Push-back rack
Also called: push-back racking, pushback rack
A push-back rack stores pallets several deep on nested wheeled carts that roll on slightly inclined rails. Loading a new pallet pushes the others back, and removing the front pallet lets the rest roll forward, so stock is last in, first out.
In depth: Pallet racking and deflection: rack spans, direction and sag limits
Push-back racking gives more density than selective rack without the forklift entering the rack, as it does with drive-in rack. Each lane holds several pallets, loaded and unloaded from the aisle.
How the pallet is supported
The pallet sits on a cart rather than directly on beams. The cart's frame and rails give the support, so the pallet's bearing pattern depends on the cart design. Carts are nested; the rearmost position usually rests on the rails.
What it needs from the pallet
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| Bottom deck that bears on the cart frame | Point bearing on cart members damages boards |
| Consistent footprint | Pallets that overhang carts can snag |
| Adequate stiffness | Carts may not support the full bottom deck |
| Sound bottom boards | Loose boards catch on rails |
Why it matters
Pallet requirements for push-back systems come from the rack maker. They vary by cart design, so a pallet that works in one system is not automatically fine in another.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
State "push-back rack", the lane depth in pallets, and how the cart supports the pallet (ask the rack supplier for a drawing if you do not have one). Include the rack supplier's pallet requirements.
Common confusions
Push-back is last in, first out. Pallet flow is first in, first out. They look similar from the aisle.
Related
- GlossaryWhat is pallet racking?Pallet racking is a steel storage structure of upright frames and horizontal beams that holds loaded pallets in levels above the floor. The pallet usually spans the gap between two beams, so its racking load rating, not its floor rating, governs.
- GlossaryPallet flow rackA pallet flow rack is gravity racking where pallets ride on slightly inclined roller lanes from the loading aisle to the picking aisle, giving first in, first out rotation. The pallet's bottom deck rides directly on the rollers.
- GlossaryDrive-in rackA drive-in rack is high-density racking where the forklift drives into a lane and places pallets many deep on continuous rails along each side. The pallet is supported only along two edges, so its capacity across the unsupported direction governs.
- GuidesPallet racking and deflection: rack spans, direction and sag limitsIn a rack a pallet spans between two beams with nothing underneath, so it bends. Racked across the length (stringers span about 40 to 44 in on a 48 in pallet) is usually stiffer than across the width (deckboards span about 36 in). Common deflection limits are about 2% of span, or 0.5 in or less for automated storage.
More in Handling and storage
- GlossaryAutomated storageAutomated storage, often called AS/RS (automated storage and retrieval system), stores and retrieves pallets with stacker cranes, shuttles and conveyors instead of forklift drivers. It needs pallets with tight dimensional tolerances, low deflection (often 0.5 in, 13 mm, or less) and sound bottom decks.
- GlossaryBlock stackingBlock stacking is storing unit loads directly on top of one another on the warehouse floor, in rows and columns, with no racking. The bottom pallet and the packaging carry the whole stack, so static load and box compression strength limit the height.
- GlossaryConveyorA pallet conveyor moves loaded pallets on driven rollers or chains instead of a forklift. The pallet's bottom deck is the running surface, so the orientation of bottom boards, flatness, deflection and condition decide whether it runs reliably.
- GlossaryEdge protectorAn edge protector, or corner board, is an L-shaped strip of laminated paperboard, plastic or other material placed on the vertical or top edges of a unit load. It spreads strapping and stretch wrap pressure, protects case corners, and can add vertical stacking strength.
- GlossaryFork tinesFork tines are the two steel arms on a forklift or pallet jack that slide into a pallet's openings to lift it. Their width, thickness, length and spacing set the minimum size of the pallet's openings and affect its dynamic load rating.
- GlossaryPallet dispenserA pallet dispenser is a machine that holds a stack of empty pallets and releases them one at a time, usually onto a conveyor feeding a palletizer. It needs pallets with consistent dimensions, flat decks and sound bottom boards.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 239 words.