What pallet racking costs in Australia

New selective pallet racking is listed from $139 for a low add-on bay to $1,139 for a 6.1m high, 1.2m deep full bay (Steelspan, 1 November 2026). Used starter bays begin near $354, and heavy duty cantilever bays run from $889. Freight, installation, engineering and yearly inspections are extra.

Pallet racking is priced by the bay, and a bay is not a fixed thing. A 914mm low bay and a 6.1m bay with a 1,220mm deep frame are both a bay, and the supplier's list prices for them differ by roughly $900. Frame height, depth, beam length, beam levels, new or used and indoor or galvanised all move the number, and the steel is only part of the bill. Delivery, installation, engineering, load signs and a yearly inspection sit on top. This guide sets out published prices from four Australian sellers, what the costs around the steel look like, and how a warehouse fit-out is usually funded.

What pallet racking costs per bay

Steelspan, a New South Wales supplier with click and collect in Newcastle, publishes its selective racking prices online. Each product page shows a listed price and a lower "from" price, and does not say which beam option the "from" figure applies to, so both are shown. Steelspan certifies its racking to AS 4084-2023 and states a maximum of 8,400kg per bay depending on the design. The second half of the table is used racking from Victoria and South Australia. Figures are the sellers', indicative market data and not Ventas offers. GST treatment differs by seller and is noted where the page states it. Prices were checked on 1 November 2026 unless a row says otherwise. The two Evans Clarke South Australian lots closed on 22 February 2023, nearly four years ago, so treat them as a dated reference point only. The auction results from April to June 2026 are recent but are salvage and clearing-sale lots, sold as is.

The auction rows show how wide the used market is: a dismantle-and-remove single bay at $47.50 and six uprights with twelve beams at $585, before the buyer's premium, dismantling and transport. Two other things stand out. A full bay carries both end frames, so an add-on bay in the same run is about $180 cheaper, and a long run of add-on bays is where the saving sits. And used packages are not always cheaper per bay: a used Dexion Speedlock starter bay at $614 to $1,254 overlaps with new Steelspan bays of similar height. Used makes sense when it matches the brand already on your floor, because mixing frames and beams from different systems is where capacity gets unclear. Steelspan's page notes that beam locking pins and concrete anchors are included, and Shelving Supply Australia notes that load signs and corner guards are not.

Price per pallet position

Buyers often want a price per pallet position. No Australian supplier in this survey publishes one, and Steelspan's page does not say how many beam levels its bay price includes (beam levels can be set from 1 to 6). As an illustration only, if a H4267mm full bay at the $639 listed price covered the floor level plus two beam levels with two pallets on each level, that is six positions, or about $107 a position (our arithmetic). The add-on bay at $459 works out near $77. Treat that as a rough guide: add the beams you actually need, and check the beam capacity table. Steelspan's capacities run from 1,150kg per pair of 2743mm beams in the lightest 80mm section to 3,125kg per pair of 2591mm beams in the 120mm section.

Cantilever racking and longspan shelving

Cantilever racking stores long and awkward stock such as timber, pipe and steel, and is priced well above selective bays because of the heavy uprights and arms. Longspan shelving suits hand-picked cartons and small parts rather than pallets, and costs much less. Dexion's drive-in racking page publishes no price and points to an enquiry line, so drive-in racking is quoted to a layout and none is shown here.

Steelspan's standard duty range is listed with a bay capacity of up to 4,200kg in its text, and its page filter says 4,130kg, so confirm the figure before you rely on it. Its heavy duty range lists arm capacities of 890kg per arm at 900mm, 665kg at 1,200mm and 525kg at 1,500mm, and says the heavy duty range can carry up to 10,500kg per bay depending on the configuration. MHA Products shows its longspan prices as excluding GST, and the load per shelf drops from 390kg to 290kg when the beam goes from 1,800mm to 2,400mm.

The costs around the steel

Installation. No Australian installer or supplier I found publishes a per-bay or per-position installation rate. Overseas rate cards are not a safe guide, so ask at least three installers for a quote that separates materials, delivery, installation and engineering. Steelspan supplies assembly instructions and anchors with its bays, so a capable crew can fit small runs, but a large or tall run is normally a job for an installer.

Rated capacity and signs. SafeWork NSW says the maximum unit load and the total rated capacity for each bay should never be exceeded, and that capacities should be marked where they can be seen. Inspectors check the signs are legible and that the configuration has not been altered. Steelspan's cantilever load limit sign is $49.

Inspections. SafeWork NSW's pallet racking guide, which cites the 2023 editions of AS 4084.1 and AS 4084.2, says formal inspections are to be done by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months. Steelspan offers inspections but does not publish a price. Damaged beams should be replaced, and a changed layout or non-manufacturer parts need approval from the manufacturer, supplier or a qualified engineer.

Forklifts. Racking has to be loaded and unloaded by forklift, and delivery needs one too: Shelving Supply Australia requires a forklift on site to unload and does not offer kerbside delivery. Evans Clarke charged $12 a lot for forklift loading on its closed lots. For forklift pricing see our forklift prices guide, and if the racking is going into a shed you are buying, read buying a warehouse.

Financing warehouse racking

Racking is a common finance request, but lenders see it as a fit-out item. It is bolted to the floor, it is fitted to a particular layout and it resells at a fraction of its cost, so valuation is cautious. Some lenders will fund the racking itself on equipment finance, particularly new stock from a supplier with a clear invoice. Installation and engineering are services rather than an asset, so they are harder to fund and may sit in a separate business loan or in your own cash. Ventas is a broker, not a lender, so we do not quote rates here. They change with the lender, the security and the file.

Illustrative only, subject to lender assessment. A realistic fit-out for a 3PL or wholesaler moving into a new shed:

And how it is typically funded across lender types:

What makes a racking deal fundable:

• A supplier quote. Itemised racking, delivery and install, with the AS 4084 certification stated.
• A lease or site you control. A term that outlasts the loan, since the racking is fixed to a floor you may not own.
• Trading history. Two years of financials and BAS, or a strong contract behind a start-up.
• Security. A deposit, and a property if the business is young.

To get a number from Ventas, send the racking quote and install plan, the lease, and recent financials. See equipment finance, forklift finance for the truck that goes with it, and our answer on financing warehouse racking and fit-out. Finance is subject to lender assessment and approval. On tax and any write-off, ask your accountant.

This is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Figures are indicative market data from the sources listed, not Ventas offers, and move with the market. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a professional. All finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.