External mezzanines are a brilliant way to add extra floorspace to your premises.
They can be any size and fill any outdoor area, from one level to four or five depending on requirements.
External mezzanines do need to be designed and constructed according to specific engineering considerations, however, as weathering and wind must be taken into account it’s essential to employ mezzanine specialists who are qualified civil and structural engineers. The team at Hi-Level Mezzanines have the right credentials, and our 30 years of experience mean we can rise to any challenge.
We’ve constructed an open-air stage for Elton John, an external walkway for a storage client and mezzanines to bring disused railway arches back to life with buzzing shops and offices.
Essential calculations for external mezzanines
Just as with mezzanines inside a building, factors such as column width and load bearing must be calculated for every external mezzanine.
The additional considerations for an outside mezzanine, are wind loading, snow loading and protection against corrosion.
This is also governed by the geographical location of the site.
- We consider design codes which are specific to wind and snow ratings for each area. Weather conditions in Hampshire will be different to that of North Scotland, for example. In coastal locations we also take salt corrosion into account.
- We would usually recommend a galvanised finish where steel is coated with zinc to protect it from the elements. High-quality powder-coated finishes are available in a variety of colours to match clients’ branding.
- Decking for external mezzanines needs to be robust and weatherproof, and timber is ruled out unless it is marine ply. In the majority of cases we use open-mesh decking which allows rain and snow to drop through. Our Forge Welded Grating is anti-slip, waterproof and maintains stability in the toughest conditions.
External mezzanines can be fitted with staircases, pallet gates and fire protection, and safety is our core principle.
Uses of external mezzanines
Hi-Level Mezzanines has unrivalled experience is designing and installing outdoor mezzanines. Examples include:
- Building a stage for Elton John at a Greek shipping tycoon’s island villa. We designed a two-tier mezzanine to cover the swimming pool to bring the site up to one level, with columns on the base of the pool. We added a stage area where Elton John performed, all clad to match the style of the villa.
- Installing mezzanines in the space between railway arches to create shops, restaurants, small industrial units and offices – often for quirky and innovative businesses. In one instance the mezzanine projected out as a walkway to link the outlets together.
- Solving a headache for a self-storage facility where our client Safe Store had repurposed buildings and needed a mezzanine to link them together with an external walkway.
- Creating an external platform for spectators at Petersfield Rugby Club, which was later extended with tiered seating.
- Providing mezzanines to house air-conditioning units and plant platforms outside a range of premises.
Hi-Level Mezzanines provides mezzanine floors of the highest quality in the industry, yet remaining competitively priced thanks to the expertise of our team of qualified structural engineers, innovative digital design process and advanced solutions.
For 30 years we have been creating space for amazing things to happen. Contact us today for more information at sales@hi-level.co.uk or call 01730 237 190.
