The demand for space in the industrial sector has never been greater. There are many factors at play. With a big shift away from the high street, thanks partly to the pandemic, there is a need for more storage for online fulfilment. In addition there is a lot of construction, renovation and extension work going on, which has heightened demand for a great number of materials. There are many other industry-specific factors, but the simple truth is that many enterprises have found themselves needing extra room. By far the most affordable, least intrusive and disruptive way to get this extra space is by integrating a mezzanine floor. The solution is quite literally above your head.

In order to get the most out of your industrial mezzanine floors you will need to consider just what you want out of your extra space. The best way to ensure your vision is what you end up with is to plan. Let’s take a look at some key tips when it comes to planning your warehouse mezzanine floors.

What purpose will your mezzanine serve?

Will your industrial mezzanine be used for storage of consumables, inventory etc. or will you add quiet office space away from the busy working area below? What weight of goods and equipment will your floor need to hold? What access will you need for machinery? Depending on what your mezzanine will be used for you may need skid frames, which can alter the appropriate placement of columns and you may need extra stabilising and supports if you are dealing with heavy goods.

warehouse mezzanine floor

Optimisation of layout

A large part of what makes for an optimal layout will involve the previous point, but you will certainly want to spend plenty of time on considering how to optimise your mezzanine layout even after you’ve decided what it will be used for. If your mezzanine will provide a link between two departments of the same operation, which is very likely, you will want to consider the best placement and layout of the mezzanine to optimise the flow of communication between them.

Fire protection

The specific criteria for fire protection will depend on the dimensions and use of your mezzanine floor, but it is always worth checking the legal requirements and recommendations even if you think you are sure. There are some other criteria that can determine your need for fire protection including: total area covered, area as a percentage of the total floor space of the building and how frequently it will be populated.

Optional extras for storage and picking.

There are a whole swathe of incredible options for racking and storage systems that are suitable for industrial mezzanine floors. Depending on your inventory and its bulk, size and weight it is wise to seek advice on the appropriate racking. Some systems make for easier access and quicker picking too. You can configure your mezzanine with multi-tier staircases and include loading areas with pallet gates to allow for the distribution of items into your shelving systems. In addition, if your floor is to be used for storing and picking you may want to consider goods lifts, conveyors and chutes for efficiency of operation.