How to Measure Aisle Width for Carts | Doing Metal

Almost every “the cart is too big” complaint was predictable. The information was on site, in the aisle, and nobody wrote it down before ordering. Four measurements – taken with a tape and a phone camera – prevent most of it, and they take about five minutes per route.

Measurement 1: the narrowest point, not the average aisle

Measure the tightest place the loaded cart must pass, not the nominal aisle width. Common culprits:

• Rack uprights where pallets overhang into the aisle
• Door frames, especially with protection rails fitted
• Fire doors and their closing hardware
• Lift car openings and lift lips
• Cable runs, temporary racking or floor markings that narrow the real path

Write down the number, and photograph the location. The photograph is worth more than the number when you are explaining the constraint later.

Measurement 2: turning space at each end of the route

A cart can be narrower than an aisle and still fail to turn at the end of it. Measure the space available where the operator has to rotate the cart – the cross aisle, the open area, the corner. Then think about what the operator actually does: reverse, swing the handle, or rotate on the spot.

The handle often decides this. A long fixed handle adds length to the cart and can turn a comfortable corner into an impossible one, which is why removable or shorter handles are common on tight routes.

Measurement 3: vertical clearances

Easy to forget and expensive to discover:

• Door heights, and anything hung from the ceiling along the route
• Lift car heights
• Mezzanine edges and underside of racking where carts park
• Sprinkler heads and cable trays in back-of-house corridors

For shelf carts, the working height matters too: the top shelf has to be reachable by the operator and clear of everything above.

Measurement 4: the floor along the route

Not a dimension, but it belongs in the same survey. Note:

• Expansion joints, plate gaps and cracks
• Thresholds and ramp lips
• Changes between concrete, epoxy, tile or steel plate
• Any slope where the cart will be parked

These decide wheel diameter and tread material more than load does, which is why we ask about floor condition before quoting.

How to send the survey

The most useful RFQ attachment is not a polished drawing – it is:

1. A sketch or photo of the route with the four numbers marked
2. A photo of the cart currently used, and what you dislike about it
3. The carton or product dimensions the cart has to carry
4. Quantity, destination and any packing requirement

With that, a quotation can be given against the real constraint rather than an assumption. See the full RFQ checklist for the rest.

What to do when the route is genuinely tight

Options, in the order we usually suggest them:

• Narrower and longer rather than wider and shorter, where aisle width is the constraint
• Removable or folding handles to shorten the cart at the turning point
• Four swivel casters for tight manoeuvring, accepting more wander on long pushes
• Two fixed plus two swivel where the route is long and straight, with a wider turning area
• Split the load into two smaller carts if the route cannot take the full volume in one trip

Measuring for towed trains

Towed carts need two extra measurements because the train behaves differently from a single cart:

• Corner radius of the route, not just aisle width – a train cuts corners differently and needs more room at the inside of the turn
• Coupling and tongue length, which add to the overall train length and to the turning envelope
• Stopping distance on any slope, which decides the braking provision for the whole train

Send these with the tug specification on a tow train project and the geometry can be designed rather than guessed.

Documenting the survey for future orders

Nothing is more useful next year than this year’s measurements. Keep one page per route: the four numbers, two photographs, the cart specification that works there, and what you would change. When the next order comes up, the survey is already done and the new cart can be specified against the route in minutes rather than re-measured from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

Our aisles vary. Which number do you need?

The narrowest point the loaded cart must pass, plus the turning space at each end. If routes differ, send both and we will design to the worst one.

Can we get a cart that turns within its own length?

Four swivel casters and a compact wheelbase get close. The trade-off is tracking on long straight pushes, so the route mix decides.

Do we need to measure if we are replacing an existing cart?

Yes, but it is easier. Photograph and measure the cart you already use, then tell us what you would change – that is often the fastest route to a better specification.

What if the site is not built yet?

Send the planned aisle and door dimensions from the layout drawing. We will flag any dimension that looks tight for the cart size being considered.

Send the four measurements with your RFQ through the contact page and the quote will be written against your route.