2 Two Tier Racking Shelving Systems
A mezzanine may prove to be more expensive and ultimately have less capacity then a Two tier
Two Tier Shelving is a cost effective solution that utilises all of the available building headroom without the need for a separate structural mezzanine floor.
The best way to describe Two Tier Shelving is as extra-tall shelving with a raised aisle that is suspended to create a walkway accessed by a staircase.
Space within a warehouse or stockroom area is usually very limited, but still has to provide storage for many different product, whilst holding enough stock to supply demand.
When there is sufficient headroom available, a Two-Tier or multi-storage platform is the perfect solution providing maximum storage capacity whilst retaining easy access for staff members.
The uprights are heavy duty and dimensioned in order to carry the loads from the floor above. Shelving built as multi tier installations is often used in larger warehouses for spare parts or where the storage of many articles is required often with a low turnover.
Due to the modular construction of the shelving walkway systems, two and three tiered systems are ideal when access is limited or the concrete slab has a limited load-bearing capacity.
All tiered floor systems require a building regulations application to be submitted for approval. Our project designers will advise on every aspect of the necessary steps required to satisfy the regulations governing structures of this type.
For further information, please contact our office 01635 32032 where one of our designers can come to site and carry out a free site survey
What standards should they be built to?
Tiered storage structures must comply with Building Regulations and require approval by the building control body and your local fire authority.
What load can they bear?
Typical rack or shelving mounted structures allow for between 3.5 – 5 kN per square metre. However it is possible to design in greater floor loading although this will incur greater costs and may add limitations to the structure.
What sizes, formats and configurations do tiered storage structures come in? Are they an 'off the shelf' product, or are they all tailored to order?
Tiered storage structures are all bespoke to meet customers’ individual needs. They are available in a wide range of floor areas, from 10 m2 to well over 15,000 m2.
What materials are they made of?
The walkways within tiered structures can either be supported by angles fixed to the front face of the rack or by purlins to allow greater spans of walkways. The flooring material can be specified as particleboard typically 38mm thick or open grid steel flooring, the depth of which can be varied to allow for various floor loadings. Benefits of particle board flooring include the option to add decorative or non slip floor surfaces which can be laid on top. If there is a very large area of flooring with particleboard it may be a requirement of the building regulations that the underside of the particleboard floor be fire protected to Class O flame spread resistance. Benefits of open steel flooring include increased spread of lighting from the floor above and water penetration for the operation of sprinklers.
How do you incorporate lighting into the tiered structure?
It is fairly normal with tiered structures for the lighting supports tobe incorporated into the structure. It is usual on all raised storage areas to specify a lighting level of 300 lux along with emergency lighting.
