Van racking ideas for plumbers and heating engineers. Blog post full of useful tips and advice to help achieve a great racking system.
What do you carry in your van?
The key to achieving a great racking design in a plumbers van needs a bit of thought and some planning. Start by thinking about whats onboard and the volumes involved. This is a good time to possibly start making a list. Think about any particular difficult items carried onboard that need special consideration. For example vacuum cleaner, ladders, pipework, water cylinders and boilers etc.
What sort of racking and storage works for you?
Now you have an idea of what needs to be accommodated think about how you want to store it. Parts, fixings and components can be stored in open Lin bin style containers that lift of the shelf. For smaller items like fixings choose transparent drawers and tilting bins. It is of course possible to have a mix of both types of unit so you have several different ways of storing parts. Euro crates are great for larger bulky item storage because they have deeper storage capacity.
Tools can be stored safely in steel drawers, there is a wide variety of widths, heights and depths to choose from. If you would like service or tool cases there are plenty of options available. Choose between fixed units or shelving that slides out for parts cases. Open shelving units are popular products in a van racking system and supplied with removable mats and dividers, therefore it’s a very flexible storage solution.
Difficult to store items
If you have pipework that needs to be stored an extendible top tray across the top of the racking is useful. Pipes and longer items can be tricky, but there is a wide range of solutions to help. For the larger things like vacuums, store at floor level, add in some retaining straps and or plinth to reduce movement. Boilers and water tanks can with the help of some rail and cargo straps make use of the bulkhead area efficiently. Ladders can be accommodated either in the van or externally on the roof.
Do you need a workbench with a vice, space saving slide out or even a drop down vice for heavier work?
Need some inspiration?
Head to our case studies page to view a variety of installations we have completed for plumbing and heating projects. Visit our handy racking product guide because it shows the most popular racking products in many racking systems.
We have a very experienced design team who can offer suggestions and advice and normally solve most storage problems.
Racking layout
Now that you have planned what you need to carry on the van and have some ideas on how to best store it, it’s time to have a think about how you would like your van racking laid out in the van. Think about how you work with the van. Smaller vans like a Caddy or Berlingo, the user rarely gets in the van as most things can be reached by leaning in. Larger vans like a Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter, the user gets in the back much more frequently. Therefore it makes sense to have essential used everyday items stored closer to the rear or side door. Some Plumbers prefer to block of the side door access completely and have racking accessible from outside the van.
Do you need an Inverter or lights and beacons?
We have an Auto Electrical Engineer on site and always happy to provide a comprehensive quote if you need a Power Management System for your van.
Lastly don’t forget the accessories, we have a wide range of useful van racking accessories including-
Silicone cartridge holders
Aerosol can holders
Cable holders
Long items holder
Ask us for a CAD Drawing
As the project starts to come together now is the time to ask Van Racking Solutions to produce a costed design. You can see what the racking would look like in the van and the associated costs. Based on your feedback we can make any adjustments until it’s just how you want it to be. The service is completely free of charge and without obligation. We are always happy to provide a quote based on full installation or advise on the suitability of a DIY fit.