The difference between a wire shelving starter unit and an add-on unit is simply the a wire shelving starter unit includes four posts while an add-on unit only includes two posts. The benefit of buying a starter unit and then add-on units to complete a row of wire shelving are as follows:
- Increased stability - Using common posts to connect units will make the row much more rigid and stable compared to simply adding one free standing unit next to another unit.
- Save money – Because the add-on units share a set of common posts with the unit adjacent to it, you will save the cost of two unnecessary posts. This can be a significant savings.
The disadvantage of using a common post for add-on wire shelving units is adjacent units cannot have shelves set at the same shelf height. If this is a major issue, you can use the “S” hooks that are included with the add-on unit to attach the add-on unit to the adjacent unit, but this will not provide the advantages of stability when sharing a common post. This is a great option if having all of the shelves at the same height is a priority in your system.
Overall, using a starter unit and then expanding your row with add-on units will increase the stability of your shelving system while at the same time saving you money.