Wire Rack image courtesy of Merrill Manufacturing Corporation.

I recently renovated my bedroom closet. One thing you should know about my closet: it’s pretty minuscule. I couldn’t even fit the bare minimum, a very modest amount of clothing and nothing more. That is until I installed some wire racks on the walls. And oh what a difference utilizing vertical space makes— I can actually almost stand inside my closet and get dressed!

Wire racks are used as storage and display space in the domestic, commercial and industrial environments. Like wire shelves, they are constructed with interwoven strands of metal, of which can be steel, brass, titanium, aluminum, copper, tungsten, steel or stainless steel, along with both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The purpose of a wire rack is to maximize a given space, whether it be in a hospital, department store or bedroom closet. Furthermore, their meshed surfaces provide accessibility, visual contact and water and airflow. Often times, wire racks are designed to offer stacking and/or extension capabilities, which is especially handy for the commercial and retail industries. In addition to general storage and display, such as in a store, wire racks, because of the airflow their design allows, are used for cooling and drying and can commonly be found in the medical and restaurant industries.

The wires made for wire racks are typically manufactured via a drawing process that involves the metal pulled through progressively smaller dies until the desired diameter is reached. Once the wire is pulled to as needed, it is either woven or welded together, depending on the thickness of the strands. Bending, cutting and treating with heat are also sometimes necessary when attempting to appropriately adjust the shape of the wire.

All of the above must be carefully considered when deciding which rack is best for your home or business, as the sizing and materials used depends on what, exactly, it will be used for.