“You should consider leaving an ample amount of space for fire code reasons and other permitting issues. A knowledgable company can help you through the process and guidelines so you do not have to worry about it or get shut down for an indeterminate amount of time.”
There are several kinds of wheels you could use for your business and your vertical growing solution. One of the most popular is the rigid caster. If you have no idea what a rigid caster is then you should know that it is a wheel mechanism that allows movement from the front to the backside. There is no steering available as they only allow movement in a straight line. A lot of people use this type of caster when they are putting their racks close together and they do not need a full 360 degrees of access. It would be similar to opening and shutting curtains except the racks are the curtains in that example. If you are looking for a high-density solution for your vertical racks then that might not be a bad idea. You would have to be cognizant of your wires as far as lights are concerned and other electrical items for fire purposes but it could be done. You should consider leaving an ample amount of space for fire code reasons and other permitting issues. A knowledgable company can help you through the process and guidelines so you do not have to worry about it or get shut down for an indeterminate amount of time.
There are also v-groove casters which sound like a lot of fun but are really just wheels that move along a track. They are great at keeping your racks in a defined amount of space. There is some maintenance required, however, because if you have a track that is depressed into the ground, similar to mass transit tracks, then you will have to keep those tracks clean or have a hard time moving the rack from one place to another. It is one of those things that the companies who sell the larger hand crank or mechanical crack products do not talk about often. It really is not one of the more glamorous parts of owning a system like that but it happens especially if you are dealing with soil. If you are a hydroponic grower then you may have to deal with water getting into the system and rusting if the wheels or components are not galvanized or resistant to water in some way.
“…if you have a track that is depressed into the ground, similar to mass transit tracks, then you will have to keep those tracks clean or have a hard time moving the rack from one place to another.”
Finally, you have the swivel-based wheels that do give you the freedom to move your vertical growing solution as you please. They are also popular to use because they allow you to adjust your workflow to how you want it to be instead of having to walk around a rack to get the plants you need to work on that day. They also allow you to check on the plants quickly because you can turn the whole apparatus as you please.
There are a few things to keep in mind, however, such as 4,000 lbs is all you will want to put on these wheels per bay. You also should not grow over 10’ if you are planning to use these wheels. Things will get dicey in amounts exceeding those values. They will not be as sturdy as they should be if you ignore those rules and, frankly, it will be dangerous for anyone around the racks. If you keep those things in mind and select which wheels sound best for you then you should be in good shape for the future.
If you want to make your grow rack a movable vertical growing solution then have a look at the caster wheel and mounting plate for growing racks there. You can learn more about a mobile grow rack solution by clicking that link. If you still have questions then call 503-536-7218.
