What’s the Best Canopy for My Warehouse?

WHAT’S THE BEST CANOPY FOR MY WAREHOUSE?

A guide to choosing the right size, structure, and setup for your specific needs 

If you’re planning to build a warehouse or expand your existing one, chances are you’ve started thinking about adding a canopy. But the question we hear most often is: What type of canopy is best for my warehouse?

In this article, we break down the key questions you need to ask yourself before choosing a canopy, the differences between canopy types, and how to match your setup to your freight, storage, and boundary constraints. 

CONTENTS

• What is the Canopy For?
• Canopy Types: Cantilever vs Supported.

• How Much Space Do You Actually Need? 

• Design Considerations
• Which Canopy Is Best For You?

FIRST: WHAT IS THE CANOPY FOR?

Let’s start by understanding why you want a canopy in the first place. Most business owners come to us with one or more of these three goals in mind: 

• Loading and unloading trucks out of the weather 

• Sheltering doorways to reduce rain blowing inside 

• Creating a cost-effective way to get more covered space 

The type of canopy you choose — and how big it needs to be — should directly reflect that purpose. 

Two canopy types: Cantilever vs. Supported 

There are two main construction methods when it comes to warehouse canopies: 

• Cantilever canopies

  These are fixed to the side of the building and extend out without external columns. They're clean, streamlined, and ideal when space is tight or forklift access needs to remain unobstructed. However, once you go past around 7–10m in width, the cost can increase sharply due to structural demands. 

• Supported canopies 
  

  These have columns on the outside for additional support. Supported canopies tend to be more cost-effective once you're going wider than 10–12m, often up to 20m, and are especially popular when loading and unloading larger freight or storing gear under cover. You’ll see this type used frequently for breezeways, staging areas, or full truck coverage. 
  

How much space do you actually need? 

Here’s where it gets interesting — and specific. The right canopy width depends on what you're doing under it. Here’s what we’ve learned from decades of working with freight and logistics operators around New Zealand: 

• Up to 10m wide: 
  

  Suitable for smaller operations or storing materials out of the weather. Works well if you're only swinging off a container and not fully unloading it outside. 

• 12–15m wide: 
  

  The absolute minimum if you want to load/unload safely and efficiently using a forklift. This works best for crate or pallet-based systems, with a single side loading. 

• 15/16m wide: 
  

  A sweet spot for many businesses. For example, Shade Systems and Cleanline Tasman operate with a 16m wide canopy, using both sides of the area for racking and still running container unloading operations smoothly. 

• 18–20m wide: 
  

  Ideal for freight operators or larger scale distribution warehouses managing multiple trucks, larger items, or irregularly shaped freight. At this width, you can park two trucks in a staggered formation and keep operations flowing — it’s what we’ve seen work best for companies like MOVE Logistics, Mainfreight and Amtech medical  

Tip: Talk to your freight firm before settling on a size. Their loading/unloading methods will influence how much space is actually usable. 

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

What about doorways and weather protection? 

If you're aiming to reduce rain or wind entering your building via large roller doors, canopies can help — but they’re not a silver bullet. 

• A 5m deep canopy is a common rule of thumb to provide shelter for a 5m high door. 

• In windy areas, however, rain can still blow in, and you may need to shut the door anyway, reducing the canopy’s effect. 

• Think of this type of canopy as a partial barrier, not a full weatherproofing solution. 

Don’t forget height requirements 

If your canopy needs to accommodate swing-lift trucks unloading containers, you’ll need a clear height of at least 6.5m. Most standard truck trailer heights go up to around 4.3m, but allow extra clearance for lifting gear and safe maneuvering. 

Fire and boundary rules 

Planning to build close to your site boundary? You’ll need to know this: 

• You can typically build a canopy up to 3.0m from the boundary without triggering the need for a firewall, as long as it has at least two open sides. 

• If you're going right to the boundary, you’ll need precast firewall construction (e.g. like Cleanline Tasman). 

• There are also hybrid options where the roof overhangs to 3m, but the columns remain back on the site (e.g. NOVA example). 

This all ties back to your site layout, your neighbouring buildings, and how much flexibility you need with racking or storage down the sides of your building. 

So, which canopy is best for you? 

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.  

• If you only need a small, weather-reducing overhang, a cantilever canopy might be perfect. 

• If you’re running a busy freight yard or need space for racking and multiple trucks, a supported canopy will give you better return and more operational flexibility. 

• If you’re tight on space or up against a boundary, we’ll help you explore compliant layout options that still give you functionality. 

Talk to Attika 

We’ve helped companies all over regional New Zealand get the right canopy for their needs — whether that’s weather protection, operational efficiency, or smart storage. Let’s talk through your site layout and freight requirements, and we’ll help you make the right call. 

Book a call with our team or explore more examples in our Projects section.