Mezzanine Floors in Northern Ireland
Adding a mezzanine floor is the most affordable solution when running out of space, but having extra vertical space available. They are free-standing steel structures that build an entire new level in your space – in most cases, no need for extension to the building, no need to move to another location, no need to deal with planning headaches. Because of the way a mezzanine works, you are actually paying for the air space you already heat.
Our Northern Ireland team drafts and assembles mezzanine floors with a multitude of end uses in mind: office spaces, production, retail, and storage. While some customers may just want a simpler, functional, raised platform to store stock, others may want a full two-story office with modular walls and a stair case. The two examples above share the same basic structure.
Materials
Mezzanine structure consists of columns, main beams, joists and decking. Edge protection and a stair case are also considered part of the edifice. The mezzanine floor can be designed in many ways depending on the use and can have a deck of heavy chip board, steel, or concrete and provide a fire safety barrier. If a mezzanine is to be used for storage and loading is to be carried out via fork lift, a pallet gate should be placed at the loading edge as protection.
Design and safety are driven by loading (expressed as a uniform load on the floor in kg/m²). Office spaces and storage mezzanines have completely different designs so we will definitely need to focus on how the space will be utilised before issuing a quote. Otherwise, you will have either built something that you cannot use, or spend way more money on steel than you need to.
Building Control and Fire
Mezzanines can be tricky. The Building Control approval process will be triggered if your mezzanine is large enough to support people. In most cases, your columns will need fire protection as well as the underside of your mezzanine. The approval and fire protection are not additional costs. Cheap suppliers do not incorporate these protections. We incorporate Building Control and fire protection requirements, and will inform you if your mezzanine floor triggers these.
Worth Doing Before You Move
We have clients who were going to lease a second unit because the first unit was too short. They did not need a second unit because the ceiling in the first unit was empty. The cost to install a mezzanine is less than leasing a new unit, and your employees will not have to relocate. There are reasons a mezzanine may not be a better option, including eave height, need for a sprinkler, floor slab issues, and point loads, but a larger unit should always be the last resort.
Let us know your building height, what you want your mezzanine to do, and we will let you know if it is a good idea.