What do you need to succeed when adding decking to an existing rack?  Collecting the following information will ensure a win:

• Length of beams (inside uprights)
• Type of beams (Step or Box/Structural) so you can request the right decking channels.
• Capacity per pair of the beams to help estimate the needed deck capacity.
  • If there will be a concentrated or “point” load, the load weight will be needed.
• The dimensions around the beam, as shown in the drawings below as well as the out-to-out of the beams to get the deck depth.
• The beam manufacturer’s name or pictures of the end plates may be useful as well.

While collecting all of this information seems like overkill for something as simple as decking, it’s needed to avoid problems like channels that aren’t long or tall enough to rest in the step and support the load.