It’s a good day when you look at the books and decide it’s time to expand your business.

However, choosing between expansion options like leasing versus purchasing a new site, moving industrial equipment, and what type of storage to be used; all become a big hassle.

For a large scale expansion, we recommend choosing between racking and mezzanines. Mezzanines are becoming a popular option as they generally open up the most space, without expanding the base footprint. Basically, for an intermediate storey in a building with sufficient headroom and mezzanine floors; create an additional floor area to increase building volume.

Now that you’ve chosen a mezzanine, this isn’t the time to scrimp on cost. You should avoid buying a mezzanine floor based on how ‘cheap’ it is.

The cost is affected by options like:

• The extent of the mezzanine floor,

• The maximum depth of the structure,

• The amount of steps and landings required,

• If fire protection is required,

• The type of material used for the decking.

• Installation on a clear and level site or over an existing workplace/equipment.

Essentials like height and depth are determined by available floor space. But the uniformly distributed load, (UDL) which details its load bearing capacity changes depending on what will be placed on the deck. For offices, a mezzanine floor designed to hold up to 3.5kN per square metre is recommended, with the UDL increasing as the load increases.

While they are not extremely expensive, choosing a mezzanine floor shouldn’t be a snap decision either.

It has to be fit for the purpose while remaining within safety parameters. Be sure to ask any potential supplier the following questions:

• What size are the mezzanine base-plates? The base plate anchors the mezzanine to the concrete floor and helps distribute the weight of the mezzanine.

• What sizes are the the mezzanine columns? Unscrupulous mezzanine manufacturers have been known to try to cut costs leading to a weaker column being designed.

• Is bracing going to be used in the mezzanine design? Cross braces are used to support lighter mezzanines and reduce potential lateral movement of the deck.

• Is it built in line with the correct building code? In the UK, mezzanine floors must be designed to comply with BS5950. It specifies that the maximum acceptable deflection is 1/200th of span.

Your chosen supplier must also comply with minimum statutory standards like:

• Guaranteeing no risk of structural collapse during normal use,
• Possessing adequate avenues of escape in the event of a fire,
• In the event of a fire, the structure must remain safe for a specified period, while firefighters put out the fire.

Whether it’s celebrating a boom in your business by expanding or a consolidation of activities, a mezzanine floor can prove to be very useful. Choosing the one you install must be as a result of a joint decision among the business, the supplier, and a mezzanine specialist.

At Monarch Shelving, we supply all types of storage equipment needed to help you maximise your business potential. New, used or refurbished, we offer some of the best prices in the North West. Drop us a line today.