Common Warehouse Design Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them

# Common Warehouse Design Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them Rushing a warehouse fit-out costs a great deal later. These are the mistakes we see most often in the field. ## Mistake 1: Skipping the flow study before choosing racking Many start shopping for racking before mapping the flow of goods. The result: tangled routes that stretch handling time. **The fix**: map the process from the moment goods arrive to the moment they ship, then design the layout around it. ## Mistake 2: Ignoring future expansion Designing the warehouse for day-zero capacity means redesigning it two years later. **The fix**: reserve 20–25% of design capacity for future expansion, using racking that can be extended. ## Mistake 3: Aisles that are too narrow The urge to maximise storage area sometimes produces aisles that do not allow safe handling. **The fix**: decide the forklift type first, then calculate aisle width from it. ## Mistake 4: Inadequate lighting The picking area does not need one lighting level but several, according to the activity. **The fix**: use 200–500 lux for general areas and 500+ lux for precision picking zones. ## Mistake 5: Overlooking height clearance Vertical use is one of the biggest efficiency factors — but not without knowing the forklift's lift height. **The fix**: ask for the forklift's maximum lift height and leave a 50 cm safety margin below it when setting maximum rack height. ## Mistake 6: Buying racking with no load certification Some cheap imported racking carries no load certificates. **The fix**: request a documented load certificate for every racking system, and confirm the safety factor. ## Mistake 7: Designing without a specialist Saving on engineering consultancy fees can cost you ten times as much later. **The fix**: RAFY offers a free assessment visit to your warehouse.