Anyone thinking about installing a mezzanine on their premises will likely be faced with a variety of practicalities to consider, both before the process begins and after it has been installed. Try to make sure you think of everything early on, so you can avoid having to make changes or regretting any choices you made later. Take a look at our guide to mezzanine floor considerations to help with this.
Mezzanine Floor Construction Details
First and foremost, you need to think about the various design aspects of your mezzanine floor. Things to consider include:
- Usage
Adding a mezzanine floor helps you maximise your headroom and optimise your space. It also allows you to create a more flexible workspace so consider the best location for storage, walkways, offices, production etc. Do you wish to add partitioning to create new office space above or below the mezzanine, for example? Do you also have any requirement to wash the floor regularly? If so this will influence your choice of flooring material.
- Edge protection
On a mezzanine, edge protection relates to handrails, foot edging, and any facades in between. With Hi-Level, our team will work closely with you to design something that perfectly suits your needs – whether your main focus is on cost, practicality or aesthetics.
- Accessibility
You need to decide whether your mezzanine needs to be accessed by foot, forklift or goods lift. Heavy bulky materials may require a goods lift to be installed. In cases where smaller pallets of goods are stored on a mezzanine, it might be that these can be transferred using a forklift and pallet gate, rather than a goods lift. The location of staircases will be influenced by fire regulations and Hi-Level’s team of experts will be able to advise.
- Location and Size
Where you choose to install your mezzanine is probably the biggest consideration to make. Depending on its use it might be more attractive/useful/accessible in one area than another, so think about how big it needs to be and what it will be used for in order to determine the right location. The placement of the columns and any vertical bracing is another important decision to make, especially if you have moving vehicles below the mezzanine.
- Static and Moving Loads
Your choice of flooring will be influenced by the loads on your mezzanine. For example, particle board or heavy-duty OSB decking will suffice for the majority of warehouse usage, but a concrete composite floor may be required for heavier loads or in instances where you need to reduce vibration.
- Colour options
Hi-Level’s standard colours are powder-coated graphite grey and red for edge protection, but you have the option to match a RAL colour of your choice if you wish to integrate your corporate colours. It is also possible to create different coloured walkways or zones on your floor for health and safety reasons.
- Building regulations
Any design provided by Hi-Level will be entirely compliant with UK building regulations. Plus, in any case, where planning permission is required, the team at Hi-Level will take care of all submissions and communication needed.
Maintaining a Mezzanine
Even after you’ve installed your mezzanine, it’s important to consider how to keep it in good working order. Good practice would be to think about the following on a regular basis:
- Is the mezzanine well-lit? Replace any bulbs in order to keep it safe for those using it.
- Is it clear and open? All stairs and walkways should be kept clear and tidy, limiting trip hazards.
- Are walkways and edge protection in good condition? If anything is damaged it should be replaced as soon as possible.
- Is everyone aware of the mezzanine’s weight capacity? It is imperative that the weight capacity specified at the time of installation is adhered to and known by everyone.
In order to achieve safety on a mezzanine, any and all employees working on it should be fully aware of how to keep it in good condition. Conduct regular training refreshers to make sure this is achieved.
After you have considered all of these aspects you should be one step closer to achieving the mezzanine you need. However, if you have further concerns or questions, get in touch with the team here at Hi-Level. We will be happy to talk you through the whole process and guide you on your options. On the other hand, feel free to jump in and request a quote if you already know exactly what you need.
