The different wire shelving options include commercial and home-grade pieces plus white or silver-colored finishes. Freestanding wire shelves are available in straight sections as well as corner units. There are also wire shelving carts, wall pieces and specialty storage items.
Folding wire shelves are designed to expand the storage space inside kitchen and other cupboards. A popular example of this type of wire shelving is the square wire shelf with fold-out legs. When placed over a stack of plates inside a kitchen cabinet, the wire surface allows extra room for smaller plates or other dishware. Folding shelving made of wire is also popular in bathrooms for storing bottles of shampoos and containers of beauty products. Another kind of popular wire storage item for bathrooms is the over-the-shower head shelf unit typically designed to hold at least two shampoo bottles and a bar of soap; some of these also have a bar on which to hang a wash cloth.
Wall hung wire shelving is especially popular in laundry areas and closets. White coated wire is the most commonly available material for these wall shelves, but some silver-colored shelving is also sold. A metal brace attached to the wall and the shelving usually supports the weight of the shelf. These open wire storage units may feature a single shelf or many levels of shelves.
Wheeled wire shelving carts often have at least two or three shelves plus a grab bar or handle at each end. Commercial versions of these may be sold as laundry carts or in the hotel industry to transport different items between the kitchen and food storage areas. Taller, narrower wire shelving units with wheels may also be used as movable storage. For home use, large units featuring rows of wire drawers offer open, yet extensive storage possibilities.
Freestanding wire shelves are often sold as part of a system for home or commercial pantries. Corner units help utilize the storage potential of the corners of a pantry or other room. Straight wire shelving units typically attach to each side of a corner unit to form a flowing shelf system. Wire shelves in pantry systems often run from near the floor to almost ceiling height to allow for maximum storage.
Restaurant kitchens typically use commercial-strength, freestanding wire shelves to hold food supplies. The extra strength is usually needed, as large amounts of staples such as potatoes or rice are often stored on this type of wire shelving. Commercial wire shelving is often plated or coated with an epoxy finish that resists rusting.