Glass Rack & Gantry Guide Guide

Glass racks are a practical and attractive solution for a well-maintained bar. If designed properly an orderly glass and drinks storage system can create a smooth workflow behind the bar, which can even improve the speed of the service. Glass racks tend to be popular in busy venues that have high glass usage and also in venues that sell a variety of wines or cocktails that require different shaped glasses. If you don't want a lot of glasses cluttering up the place a glass rack is the best way to go, but what type of glass rack is best?

We fabricate and install bespoke counter top glass racks and over-bar gantries as well as back bar glass and bottle storage systems and liquor shelves - here are the pros and cons of each.

Ceiling hanging glass racks (overbar glass racks)

No obstructing pillars on the bar, frees up space that could be used for additional display and storage (straws etc.) if needed, a but primarily tidier and visually cleaner than a countertop gantry.
Arguably looks sleeker and more impressive
Cons - is the more expensive option, primarily because the installation is typically more complex and therefore time-consuming. For example, if the ceiling is plasterboard, we have to find something to anchor the rack to. This means exploring the ceiling by cutting holes.

Chapter One restaurant pictured. Read more about this glass rack here.

Learn more about the project here.

Bar mounted glass racks (countertop gantry glass racks)

More cost-effective as it is less time consuming easy to install. There is no disruption or building work and in most cases the installation can be complete in hours.
In most cases, the bar-mounted glass racks can be self-installed which will also save you money on installation costs.
Cons - takes up space on the bar countertop itself, which can appear more cluttered.

Perkins Bar & Bistro pictured. Learn more about the specially aged glass rack patina here.

View more freestanding canopy projects.

Back bar glass and bottle storage systems and liquor shelves

For additional storage, you may want to add glass display units to be fitted to the back wall. This is particularly important if you have a vast and impressive drink offering that you want to show off. It also means staff won't have to go searching in the cellar for that elusive bottle that's rarely ordered if you have space to showcase the whole range.

This is the VIP bar we installed for Newtons in Gravity, Wandsworth. As well as manufacturing the gantry glass rack from tubular metal in a scaffold style with an antique brass finish, we installed the full bar and countertop, and display shelving behind it.

The shelving is cleverly lit to make the most of the shiny glasses and bottles and refracts the shimmering metal finishes creating an impressive glow and that ooo factor. When installing we made allowances for the electricians so they could easily install lights and led strips after we'd finished.

View more entrance canopy projects

All the glass racks above are of a bespoke nature and are manufactured to the client’s specification; they can be fabricated from any metal with a range of finishes available. Though if you're looking for a smaller scale solution and are able to fix them yourself we also stock a range of brass glass stemware rods which you can buy direct from our website.

Below is a selection of popular styles in the current hospitality market. You can see more of our glass and bottle rack display projects here.

Art Deco Style - solid brass over bar bottle and glass rack system

Christie's Brasserie & Bar features an L-shaped polished brass over bar bottle and glasses rack system above the counter. This eye-catching feature is over 5 metres in length, with a 2.25 metre return and mounted flush to the ceiling.

Working to drawings supplied by the architects Tyrrell Dowinton Associates, we fabricated the brass gantry in our workshops. The bottle shelf was fabricated in solid brass square section, whilst underneath glass rack stemware rods were brazed to the framework to hold the stems of the wine glasses and champagne flutes.

Industrial scaffold style - steel tube with clamp components

For Vine Bar, West Vale we supplied the bar counter and highly visual bottle shelves and glasses display rack on the back bar. This was manufactured using scaffold-style clamp components and steel tube sprayed in the same gunmetal and rust finish.

...complete with ladder

This incorporates reclaimed pine shelving for the bottles, stemware rods for holding champagne and wine glasses and even a matching hook-on ladder for accessing the high shelves. Admittedly a ladder is not something we're asked for all the time but it goes to show if you can visualise it, we can make it. Just get in touch with your design ideas and we'll help you make it a reality.

Custom RAL and satin glass at The Arden Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon

This bar mounted glass rack's design was conceived to work sympathetically with the hotel’s existing decor, ensuring that while it remains a centrepiece in the bar, it doesn't overshadow the hotel's unique character. Fabricated from ERW mild steel and coated to match the RAL colour palette, the rack's streamlined appearance mirrors the hotel's interiors. The satin glass finish on the rack complements the light grey theme running throughout the hotel.

The glass rack was fabricated from furniture-grade mild steel, known in the architectural metalwork industry as ERW. This material ensures strength and durability, paramount for heavy-duty use while providing a visual finesse.

Two unique stemware rod designs were incorporated:

Raised Stemware Rods: designed to cater to areas with low ceilings
Hidden Stemware Rods: To foster a clean, unobtrusive & streamlined aesthetic

View glass rack at the The Arden Hotel.

Angular black bar mounted rack with reeded glass at The Holiday Inn Blackpool

Crafted from high-quality powder-coated steel with a reeded glass frontage, this bar mounted glass rack is durable with a modern aesthetic. The angular design ensures it fits well with the bar’s sleek look, providing a stylish yet unobtrusive storage solution for both glasses and bottles.

The 5.2-metre-long rack is designed to hold a variety of glassware, from wine glasses to cocktail glasses, maximizing storage efficiency. Positioned above the bar counter, it allows bartenders to access glassware quickly and easily, streamlining the service process.

View glass rack at The Holiday Inn Blackpool

Contemporary circular ceiling-mounted bottle display rack

Angelica Leeds is a stylish, modern, sixth-floor restaurant with a terrace located in the Trinity Centre in Leeds. It is part of the D&D London group of restaurants. The restaurant offers a menu of British and European cuisine, as well as a selection of cocktails and wines.

We supplied an imposing bottle display rack above the circular island bar which was then decorated with botanical foliage.

View glass rack at Angelica, Trinity Leeds.

Below is a selection of popular styles in the current hospitality market. You can see more of our glass and bottle rack display projects here.