Side Racking Versus Bulkhead Storage in Vans

The choice between side racking versus bulkhead storage affects far more than how tidy your van looks at the end of the day. It determines whether the tools you need most are within reach, how easily you can carry longer materials, and how much room remains for the jobs that do not fit neatly into a case. For a working van, the best layout is usually the one that supports your actual routine rather than the one with the most shelves.

Side racking and bulkhead storage both make good use of otherwise underused space. The right option depends on your vehicle, the equipment you carry, where you normally access the load area and whether your load changes from one job to the next.

What side racking is best for

Side racking runs along one or both sides of the load area. In a typical trade van, it provides several open shelves for tool cases, boxes of fittings, sealants, fixings, hand tools and smaller equipment. Vehicle-specific units are designed around the shape of the van, including the wheel arch and available side-wall height, so they make efficient use of the space without taking over the centre of the floor.

For electricians, plumbers, maintenance engineers and installers, side racking is often the most practical starting point. Frequently used items can be grouped by task and picked directly from the rear or side door. Cases stay visible rather than being stacked behind one another, which reduces time spent moving equipment just to find a small box of parts.

A side-racking layout also leaves a clear central aisle. That matters if you carry cable drums, vacuum cleaners, boilers, ladders, sheet materials, long pipe or occasional bulky deliveries. You can load these items down the middle and still keep everyday tools in a fixed position along the van wall.

The strengths of side racking

The main advantage is organisation without sacrificing the full length of the van. A properly chosen plywood racking unit gives cases and consumables a defined home, while the remaining floor space stays flexible.

It can also make stock control simpler. When fittings, screws, pipework components or electrical accessories are stored in consistent shelf positions, it is easier to see what needs replacing before the next job. Open shelving is particularly useful where you deal with many small boxes rather than a few large machines.

Side racking suits vans with a side loading door especially well. You can access key items from the pavement side without climbing into the back, although the exact benefit depends on which side of the van your loading door is on and where the racking is fitted.

Where side racking can fall short

Side racking is not always the answer if you mainly carry large, heavy or awkwardly shaped equipment. Wide shelving reduces the usable width between the wheel arches and can make it harder to load pallets, large appliances or building materials. A van used for mixed trade work may need shallower units or racking on one side only.

Open shelves also need sensible load restraint. Tool cases should fit securely, and loose items should not be left where they can move during braking or cornering. The racking itself must be assembled correctly and fixed with suitable hardware.

What bulkhead storage is best for

Bulkhead storage sits against the front bulkhead behind the cab seats. It is usually a narrower storage area across the width of the van, designed to keep equipment at the front of the load space while leaving the side walls and rear area more open.

This approach works well for operators who need a clear load bay. Landscapers, builders, delivery drivers and trades carrying large tools may prefer to keep a small number of essential items close to the bulkhead, leaving the rest of the floor free for materials and changing loads.

Bulkhead storage can be useful for drills, chargers, PPE, first-aid supplies, hand tools and boxes of everyday consumables. It is also a sensible place for equipment you do not need to reach repeatedly during the day. By placing it at the front, you avoid losing usable room around the rear doors where loading and unloading happens.

The strengths of bulkhead storage

The clearest advantage is floor flexibility. With no long shelving unit running down the sides, a van can carry wider or more irregular loads. This is useful where the vehicle doubles as a work van one day and a materials carrier the next.

Bulkhead storage can also help keep heavier items forward in the load area, although total payload, axle limits and safe load distribution still need to be considered. Do not assume that putting every heavy tool against the bulkhead automatically creates a safe load. Weight needs to be secured and distributed in line with the vehicle manufacturer's guidance.

For vans with rear-only access, bulkhead storage can create a straightforward loading area. The space nearest the doors remains open, so larger items can be slid in without catching on shelf uprights or shelf edges.

Where bulkhead storage can fall short

The drawback is access. Equipment stored against the bulkhead is furthest from the rear doors. If the van is loaded with materials, you may need to move other items before reaching a tool box at the front. This can become frustrating for trades that make frequent small collections throughout the day.

It also offers less sorting space than a full side-racking system. A bulkhead shelf may hold core equipment, but it is not always enough for a plumber with multiple fittings ranges or an electrician carrying a large selection of boxes, testers, cable accessories and power-tool cases.

Side racking versus bulkhead storage: how to choose

Start with what comes out of the van most often. If you make repeated visits to the load area for fixings, cases and hand tools, side racking generally saves time. If most of your work involves loading a small number of larger items, bulkhead storage may preserve the usable floor area you need.

Then consider how predictable your load is. A joiner carrying the same tools every week can benefit from a fixed side-racking layout with a place for each case. A building contractor whose load changes between bagged materials, rubble sacks, tools and site equipment may value an open bay more highly.

Your van model matters as well. A compact van has limited width, so a deep unit on both sides can quickly make the centre narrow. Larger vans such as a Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter or Volkswagen Crafter have more scope for long side racking while retaining a working aisle. For a Transit Custom, Vivaro or Trafic-sized van, the best result may be one side-racking unit combined with open space on the other side.

Roof height is another practical point. High-roof vans can accommodate taller shelving and allow better use of vertical space. In a lower-roof van, tall units can make upper shelves harder to use, particularly if you are reaching from the ground at the rear doors.

A combined layout often works best

It does not have to be an either-or decision. Many trade vans work best with side racking for daily-use equipment and a modest bulkhead shelf for less frequently used tools, cleaning materials or emergency stock. This creates order without turning the whole van into fixed storage.

For example, an electrical contractor may keep tool cases, testers and accessory boxes on side racking, with cable drums and longer conduit in the centre. A plumber may use side shelves for fittings and power tools, while reserving the bulkhead area for larger items that do not need constant access. A landscaper might favour bulkhead storage for small hand tools and leave the sides clear for machinery, green waste bags or materials.

The key is to avoid building a layout around the occasional job at the expense of daily work. If you carry long boards twice a month but use tool cases every day, plan around the tool cases and retain enough removable or open space for those less frequent loads.

Plan the fit before ordering

Measure the load area, including wheel arches, door openings and any existing ply lining. Check the exact model, wheelbase and roof height of your van before selecting vehicle-specific racking. A unit that suits a long-wheelbase van may not fit a short-wheelbase version, even where the vehicles look similar from outside.

Think through assembly and fitting at the same time. Flat-packed plywood racking needs to be assembled square, glued where required and secured using appropriate fitting hardware. Pilot-drilling tools and the correct fixings make the job cleaner and help prevent damaged timber or loose installation points. If your van is already ply lined, check how the racking will be fixed and follow the vehicle and fitting guidance rather than relying on lining panels alone to restrain a loaded unit.

888VanRacking offers model-specific and universal plywood options, which is useful when you need a clear fitment choice rather than a one-size-fits-all guess.

A good van layout should make the first tool you need easy to reach and leave room for the next job to change. Choose side racking when access and organised stock are the priority; choose bulkhead storage when an open, adaptable load bay matters more.