Wall Mount vs Floor Standing Rack

Most racks are chosen by counting rack spaces, but the wall mount vs floor rack decision is usually settled by three other things: how much the equipment weighs, whether the wall can carry it, and how you will reach the back of it. This guide works through each one, then matches the two types to the closets, under-stair spaces and equipment rooms where they end up.

Wall mount vs floor rack at a glance

Both types hold the same 19 inch equipment. What changes is where the load goes and how you get behind it. If you need a refresher on rack spaces and rail width first, see our guide to what a rack unit is and how to count them.

Weight, depth and the wall behind a wall mount equipment rack

Weight and depth rule out a wall rack faster than anything else. A wall rack’s rating, its hinge and the wall itself all have to carry the load, and deep equipment cantilevers further from the wall, which adds leverage on the top fasteners.

A worked example, with the weights assumed for illustration. Take an amplifier at 25 lb, an AV receiver at 30 lb, a network switch at 8 lb, a patch panel at 4 lb, a shelf of streaming boxes at 10 lb and a rack-mount UPS at 50 lb.

1. Total with the UPS: 25 + 30 + 8 + 4 + 10 + 50 = 127 lb.
2. Total without it: 127 minus 50 = 77 lb.
3. Share of the load that is the UPS: 50 divided by 127 = about 39 percent.

Moving one heavy item to the floor can bring a system within a wall rack’s rating. Use the real weights from each data sheet and compare the total with the rack’s stated load rating, which varies widely between models. Sizing that UPS is covered in our guide to choosing a UPS for an AV rack. Check depth the same way: the deepest unit plus its rear connectors and cable bend, against the rack’s usable depth.

Fix into studs, blocking or a backboard

A wall rack’s load rating assumes it is fastened the way its maker’s instructions say. Follow those instructions for the fastener type, size and spacing, and fix into studs, solid blocking or a backboard that is itself secured to the framing. Drywall alone is never the anchor.

• Locate the studs and confirm their spacing matches the rack’s mounting holes before you commit to a position.
• Where the holes and studs do not line up, add blocking between the studs, or fit a plywood backboard fixed to the framing.
• Commercial telecom rooms often use fire retardant plywood backboards, rigidly installed.

The wall itself must be up to the job. FEMA’s guidance on computer and communication racks says that where items are anchored to a partition wall, the wall and its anchorage or bracing to the structure above must be adequate for the imposed loads.

Swing-out wall racks for rear access

A fixed wall rack puts the equipment’s rear panels against the wall. A swing-out wall rack mounts its rails on a hinged gate, and the whole frame swings away from the wall to expose the rear panels.

• Swing direction: check which side the hinge sits on and that the gate clears the door, shelving and the adjacent wall.
• Cable slack: leave a service loop at the hinge side so cables flex instead of pulling on connectors as the gate opens.
• Weight on the hinge: the open gate puts the load on its hinge and fasteners, so keep the heaviest units low and within the rating.

Plan that hinge loop as part of the dressing work in our guide to network rack cable management.

Floor standing rack: casters or anchoring

A floor standing rack carries its load into the floor, which is why it suits heavy amplifiers, a large UPS and taller builds. It still has to be secured. FEMA notes that unbraced, unanchored or poorly anchored racks can slide, tip, overturn or collapse, and recommends that racks be braced, anchored or tethered, with equipment firmly secured to the rack and cables left with adequate slack.

• Anchored: bolt the base to the floor, or tie the top to the wall or an overhead cable runway, using the holes and hardware the rack provides.
• Casters: a rolling rack can be pulled out for rear access in a tight room. Lock the casters in service, and leave enough slack in every cable to roll it out.

Ventilation and service clearance

Either type needs room to work on and room for heat to leave. The University of Michigan telecommunications room design guideline sizes rooms for the National Electrical Code working space of 3 feet in front, 3 feet behind and 2 feet on one side of each rack, and says to meet the code’s working space in front of wall-mounted equipment too.

That guideline also holds those rooms between 68 and 77 degrees F with year-round cooling. A residential closet will not have that, so give it an air path in and out. The airflow checklist in our guide to how to choose an AV equipment rack applies to both rack types.

Closet, under-stair space or equipment room: where each fits

Closet or utility room

A swing-out wall rack is the usual fit for a small network and AV head end. It keeps the floor free and opens for rear access, as long as the door and shelving leave room for the gate.

Under-stair space

Headroom slopes and depth is often generous at floor level, so a short floor standing rack on locking casters can roll out for service. A wall rack only works on a wall tall enough at the high end.

Equipment room or commercial back room

Heavy amplification, a large UPS or a growing network belongs on a floor standing rack, anchored, with clearance front and back. Protect that load with the right gear from our guide to power conditioners and surge protectors.

Where to find wall and floor racks

The AV equipment racks category lists wall-mounted, rotating and floor standing racks, inside the audio and video products division. For pricing and availability, contact your sales representative through the Bursma contact page, or open a Bursma dealer account.

Frequently asked questions