Why the extra space?

Space is at a premium. With many businesses increasing their inventory thanks to online ordering and increased lead times in obtaining equipment and inventory, the need for storage space has never been higher. Pair this with businesses having to adjust their building layouts for social distancing (something they will want to be prepared for in the future) and there has never been a better time to maximise the usable space within the existing premises. Mezzanine floors are the obvious solution as they make use of ‘free’ air space and are incredibly flexible and robust making industrial mezzanine floors very popular indeed. Adding a mezzanine floor is inarguably one of the most cost-effective and least disruptive ways to create extra storage or office space.

Constructing a Mezzanine Floor

Mezzanine floors can be build with one or more tiers and are always constructed with optimal safety provisions such as handrails and pallet gates. Where multi-tiered mezzanines are the goal, such as in very large warehouses, concrete slabs are integrated to support them. Mezzanine floors are made up of several key components in the form of:

  • Steel beams
  • Columns
  • Timber decking
  • Joists

The construction of mezzanine floors using steel beams ensures that they are very environmentally sound (steel is almost 100% recyclable) and can be adjusted by removing bolts to tweak layout if necessary down the line.

The Benefits

The benefits of installing a mezzanine floor will largely depend on its intended use but there are some universal advantages including:

  • Freeing up space for better organised inventory and supplies
  • Usually no need for planning permission
  • Cost-effective and less disruptive compared to other extensions and relocation

If you are a warehouse manager or own a business with warehouse spaces the benefits of warehouse mezzanine flooring simply cannot be ignored. Best practice in warehousing dictates that you need good separation of distinct working practices, a separation of goods going in and coming out and adequate space for safe and secure storage of goods. A mezzanine floor, whether relieving the burden of other parts of the building or being used for storage or fulfilment will go a long way to helping ensure these important tenets are completed.

Mezzanine floor suppliers are able to supply a wide range of multi-purpose, specialist racking and storage systems that can be installed to allow for the storage of a wide range of goods. The fact that mezzanine floors are incredibly solid means that they can take a high weight per square metre, allowing for storage of bulky and heavy items.

Many choose to use their newly fitted mezzanine floor areas for office space. There are several advantages to this. Firstly it allows for a quieter space away from the general activity below. It also presents a more professional atmosphere for visiting clients and customers. In addition having that space for managers above the warehouse floor allows for an excellent viewing position that can help pinpoint changes in operational practice to increase efficiency and output.