Mezzanine Floor Perth | Rackman Australia
Overview of Mezzanine Floors (Raised Storage Areas)
When you can’t expand outwards, expand upwards! Mezzanine floors, also known as raised storage areas (RSAs), are an economical way to increase floor space within an existing building. Rackman Australia designs and installs mezzanine floors in Perth that turn wasted vertical space into productive storage, office, or work areas with Mezzanine RSA Floors. Essentially, we build a strong intermediate floor above your current floor, complete with access via stairs and protective handrails.
Our mezzanine floors are custom-made to your requirements. We typically offer two styles:
- Structural Free-Standing Mezzanines: These are independent steel structures with their own support columns (not relying on pallet racks). They are versatile for covering large areas or supporting very heavy loads (equipment, dense product storage) with Mezzanine RSA Floors.
- Rack-Supported Mezzanines: These utilize pallet racking uprights for support – ideal when you want to integrate storage below and a deck above (great for creating multi-level shelving or using the space under the mezzanine for pallet racking storage) with Mezzanine RSA Floors.
Every mezzanine we build includes necessary features for safety and usability: staircases (with compliant rise/run and handrails), perimeter guardrails/kickboards, loading gates for moving goods up/down (like pallet gates), and where needed, lighting or other services integration. We ensure designs comply with Australian building codes and Standards for mezzanines – including AS 1657 for stair/railing design and relevant structural codes.
Key Features of Rackman’s Mezzanine Floors
Our mezzanines are tailored to your building and load needs. We use structural steel (columns, beams, joists) engineered to handle your specified loads – whether it’s light storage of 250kg/m² or heavy equipment at 1000+kg/m². Every mezzanine design undergoes structural calculations. The steel columns are placed to avoid obstructions below (we coordinate with you to position columns around aisles or machinery). We can often spanning large areas with minimal columns by using stout beams. The design is also mindful of height – we set the mezzanine deck height to optimize headroom both above and below (commonly, aiming for around 2.4m clearance minimum, but it can be higher if needed).
You can choose the floor surface that best suits your mezzanine’s use. Options include: tongue-and-groove structural particleboard (often 20mm or 25mm thick – very common for warehouse storage, economical and strong), plywood, open steel mesh/grating (for ventilation or if fire codes demand sprinklers above and below without obstruction), or even chequer plate steel. We also offer fiberglass or resin board for specific environments (like if a non-conductive floor is needed). Timber floors can be coated or painted for dust sealing. The deck is supported by steel purlins so it feels solid underfoot with minimal bounce.
- Every mezzanine comes with at least one staircase. Ours are built to code – sturdy steel stringers, anti-slip stair treads, handrails on both sides (or one side if against a wall) and intermediate landings as required by height (typically required every 18 or so steps by code). We also incorporate safety gates for loading: e.g., a pivot or sliding pallet gate that allows pallets to be placed on the mezzanine by forklift safely (the gate only opens when the area is closed off to personnel, preventing a fall hazard). Guardrails run along all exposed edges of the mezzanine with Mezzanine RSA Floors, with a standard height of 1m+ and a kickplate at the bottom to stop objects sliding off. If the mezzanine will be used by the public or as office space, we can do more polished balustrades or enclosures as needed (glass, finer finish rails). For pure storage use, our galvanized or powder-coated steel rails do the job and resist wear.
Rackman handles the engineering and can assist with council approvals. We ensure mezzanines adhere to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) in terms of structural integrity, access (stairs inclination, head clearance), railing design (per AS 1657), and fire safety (e.g., if over certain size, we ensure you have necessary exits, or fire rating of supports if needed). Every mezzanine we install comes with documentation and engineering certification. We know approval can sound daunting, but we guide the process – often mezzanines used for storage in industrial settings are straightforward to approve. Our experience means we design in compliance from the get-go, avoiding costly modifications later.
Benefits of Installing a Mezzanine Floor
- The most obvious benefit – a mezzanine can nearly double the usable square meterage of a portion of your facility without the huge expense and disruption of moving or extending the building. If your warehouse footprint is limited but you have high ceilings, a mezzanine is the smartest way to capitalize on that height. It’s typically far cheaper per square meter than new construction. Many Perth businesses postpone an expensive move by investing in a mezzanine for storage, using upper space for slow-moving stock or archives while keeping ground level for operations (Mezzanine RSA Floors). Essentially, you unlock a new floor level within months (or weeks) instead of going through long construction.
Mezzanines can serve various functions. You might use it purely for storage (common – shelving or pallets of stock on top). Or it could become a workspace – e.g., a platform for assembly, a maintenance area, or an observation deck in a plant. Some clients create office spaces on mezzanines (with proper fit-out of flooring, office partitions, etc.). We design accordingly – for example, if it’s for an office, we’ll account for higher load for office fit-out and perhaps accommodate HVAC ducts, etc. If for a workshop, we might allow for heavier point loads (like machinery placement) and perhaps integrate areas for utilities. The mezzanine basically adds a new area that can be purposed as needed. And it’s not permanent – since it’s a free-standing structure, it can often be modified or even relocated if your needs change, adding to its long-term value.
By adding a mezzanine, you can reorganize your operations to be more efficient. For instance, store infrequently accessed items up top, freeing prime ground space for fast-moving goods or production. Some warehouses move all archives or excess stock overhead, clearing the main floor for more productive use (like additional packaging lines or bulk storage). If you create office or break space on the mezzanine, you keep those functions on-site but off the main floor, reducing foot traffic in work areas. It can also reduce congestion – spreading activities across two levels prevents over-crowding of one level. With a well-planned layout (Rackman assists in this planning), mezzanines can streamline workflow (e.g., goods come in, get processed on mezzanine, then sent down via conveyor or gate to dispatch).
A professionally built mezzanine can add value to your facility. It’s generally considered an improvement that stays with the building (unless designed to be removable). Should you ever sell the business or property, the extra floor space is a selling point. It demonstrates the facility’s storage capacity and build-out. Additionally, a mezzanine designed for storage typically doesn’t count towards the building’s floor area for zoning (since it’s an equipment platform), but it gives you floor area functionally – a bit of a freebie in terms of using your volume. Plus, if later you truly don’t need it, mezzanines can be disassembled and resold or repurposed, which is not something you can do with a brick-and-mortar extension.
Rackman’s Mezzanine Services – From Concept to Completion
Consultation & Site Survey:
We start by understanding your objectives – what do you want to use the mezzanine for, how much area, load capacity, etc. Then we conduct a site measurement. We take note of building column positions, clear height available, locations of doors or obstructions (like hanging lights, pipes). We’ll also check the slab condition for supporting columns (usually standard slabs are fine; for very heavy loads we might need to spread footplates or check footings). With this info, we propose a mezzanine layout.
Design & Quote:
Our engineers draft a mezzanine design meeting your needs. We specify the steel sizes, column grid, stair locations. We also include any specific requests (like “must have 3m clear height below” or “need a 2m x 2m void for a conveyor” etc.). You receive a detailed quote and drawing. We iterate this with you – if you want changes (e.g., move a stair, increase the size), we adjust and finalize a plan that you approve. We also take care of engineering certification and can handle council submission if required as part of our project service.
Fabrication & Installation:
Once approved, fabrication of steel components occurs. We use quality Australian-standard steel and experienced fabricators. On installation, our team erects the structure typically within a few days to a couple weeks depending on size. We coordinate to minimize disruption – often mezzanine parts can be lifted into place with forklifts or portable lifts. If installation needs to be staged (e.g., during off-hours), we can accommodate. Safety is paramount – we install columns and beams with temporary rails to ensure our crew and your staff remain safe during construction. After deck installation, we put up rails, stairs, and any gates. Finally, we do a thorough check and walkthrough with you.
Certification & Handover:
We provide you with engineering certifications for the mezzanine structure and a handover pack including any maintenance guidelines (mezzanines are low-maintenance, just periodic inspections). We ensure you’re satisfied and that everything is built as per plan. We can also assist in signage (like “Max Load X kg per sqm” signs to post) and training if needed (though using a mezzanine is straightforward, we can advise on safe use of pallet gates, etc.).
Afterwards:
Our structures are built to last decades, but Rackman is always available if you have questions or need modifications. Perhaps later you want to add another staircase or extend the mezzanine – we can design an extension to integrate with the existing one. Or if you move facility, we can help relocate the mezzanine if feasible. We also love to hear how it’s benefited your operations, as that helps us advise future clients!
Elevate Your Space with a Rackman Mezzanine
If your business is feeling the space crunch, don’t wait until it forces a costly move. A mezzanine floor could be the ideal solution to leverage the vertical space you already own. Rackman Australia’s mezzanine floors are custom-designed to solve your unique challenges, delivered ready to use with full compliance and safety.
Call us at 1300 722 626 to schedule a mezzanine consultation in Perth. We’ll discuss your goals and can visit your site to provide a free assessment and quote. Our team has delivered mezzanines for warehouses, workshops, retail storerooms, and more – we have the expertise to ensure a smooth project from start to finish.
Alternatively, send us an inquiry with details on your space and what you hope to achieve. If you have building drawings or even rough sketches, those are very helpful – we can often do an initial design and budget estimate from that.
Investing in a mezzanine is investing in the efficiency and capacity of your current facility. It’s often the fastest and most cost-effective way to grow. Mezzanine Floor Perth by Rackman Australia stands for quality, safety, and optimum design. Let us help you unlock a new level in your facility – literally! Contact us today to start planning your new mezzanine space.
Nobody knows racking like Rackman Australia
We’ve got racking auditors right across Australia and will provide inspections from 20 pallet spaces to 20,000. No matter the job, what remains consistent is our level of detail, efficiency, reliability and affordability. If you’re ready to get a Perth racking audit – let’s get your storage sorted.