Plenty of Choices: The Different Types of Mezzanines
Mezzanines are cost-effective storage solutions. In warehouses with more vertical room than floor space, mezzanines can essentially double the storage capacity by building up rather than out. Compared to expanding your existing space, the cost of building a mezzanine can be much more tolerable — especially considering the rising costs of new materials.
If you’re looking to add a mezzanine to your facility, the first thing you’ll want to explore is the different types of mezzanines available. Let’s take a look at some of the most common mezzanine types you’ll find on the market today.
Free-Standing Mezzanines
If you’re hoping to add an extra layer of usable floor space to your facility, you may need to install a free-standing mezzanine. These mezzanines don’t rely on existing structural components like shelving or racking for stability. Rather, they use structural columns installed with the deck itself.
Free-standing mezzanines are perfect for storage situations in which space is at a premium. Because columns bolt securely to the floor, these structures can stand up under quite a lot of weight and wear. Free-standing mezzanines are perfect for many facility layouts, but if you need unusual configurations or specific loading requirements, other mezzanine types may be more appropriate.
Catwalk Mezzanines
Some mezzanines work with existing shelving systems for support. Catwalk mezzanines accomplish this not by placing a deck on top of the shelving but by building within the shelving.
The shelving on the second floor of the structure creates the catwalk pathways between the existing rows of shelves. In catwalk mezzanine installations, both levels of shelving have identical configurations.