Used Mezzanines

If you’re looking for a great way to cut costs and add value to your facility, why not go for a quality used warehouse mezzanine? Here’s everything you need to know before you make your purchase.

Buying Used Mezzanines: What You Need to Know

When it comes to buying a used mezzanine, you’ll find a few significant factors to consider. Overall size and intended use are very important, but so are:

• The type of mezzanine
• Materials
• Your supplier

If you’re looking for a trusted retailer for used mezzanines, East Coast Storage Equipment is your go-to option. Not only do they provide the best used inventory in the U.S., but they can also help with other aspects of mezzanine purchases, like installation and planning. 

Types of Mezzanines

When it comes to buying used mezzanines, you’ll find quite a few choices on the market. In most cases, you’ll need to understand your intended use before making any decisions. You’ll also need to understand:

• What equipment you need to work around
• The location of the structure
• How tall you’d like your mezzanine (taking into account safety requirements)

Once you have an understanding of these factors, you can move on to deciding on which type of used mezzanine is right for you and your facility.

Free-Standing Mezzanines

One of the more popular types of industrial mezzanines, free-standing mezzanines are platforms that don’t rely on existing structural components. This means you’ll need to install structural columns for support.

Free-standing mezzanines are an excellent choice for storage situations where space is at a premium. They can not only hold up to a lot of weight and wear, but they offer a versatile platform for all kinds of workplace activities. 

Catwalks

As the name suggests, catwalk mezzanines create usable foot traffic lanes. While you can find structures that are just walkways, in most cases, a catwalk mezzanine will work with different types of shelving.

Shelving will extend past the platform. Since the structure has elevated walkways, workers can easily access stored items no matter where they are in the shelving system. 

Shelving- and Rack-Supported Mezzanines

If you’re looking to maximize storage space while keeping workspace open, shelving- or rack-supported mezzanine structures might be perfect. Instead of support columns, these mezzanines are supported by either:

• A pallet racking system
• A shelving system

Essentially, these types of mezzanines add a work platform on top of existing racking or shelving. Also known as deck over shelving, these mezzanines can add a lot of usable space to otherwise densely packed storage environments.

Costs of Building a Mezzanine

When it comes to building out a custom mezzanine solution, you’ll find quite a few factors that impact price. Going for a quality yet affordable used option is a great way to cut costs, but you’ll need to know about a few other variables to get a good idea of what the overall price might look like.

Cost Per Square Foot

The most important factor to consider when estimating used mezzanine price is the square footage. If you have a good idea of your required square footage, you can have a pretty solid idea of the overall cost. 

Deck Style and Materials

When pricing out a mezzanine, be sure to not leave out deck style choice and other accessories. You can find all kinds of decking materials. These include:

• Corrugated 20-gauge steel (also known as B-Deck)
• Wood (including all its variations like plywood)
• Bar grating
• Concrete
• Steel floor plate (great for heavy-duty applications)
• Resin

Additionally, extra components may affect the mezzanine price:

• Lighting systems
• Fire suppression systems
• Support systems

Height

Most mezzanines are around eight to nine feet tall. While this is a standard height range, you may require a different height for your mezzanine. The taller you go, the higher the impact on the overall cost.

It’s worth noting that the structural supports will be a considerable factor in this price increase. If you’re considering a shelving- or rack-supported mezzanine, you may be able to mitigate some of these extra height costs.

Other Factors

The platform and supports make up the bulk of mezzanine construction. While this represents the components of a basic mezzanine structure, that’s not all you can have. If you’re dealing with a custom build or adding features to your existing build, you might add:

• Handrails
• Stairways
• Gate systems

As you might guess, all of these additional features will cost you.

Mezzanine Decking Options

When it comes to mezzanine decking material, you have quite a few options. Keep in mind your intended use before making any decisions. Some options are more budget-friendly than others but are often not as durable.

Popular options include:

• Basic (B-Deck)
• Wood
• Bar grating
• Concrete
• Steel

Basic (B-Deck)

By far the most common material, basic 20-gauge corrugated steel (also known as B-Deck) can offer quite a lot in terms of versatility and durability. Manufacturers often pair this type of decking with a secondary material for additional strength.

Wood 

Wood decking comes in many different types. While plywood is often the most popular material, you can find composites that marry resins with wood fibers for increased durability and load capacity. Wood is also easy to coat with paint or urethane.

Bar Grating

Another familiar decking option, bar grating allows for light and air to pass through the platform. While this can have benefits for certain materials, for small parts storage, the holes in the decking may present more challenges than benefits. Additionally, when using grating, certain fire suppression requirements may not be required.

Concrete

If durability is a primary concern, concrete flooring holds up extremely well to all kinds of environmental stressors. Especially in situations where surfaces require heavy washdowns regularly. Concrete is also a great choice to:

• Dampen sound
• Meet strict fire safety standards
• Hold up to constant chemical use

The downside? Concrete is the most permanent of all the options. You need to consider the lifespan of your mezzanine before making any decisions on this decking material.

Steel Floor

Steel is strong and durable. Steel decking options like steel plate are an excellent choice for environments where heavy loads and consistent lift equipment use are a factor. It’s not only a great option for durability — it’s also a great choice when flammability is a concern. 

Coating Options

Most decking options will work well as-is. If, however, you need extra protection, a coating is a great way to increase durability and longevity. Coatings include:

• Non-stick
• Moisture-preventing
• Corrosion-preventing
• Antimicrobial and germ-free

Benefits of Warehouse Mezzanines

When choosing your used warehouse mezzanine, you may be curious as to the benefits of adding this kind of structure to your facility. Among many great benefits, mezzanines can:

• Save on storage space
• Maximize vertical clearance
• Prevent the need for a full warehouse expansion

Save on Storage Space

One of the main benefits of adding a used mezzanine to your facility is the extra storage space. Since outgrowing a facility is a common problem in distribution centers and manufacturing plants, adding a mezzanine is a simple way to add extra storage without too much hassle.

With a mezzanine, you can essentially add extra floor space by building up and not out. With certain styles like rack- or shelving-supported mezzanines, that means adding storage space to an otherwise occupied area.

Get More Out of Your Vertical Clearance

By building up, you can get more use out of your vertical clearance. While this area is useful for large racking or shelving systems, adding a mezzanine means much more than storage. You can use this space for all kinds of workplace activities:

• A dedicated storage space
• A dedicated maintenance space
• Space for racking
• Space for observation
• A platform for in-warehouse office space

Expand, Don’t Relocate

Often, adding a mezzanine to a facility is a great way to reduce the need for an expansion or relocation. Because these two activities tend to be expensive, mezzanines create a lower-cost option that still adds necessary space to a facility.

Common Uses for Mezzanines

Storage is undoubtedly the main feature of adding a mezzanine to your facility. Even so, you’ll find a lot more flexibility and versatility from these workplace platforms.

• Work platform
• Conveyor support platform
• Catwalk
• Adding extra racking or shelving
• Access for hard-to-reach equipment

Need Help With Your Used Mezzanine Needs?

Call 732-200-2352 or email info@usedmezzanine.net today and learn how a used mezzanine can help add space to your warehouse or distribution center.