Steel Mezzanines: Frequently Asked Questions
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Mezzanine Storage Area[/caption]
Steel mezzanines are one of our products that we receive the most questions about. There's a variety of design options and code requirements that can oftentimes lead to projects being very technical, especially with customers that are less familiar with the product.
However, we have put together this list of some of the most frequently asked questions about our mezzanine systems to hopefully help guide you along your journey.
- Can you Deliver Your Mezzanines "Turn-Key"?
Yes, Panel Built can be used for every step of your mezzanine project. We can design, engineer, fabricate, ship, and install the entire project from start to finish. If you are looking for a turn-key mezzanine, when we are finished with your project, it will be ready for immediate use in your facility.
-Do You Offer VRCs (Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors) with Your Mezzanines?
Yes. Panel Built works with a VRC manufacturer to integrate the conveors into the design of our mezzanines. VRCs allow for the easy lifting of equipment and materials to the mezzanine's uppder deck from the ground floor.
- What Decking Options Do Your Offer for Your Mezzanines?
For our mezzanines, Panel Built offers five different decking types: Advantech, ResinDek, Bar Grating, Diamond Plate, and Concrete. For more information and examples of our decking options, visit our Mezzanine Decking page.
- What Paint Colors Do You Offer?
Panel Built's mezzanines are painted using powder-coat (for increased durability) and come in six standard color options: Blue, Black, Yellow, Red, White, and Grey.
However, if you are wanting a different color, or are looking to color match to an existing color, just let us know! Custom color options are available as well!
- What Makes a Mezzanine "Free-Standing?"
On a lot of Panel Built's mezzanine literature, the phrase "Free-Standing" is used to describe the type of mezzanines that we provide. A free-standing mezzanine refers to a mezzanine system that supports itself off the ground with its own parts and pieces.
Our mezzanine systems do not rely on connecting to any walls in your facility. Instead, our mezzanine's baseplates are securely anchored into the facility's concrete slab. This design makes it easier to relocate your mezzanine in the future if needed.
- How Do I Know if I Need IBC or OSHA Mezzanine Stairs?
First, it is important to determine what your local building code requires. But, as a rule of thumb, the International Building Code (IBC) regulates any set of stairs used by the public, including any stairway that connects a building to a public space.
In private facilities where the stairs are not for use by the public, Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Fixed Industrial Stair regulations (1910.24) will typically govern the design.
- What's Rise Over Run of Your Mezzanine Stairs?
The rise over run of a stair system refers to the slope your mezzanine stair system will be at. The equation is the mezzanine's deck height over the horizontal run of the stair system. For example, a mezzanine with a deck height of 10ft and a horizontal stair length of 10ft, will have a rise over run of 1 (or 10ft/10ft).
For our Panel Built, the Rise over run of the stairs will depend on whether the stair system is built to IBC or OSHA standards. For an OSHA set of stairs, the rise over run is typically equal to 1. So you can expect your horizontal stair run to be equal to the height of your deck.
For Panel Built's IBC stair systems, the rise over run will typically be around .667. So for a 10ft deck height, you can expect the stairs to run 15ft horizontally (10ft/15ft).
- What Is PSF?
PSF refers to the Pounds per Square Foot of the mezzanine. This is the Uniform Live Load of your mezzanine system. In other words, if you take the total Square Footage of your mezzanine and multiplied it by the PSF, you will get the total amount of live weight the mezzanine is rated for.
For example, a 10'x10' (100sq ft) mezzanine with a PSF of 100 lbs is rated for a total uniform live load of 10,000 lbs.
- What Is The PSF of Your Mezzanines?
Panel Built has a standard PSF of 125 lbs. However, this number is adjustable, depending on the use of the mezzanine. In certain cases, this number can be increased or decreased. However, 125 PSF rating is typically more than enough for most standard mezzanine projects.
- Can Your Mezzanines Go Outside?
Yes, for Panel Built's exterior mezzanines an exterior rated powder coat can be applied to the structure or we can have the mezzanine galvanized (coated with a protective layer of zinc)
- Will My Mezzanine's Stairs Need an Intermediate Landing?
IBC code requires for stair systems to have an intermediate landing for every 12 ft in vertical height. So, if your stair system is going to be reaching over 12 feet in high, it will need an intermediate landing.
- What Is The Lowest Clear Height The Mezzanine Can Be?
IBC code regulates that there must be a minimum clear height (distance from the bottom of the mezzanine to floor below) of 7ft underneath your mezzanine. Additionally, there must also be 7ft from the top of the mezzanine's deck to the ceiling of the building.
- Do You Offer Any Saftey Gates for Your Mezzanines?
Yes, Panel Built offers a variety of safety gates to help enclose our mezzanine systems. They include Swing Gates, Lift-Out Gates, Slide Gates, and Pivot Gates. You can visit our mezzanine safety gate page for photos and some additional info!
If you have any additional questions about our mezzanine systems that you don't see on this page, Please Let Us Know! We are always happy to answer any questions that you may have about our products. You can reach us at our toll-free number, 800.636.3873 or you can send us over an email to info@panelbuilt.com.