Storage Solutions for Timber Construction & Carpentry
Storage designed around how a working joinery shop actually operates
While timber storage requirements vary significantly when moving from an external yard or warehouse setting into a carpentry/joinery workshop, it is essential that timber be close enough to the bench that the next length can easily be reached, properly organised according to species/size, and stored correctly to allow good air flow – failing to provide timber with sufficient air flow during its storage in a workshop will result in the wood warping, sagging, or otherwise becoming damp long before reaching the saw.
Irish timber workshops, carpenters, and joiners often have to work with limited space, using their shop within an already developed property such as a shed or industrial unit. Therefore, designing a storage system that is appropriate for the space limitations but also provides efficient and secure storage is important. OHRA designs bespoke timber storage systems for such settings, with the focus on your particular needs and processes.
Cantilever Racks
Workshop timber storage is generally done using cantilever racking, which offers the ability to store and easily access the required timber according to species, colour, and dimensions, in a compact and orderly manner.
OHRA cantilever racking uses hot rolled steel profiles, offering a high capacity for loads without requiring a bulky structure, allowing several storage levels to be set up in a limited workspace. Furthermore, thanks to the open arm design of cantilever racking, airflow is guaranteed around the stored timber, ensuring that it remains safe from moisture. The design of the racks is customised to your workshop measurements and requirements.
Key advantages:
- Hot rolled steel construction – offers high load capacities without having a bulky structure
- Several storage levels can be created within a limited area
- The open arm design facilitates airflow around the stored timber, thus preventing any moisture-related issues
Customisable to individual workshop measurements and requirements
Vertical Racks
When it comes to storing boards and other sheet material in the workshop, vertical racking tends to be a preferred choice due to the ability of boards to slide out easily along roller conveyors, thus allowing the required boards to be retrieved without lifting heavy stacks.
With OHRA, the boards can be subdivided by use of separators and separated arms when greater subdivisions are needed. Furthermore, all boards are stored on their edge, in a clear and accessible manner – no forklifts are required for the process.
Mezzanine floors
In case the workshop has high ceilings and the floor has been entirely taken by benches, machines, and storage racks, the overhead area can become an additional space for storage in a workshop, creating a second or even third storage level above the workshop floor.
OHRA mezzanine structures are customised for each client and are able to accommodate rack storage at their top level. The load bearing capacity of the walkway is 350 kg/m2, sufficient for storing large quantities of boards and timber. The following accessories are included: lighting fixtures, ladders, stairs.
Storing Timber Correctly — Why It Matters in an Irish Workshop
Irish weather requires special care for stored timber since, in the presence of excessive moisture, warping, and fungal damage to the wood can occur. Proper ventilation is therefore required, which the design of cantilever racks ensures by allowing air flow in all directions, something that cannot be said about closed shelf storage or stacking.
Timber stored in a cantilever rack is separated in accordance with species and size, while it is individually accessible and does not require any handling during searches – each time a certain piece of timber is searched for and then restacked after use, there is a chance of damaging the wood, as well as losing valuable time.
Real Results in the Workshop
Schmidt carpentry
OHRA has constructed a cantilever storage system for the Thuringian carpentry workshop Torsten Schmidt, which not only offers more space for panels and timber, but also supports a photovoltaic system on the roof.
Bauking
In a new OHRA rack clad building constructed from cantilever racks, customers of the building materials retailer BAUKING at the Lorup site can now find all timber goods centrally in one place. Compared to the previous storage solution, the racking system also offers significantly more capacity, allowing BAUKING to stock a larger number of different items. One challenge in the project planning was slopes of 0.7 percent in two directions for drainage of the outdoor storage area. To compensate for the slope, OHRA utilised a special roof construction: The roof arms of the racks are not connected to each other, but a "gap" of 10 centimetres remains between them. It is concealed by a flexibly attached ridge cap. This not only keeps the interior dry, but also prevents tensions and vibrations from being transmitted between the runs of racking.
Gerbrich
The Czech door manufacturer Gerbrich was able to create high storage capacities in a small area for its production by using cantilever racks from OHRA. The racking system also enables efficient storage processes due to the fast handling of the goods and the good overview of the stock and thus a reliable supply to the production with the required materials such as chipboard or panelling.
Trend Hout
Trendhout, the Dutch specialist for exclusive garden buildings, has equipped its new logistics centre in Hattemerbroek with racking systems from OHRA. The focus of the system layout was to create as much storage capacity as possible on the available space. In just two weeks, OHRA installed a steel volume equivalent to six fully loaded trucks - resulting in a racking system with 390 meters of cantilever racking and storage space for 1,422 pallets. As a result, Trendhout has been able to significantly improve the efficiency and time required for order picking, stock levels are now organized and clear, and delivery reliability has increased.
