Build up, not out, and take full advantage of your facility’s vertical space with a mezzanine. With sturdy steel construction and a variety of configurations and flooring options to choose from, you can easily develop a custom storage solution to meet all your facility’s needs.
Space is always at a premium. While facility expansion is always an option, a warehouse mezzanine is the perfect solution to take advantage of vertical industrial storage space at a much more reasonable cost relative to adding onto an existing building. That’s why they’ve become standard additions to warehouses of all kinds.
Regardless of how you use your mezzanine, you can expect to economically increase your usable floor space while reducing the downtime and other roadblocks associated with new construction.
Before purchasing and installing a mezzanine, there are a few key considerations every business should understand first:
Where in your building will you install the mezzanine?
Mezzanines in corners are fairly common, but sometimes, a free-standing structure in the middle of your warehouse floor is the best location. This will help you understand ceiling height restrictions, power runs (if needed), and other critical facility design considerations.
What is your slab floor capacity? What about ceiling height?
Understanding these factors will help you determine the design of your mezzanine structure. Working with an experienced team of designers and engineers is key to ensuring you have all the room you need, not only for operation but also safety.
Point loading is the application of a very heavy load or applications of dynamic force on a small area of the structure. This could be areas with stacked storage items or heavy equipment. Understanding point loading is essential for the design process.
Column base plates need proper placement and correct sizing for safe use. Interior columns often bear the most weight as they support the most square footage. Larger base plates can help, but they often don’t fully compensate for extremely heavy loads.
There are also federal, state, and local safety regulations and building codes to consider. These will often depend on your location and seismic zone, but not always. All mezzanine construction should meet IBC, AISC, ASTM standards, and, of course, OSHA warehosue requirements for safe operation.
While the benefits of a mezzanine can make this type of structure the perfect addition to your business, making sure your floor can handle the extra weight is critical. Too much weight can cause a concrete floor to crack or worse.
A typical concrete floor with a 6” slab can handle around 25,000 lbs. safely. But it’s not just about thickness.
Another key factor in determining the load capacity of a concrete floor is soil compression, or how the slab compresses the soil underneath it. In some situations, soil compression can reduce the capacity of the concrete floor significantly — sometimes by 50% or more.
The characteristics of both the concrete floor and the soil underneath play an important role in determining overall capacity and whether your facility can handle the weight of a mezzanine.
If your floor doesn’t seem to support the intended mezzanine construction, you still have options. First, you’ll want to consult with a building architect about footers for each column. Footers will help reinforce portions of the floor. Here is how it works:
Understanding uniformed load will help you better understand column number and placement. Remember, interior columns will often handle more of the load, so keep that in mind. Your uniformed load will designate capacity per square foot. For example, a light-duty mezzanine, according to IBC parameters, can handle 125 lbs. per square foot.
Taking that number and multiplying it by the projected total square foot will give you column loading. Here is the formula to use: column loading: total (sq. ft) * (uniformed load) (lbs./sq. ft) = lbs. supported by each column.
Note that this is only an estimate. Always consult with professionals for the most accurate design parameters.
Another key consideration when planning out a mezzanine build is the decking choice. There are several decking options available, each with unique characteristics and advantages:
Often 20-gauge steel roof deck with a resin board, this is one of the most economical systems and is a great choice for a variety of applications.
Bar grating offers an open design that is perfect for ventilation and fire hazard concerns. Heavier items need to be bolted down at all times, and wheeled equipment can struggle with this decking choice.
20-gauge steel roof deck over 12-gauge floor plate is the right choice for heavy and abusive loads. It’s also compatible with wheeled equipment like pallet jacks or carts.
Often paired with roof deck, concrete is preferred for fire ratings and chemical applications. Just keep in mind that this decking option is unmountable.
There are also a variety of accessories that you can add to a mezzanine for productivity and safety reasons:
Need to maximize your facility’s vertical storage space? We can help you find the right mezzanine or your warehouse. Browse our used stock today or contact us for custom solutions.
From free-standing to catwalk, you’ll find several different types of mezzanines and mezzanine components in our inventory. To help you make the most informed buying decision, let’s take a look at those different types of used mezzanines now.
Free-standing mezzanines, also known as structural or clear-span mezzanines, are a great, cost-effective solution for adding storage to your warehouse or distribution center. Unlike other mezzanine types like rack-supported mezzanines, they rely on structural columns for support.
At East Coast Storage Equipment, we not only carry a wide selection of used mezzanines of all kinds but can also assist with the design and installation process. Our experts are on standby to help you with every step of the process. We’ll ensure the mezzanine is not only perfect for your facility but that it’s installed correctly according to rigorous industry standards.
We can also build out custom mezzanines. Our in-house fabrication department has built hundreds of mezzanines and other custom equipment for our clients. No matter what your facility demands, we’ve got the equipment and expertise to make it a reality. Get in touch today to learn more about your options.
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