1. Introduction
1.1 Definition of ground shelf
Simply put, a floor rack is a shelf type of equipment that is placed directly on the ground to store, support or display items. It is not like a wall rack that needs to be fixed on the wall, it can be stable by its own structure, from the utility rack and bookshelf in the home, to the storage shelf in the warehouse, and the display shelf in the shopping mall, all belong to the category of ground shelf.
1.2 Purpose and importance of ground shelf
The use of ground shelves permeates all aspects of life and work. At home, it can help you organize snacks in the living room, clothes in the bedroom, and sundries on the balcony, making the space tidier; In commercial scenarios, warehouses can improve space utilization by storing goods, and shopping malls can use it to display goods to improve the display effect. It can even be seen in outdoor scenes for placing tools or supplies.
To give a real case: a small e-commerce warehouse I connected to before did not use a suitable ground shelf in the early stage, and the goods were stacked in a messy manner, not only did it take more than half an hour to find the goods, but the goods were crushed and damaged many times. Later, after replacing with the adapted ground shelf, the time to find goods was shortened to 5 minutes, and the cargo loss rate was also reduced by 30%. This is enough to show that the ground shelf can significantly improve space utilization and protect the safety of items, and is a key tool to improve efficiency.
1.3 The significance of choosing the right material
The core of choosing a floor frame is the choice of materials – the material directly determines the strength, durability, cost and even aesthetics of the floor frame. For example, if you use a wooden floor shelf in a damp bathroom, there is a high probability that it will be deformed by moisture in half a year; The use of industrial-style metal shelves in the family living room may be incompatible with the warm decoration style. Choosing the right material can not only meet the needs of use, but also extend the service life, avoiding the hassle and additional cost of repeated replacement.
2. Overview of common ground shelf materials
2.1 Wood
Advantages: The biggest advantage of wooden floor shelves is that they have high appearance and good texture, and can be easily integrated into various home styles such as Chinese and Japanese styles. Moreover, the wood feels warm to the touch, does not have the cold feeling of metal, and the weight is relatively light, making it more convenient to move. In addition, wood is less difficult to process and can be customized into various shapes, such as combined bookshelves with drawers and partitions. Judging from the data, the market recognition of high-quality solid wood floor shelves has reached 68%, and they are mostly used in home scenarios.
Disadvantages: poor durability is the hard damage of wooden floor shelves, especially afraid of moisture and insects, in an environment with humidity of more than 60%, ordinary wooden shelves are prone to deformation and mold. Moreover, its load-bearing capacity is limited, generally only able to withstand a weight of 20-50kg, and cannot be used in load-bearing scenarios such as warehouses. In addition, the cost of high-quality solid wood materials is higher, 2-3 times more expensive than ordinary plastic frames.
2.2 Metals
Advantages: Metals (commonly steel and aluminum alloys) are the mainstream choices in commercial and industrial scenarios, and the core advantages are high strength and strong load-bearing capacity. For example, ordinary steel floor shelves can bear up to 100-500kg, and heavy metal shelves can even bear more than 1000kg, which is suitable for warehouse storage of heavy objects. Moreover, the metal material is corrosion-resistant, not easy to deform, and has a long service life, which can reach 10-15 years under normal use. The aluminum alloy material is also lightweight, taking into account both load-bearing and portability.
Disadvantages: The texture of the metal frame is cold, and it is easy to look abrupt if it is not treated in the home scene. The steel material is heavy, inconvenient to move, and there is a risk of rust, which requires anti-rust treatment such as painting and galvanizing, which increases the cost. In addition, the cycle of custom metal frames is longer, generally taking 7-15 days, which is not as convenient as plastic frames.
2.3 Plastic
Advantages: The biggest advantage of plastic floor shelves is that they are cost-effective, and the price is usually only 1/3 of wooden shelves and 1/5 of metal shelves. It is waterproof, moisture-proof, and corrosion-resistant, suitable for use in wet scenarios such as bathrooms, balconies, and outdoors, and is extremely lightweight, making it easy to move around at will. The color of plastic is rich, which can meet the aesthetic needs of different scenarios, the processing cycle is short, and the stock is sufficient, which is suitable for urgent use.
Disadvantages: The load-bearing capacity is the shortcoming of plastic racks, ordinary plastic racks can only withstand 10-30kg, and high-strength engineering plastic racks are difficult to exceed 50kg, unable to store heavy objects. Moreover, plastic has poor high temperature resistance, easy to age and deform in high temperature environments, and has a short service life, generally only 2-5 years.
2.4 Composite materials
Advantages: Composite materials (such as wood-plastic composites, carbon fiber composites) are the best choice for comprehensive performance, which combines the advantages of multiple materials. For example, the wood-plastic composite frame has both the beautiful texture of wood and the waterproof and moisture-proof characteristics of plastic; The carbon fiber composite frame combines the high strength of metal with the lightness of plastic. This type of material is highly durable, with a lifespan of up to 8-12 years and low maintenance costs.
Disadvantages: high cost is the main problem of composite materials, the price is 30%-50% more expensive than high-quality solid wood frames, and is currently mainly used in special scenarios with high performance requirements, such as high-end homes, precision instrument storage, etc., and the penetration rate of ordinary scenarios is low. Moreover, the recycling of composite materials is difficult and has a certain pressure on the environment.
3. Considerations for material selection
3.1 Strength and durability
This is the core factor in choosing the material of the floor shelf, which needs to be judged by the weight of the stored items and the use environment. If heavy objects (such as warehouse goods, large machinery and equipment parts), give priority to metal materials such as steel; If you store lightweight items (such as household items, books), wood or plastic is fine. At the same time, consider the environment: choose plastic or composite materials in humid environments, and relatively small restrictions on materials in dry environments.
3.2 Cost-effectiveness
It is necessary to balance the initial procurement cost with the long-term use cost. Plastic shelves have the lowest initial cost but have a short service life and may require frequent replacement in the long term; The initial cost of the metal frame is high, but it has a long service life and low maintenance cost, making it suitable for long-term use; Composites have the highest initial cost and are only suitable for scenarios with special performance requirements. It is recommended that ordinary families choose plastic or affordable solid wood, metal in commercial scenarios, and consider composite materials for high-end needs.
3.3 Environmental impact
Environmental protection is increasingly concerned, with priority given to recyclable and low-pollution materials. The recycling rate of metal materials (such as steel and aluminum alloys) is more than 90%, which is the first choice for environmental protection. It is recommended to choose FSC-certified sustainable wood to reduce forest damage; Try to choose PP, PE and other recyclable plastics for plastic, and avoid using low-quality plastics that are difficult to degrade; Composite materials need to pay attention to the pollution emissions in their production process.
3.4 Aesthetics and design
It needs to be combined with the decoration style of the scene. For family living rooms, bedrooms and other scenes, preferential selection of wood or wood-plastic composite materials, with a warm texture and adaptation to a variety of home styles; Optional metal frame for industrial style decoration highlights the tough texture; In functional scenes such as bathrooms and balconies, plastic shelves are rich in color and easier to match. Commercial display scenarios need to combine brand tonality and choose materials that can enhance the texture of the product.
4. Recommendation of the best materials for different purposes
4.1 Home use
The home scene prioritizes beauty, lightness and cost-effectiveness. Living room bookshelves and bedroom storage shelves are recommended solid wood or wood-plastic composite materials, which are both beautiful and durable, and can be integrated into the home style; Waterproof plastic or aluminum alloy is recommended for bathrooms and balconies, which are waterproof and moisture-proof, and have a long service life; Food-grade plastic is recommended for children’s rooms, which are safe, non-toxic, lightweight, and not easy to hurt even if dumped.
4.2 Commercial Use
The core requirements of commercial scenarios are strong load-bearing and durable. Warehouse storage is recommended to be made of steel, with strong load-bearing capacity and maximize the use of space; Shopping mall display stands are recommended aluminum alloy or wood-plastic composite materials, aluminum alloy is lightweight and customizable, and wood-plastic composite materials are both beautiful and durable; Convenience store shelves recommend cold-rolled steel, which is cost-effective and suitable for high-frequency use scenarios.
4.3 Special needs (e.g. outdoor use)
Outdoor scenes need to cope with harsh environments such as wind, rain, and sun, and materials need to be waterproof, sunproof, and corrosion-resistant. Aluminum alloy or modified plastic is preferred, aluminum alloy is corrosion-resistant and lightweight, and modified plastic has super weather resistance and long service life. If you need to take into account the aesthetics, you can choose an outdoor wood-plastic composite frame to avoid ordinary wood from being deformed by moisture.
5. Sourcing Agent Perspective (Yigu)
As a Sourcing Agent who has been deeply involved in the procurement industry for many years, I recommend that when choosing Floor Rack materials, you should first clarify the core needs before making targeted selections. Home users do not need to pursue high-priced metals or composite materials, affordable solid wood and high-quality plastics can meet the needs, and focus on environmental protection certification when purchasing; Commercial users give priority to steel or aluminum alloys, and bulk purchases can be directly connected to the factory to reduce costs; For outdoor or special scenarios, be sure to choose materials that have been weathered to avoid increasing maintenance costs due to material problems. In addition, the cost of composite materials is currently declining and is expected to become mainstream in the future, so it is recommended to focus on it.
6. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1: How does the Wooden Floor Rack extend its lifespan?
A1: Avoid placing it in a humid environment, and add a moisture-proof pad at the bottom; Wipe regularly with a dry cloth to avoid dust accumulation; If there is slight mold, you can wipe and disinfect with white vinegar dilution; When not used for a long time, it should be placed in a dry and ventilated place to avoid direct sunlight.
Q2: Metal Floor Rack is prone to rust, how to deal with it?
A2: Priority is given to galvanized or painted metal frames when purchasing; Avoid contact with water in daily use, and wipe it dry in time if it gets on water; If there is slight rust, it can be sanded with sandpaper and then resprayed with anti-rust paint, and if it is severely rusted, it is recommended to replace the parts.
Q3: Is it better to choose plastic or aluminum alloy for outdoor floor racks?
A3: If you store lightweight items (such as outdoor tools, flower pots), it is more cost-effective to choose modified plastic; If you need to bear weight (such as outdoor equipment, a large number of materials), give priority to aluminum alloy, although the initial cost is high, but it has a stronger load-bearing capacity and a longer service life.
Q4: Is the Composite Floor Rack worth buying?
A4: If you have high performance requirements (such as high-end home furnishings, precision item storage), and the budget is sufficient, it is worth buying; If it is only for ordinary use and the cost performance is not high, it is recommended to choose wood or metal materials, which is more cost-effective.