Most cargo lift projects go wrong before the order is placed, at the measuring stage. A lift that is 200 mm too wide for the stairwell, or that needs a pit the floor cannot take, cannot be fixed by adjusting the quotation. This guide lists the five measurements that decide the machine, with the clearances we build to, so you can check your own building before you ask anyone for a price.
Why measuring comes before choosing
A cargo lift is not a catalogue item that drops into a building. The platform has to line up with a floor you already have, the rails have to fix to something that can carry them, and the goods have to be able to roll on and off without lifting. Every one of those constraints is a tape measurement, and getting them wrong is the most expensive mistake in the whole project.
The five measurements you need
- Load per trip. Weigh the heaviest pallet or trolley plus its contents, not the average load. If a pallet truck is involved, add the truck’s own weight and the operator.
- Floor to floor height. Measure finished floor to finished floor at the exact point where the lift will stand, not on a drawing, because screeds and suspended ceilings usually differ from the plan.
- Platform size. The length and width of the goods footprint, plus clearance for the wheels or forks that carry them. Remember that a pallet is usually loaded lengthways and unloaded the same way.
- Direction of travel. Straight through at 180 degrees, so goods roll on one side and off the other, or in and out on the same side. This decides where the landing doors and the guarding sit.
- Available space around the lift. Wall distance on each side, headroom above the platform at the upper landing, and the width of the route the goods take to reach the lift.
How to size the platform properly
Our double guide rail cargo lift is built on a standard platform of 1,600 x 2,200 mm, with 2,000 x 2,500 mm available where the goods are bulkier. Both are quoted to order, so the platform is the part of the specification you should get right first: a deck that is 100 mm too narrow for a pallet is a problem, and a deck that is 500 mm wider than needed costs money on every component above it.
Add clearance rather than rounding down. A goods footprint of 1,850 mm across does not fit a 1,600 mm platform, and it does not fit a 1,800 mm one either once the guardrail and the door frame are in place.
Pit, clearances and headroom
These are the figures we design to, and they are worth checking against your building before anything else:
| Measurement | Figure to design to |
|---|---|
| Pit for the 1,600 x 2,200 mm platform | 2,200 x 2,250 x 300 mm |
| Platform edge to side wall | at least 300 mm |
| Guide rail to the edge of the upper floor | 25 mm |
| Platform to the upper floor edge | 30 to 50 mm |
| Guardrail height | 1,000 mm |
| Power supply at the pump station | 380 – 400 V, 50 Hz, three phase |
Where the floor cannot be cut, we build a pitless version with a ramp or a folding edge instead of the 300 mm pit. It costs more than the pit and it takes floor space in front of the lift, but it keeps the project alive in buildings that cannot be excavated.
Matching the load to the structure
| Structure | Load sharing | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Single guide rail, one cylinder | One rail | Space is tight, the load is moderate and there is a solid wall |
| Double guide rail, two cylinders | Two rails and two cylinders | Pallets arrive daily and the platform needs to hold its level |
| Four column, free standing | Independent frame | There is no wall to fix to, or the platform has to be large |
If your load is moderate and the lift can sit against a solid wall, the single rail version is the economical answer. If the goods are pallets arriving daily on a pallet truck, the double rail version is the better investment. If there is no wall to fix to, or the platform has to be large, the four column structure is the only option that carries itself.
Do not confuse a cargo lift with a fixed lift table
A fixed scissor lift table is a different machine, and it is quoted differently. It raises a deck from floor level by roughly one to one and a half metres to bring goods up to working height, and our BD series covers 0.5 t to 4 t with raised heights from 1,000 mm to 1,700 mm and deck thickness from 4 mm to 8 mm. It does not move goods between floors.
The test is simple: if the goods have to reach another storey, you need a cargo lift, and the measurements above apply. If they only have to reach a bench or a conveyor, you need a lift table and the deciding numbers are the raised height and the deck size.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install a cargo lift without cutting a pit?
Yes, in most buildings. The standard double rail platform uses a 300 mm pit so the deck finishes flush with the floor and goods roll straight on, but a pitless version with a ramp or folding edge is available where the floor cannot be excavated.
How much space does a cargo lift need around it?
Design to at least 300 mm between the platform edge and the side wall, 25 mm between the guide rail and the edge of the upper floor, and 30 to 50 mm between the platform and the upper floor edge for the landing door. The route that goods take to reach the lift needs to be at least as wide as the platform.
What if my floor to floor height is not a whole number?
That is normal, and it is exactly why the lift is built to order rather than bought from stock. Send the actual measured height and the rail and chain are cut to suit. Do not round it to the nearest half metre on the enquiry form.
Next step
Take the five measurements, photograph where the lift will stand, and send them over. We will come back with the structure, the platform size, the pit arrangement and a general arrangement drawing for you to approve before anything is manufactured. Start with the double guide rail cargo lift specification, or see the cargo lift range for the other structures. If your goods only need to reach a working height rather than another floor, look at our fixed lift tables instead.