessory options that American Storage and Logistics carries.

clip shelving accessories

Depending on the height of your products, the shelves can be adjusted in 1” increments to make maximum use of vertical space. If you will be storing products on top of your shelving unit, you will need to leave some space from the top of the unit to your ceiling.

Another thing to consider is how many products will be loaded onto the shelves and if extra space will be needed to easily load and unload them.

Accessibility

Clip shelving comes in open and closed styles; both are mainly accessed from the front. Open style provides easier access to items, whereas closed style is ideal for storing small or loose items.

Room for Growth

When designing your shelving system, always consider your future business needs. If you think that your storage needs may increase in the future, you may want to allow for space to add additional units. In order to be able to connect additional units to your starter unit, you will need to have built it with the type of uprights that allow for units to be joined together. Taking this step at the beginning will save you from having to disassemble your existing units in the future when adding additional shelving. For more information, view the section “How to Install your Clip Shelving” below.

Installing your Clip Shelving

Things To Know Before Starting

Shelving should only be installed by qualified, trained personnel who are experienced in industrial shelving assembly. Two people are recommended for assembly. Review the manufacturer’s instructions and all of the diagrams before beginning the installation.

Always adhere your shelving units to the floor with anchors or bolts, and ensure that any adjoining units are secured together for increased stability.

Inspect all of your shelving units; uprights, beams, shelves, and anything else that comes with your systems for damage immediately. Do not proceed with the installation if any of the items appear damaged. Reference the packing list for the inventory of materials. Do not proceed with the installation if there are any missing items. Check your items for part numbers to double-check that all of the materials are there. If the part numbers do not match or if you notice missing parts, do not proceed with the installation.

How to Install your Clip Shelving

Tools You Will Need:

  • 7/16” or nut driver or socket

  • Flathead screwdriver

 

Step 1: Clip shelving uprights come in three different styles, as shown below.

 

These three styles may be used in several different combinations. In order to better understand these instructions, please examine the following configurations to determine which type of installation you will be assembling:

 






Step 2: Create the right side of the shelving units by laying two uprights side by side on a flat surface. Be sure that the short side of the OAP upright(s) is facing up, as shown below. One side of the upright is longer than the other and contains two sets of holes. When laying the uprights side-by-side, this long side should be on the floor, and the short side should be pointing into the air.

 

 

If your unit will use BTP or HBP uprights in the front, be sure to select the proper upright and that the open edge is facing the OAP upright, as shown below.







Step 3: Attach the two side sway braces beginning in the 20th hole from the top of each upright (approximately 20” from the top) using two ¼” - 20 x ⅝” bolts and nuts. The side sway braces attach to the longer side of the uprights (the side with two sets of holes). Bolt the braces into the small holes near the edge of the uprights as shown in circles below. Note the hole pattern of two round holes and then one square hole, repeating every 3”, which should help facilitate proper placement of the bolts. Finger-tighten only at this point.


Step 4: Attach the other end of both sway braces. The information below will help you to figure out how many holes should be between the top and bottom of the sway braces. Count the holes carefully, as an incorrect count will cause the upright to be the wrong depth to hold the shelves.






Step 5: Place one ¼” - 20 x ⅝” bolt and nut in the hole where the two sway braces cross. Insert the bolt from the outside of the uprights, sot that the nut will be inside the unit. Again, finger-tighten only for the time being.

 

 

Step 6: Repeat steps 2 through 5 for the left uprights. Again, be sure to note the types of uprights you should be using (according to the illustrations in Step 2) for your type of installation. If you have purchased an adder unit such as the last illustration in Step 1, please note that only one BTP or HBP is used in between units.

You should not have complete left and right sides of your shelving unit, with sway brace bolts and nuts still finger-tightening only.

Step 7: Have an associate hold one upright while you place four shelf clips in the top and bottom holes of each post, as shown below.

rivet shelving

Step 8: Place a shelf onto the bottom two clips.

Step 9: Tie in the two sets of uprights with the bottom shelf.

Step 10: Place the top shelf over the four clips at the top of the upright.

clip shelving

Step 11: Bolt the rear sway braces on the back of the unit, using five ¼” - 20 x ⅝” bolts and nuts, as shown. Again, the top of the sway races should be in the 20th hole from the top of each upright (approximately 20” from the top). The chart below will help you determine the proper number of holes between the top and bottom of the sway braces. Note that the hole count includes the holes which will contain the bolts.

clip shelving 2

Step 12: Position the remaining shelf clips according to your desired shelf heights, and place the shelves over the clips. Keep in mind while placing the clips, that the hole pattern of two round holes and then one square hole repeated every 3” can greatly help in aligning the clips evenly. Some shelves, depending upon placement, could possibly require temporary removal of one end of a sway brace in order to insert the shelf.



Step 13: Tighten up all the bolts and nuts on the rear and side sway braces. There are fifteen bolts and nuts to tighten, five for each pair of sway braces.

 

Step 14: If you purchased the optional label holder place it on the front edge of the shelf and secure it with three provided P-38F plastic tabs.


Step 15: If you purchase the optional front base strip, bolt it to the outside of the bottom shelf with the three self-tapping screws provided. Make sure that the ends of the front base strop are behind the front flanges of the uprights.

 

Step 16: For even better reinforcement, place two ¼” - 20 x 5/8 “ bolts and nuts through each corner of each shelf, and into the small holes of the upright.


Step 17: If more than one unit is to be used in a row, bolt a pair of upright posts to the first unit with ¼” - 20 x 1” bolts and nuts. Note that where Tp and HP posts are used, two units will share one post. The pair of side braces on the first unit becomes a common pair of the two units. 


Step 18: If two units are to be used back-to-back, the back braces on the first unit become a common pair for the two units.



Where To Buy Industrial Shelving Near You

At American Storage & Logistics, we carry all three major types of industrial shelving: clip shelving, rivet shelving, and wide-span shelving. We have fully built systems, kits, and individual components that will allow you to customize your storage solution to fit your needs. If you are in the mid-Michigan area near Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, or Battle Creek, you can purchase your industrial shelving products online and pick them up at our warehouse the same day, or get them delivered to your business as soon as tomorrow.

Explore our industrial shelving products that are available on our website or give us a call at 616-247-9800 to chat with one of our storage specialists and we can help you find the right system to fit your needs.

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