--- title: When Should You Add a Mezzanine Instead of More Racking? description: Compare mezzanines and additional racking for warehouse growth, storage capacity, workflow, access, and long-term facility planning. image: https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/hubfs/MB1%20When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking.png --- [BE A PART OF OUR GRAND UNVEILING OF OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART TECH CENTER](https://mcmurraystern.com/techcenter/) [562.623.3000](tel:+496170961709) [![MMS\_Secondary-C-2](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/hubfs/DigiTopia_2024/MMS_Secondary-C-2.svg)](https://mcmurraystern.com/) - [HOME](https://mcmurraystern.com/) - ABOUT US - [About us](https://mcmurraystern.com/about-us/) - [Events](https://mcmurraystern.com/events/) - [Purchasing Contracts](https://mcmurraystern.com/purchasing-contracts/) - [Careers](https://mcmurraystern.com/careers/) - [Manufacturers](https://mcmurraystern.com/manufacturers/) - [News](https://mcmurraystern.com/news/) - [MARKETS](https://mcmurraystern.com/industries/) - [SOLUTIONS](https://mcmurraystern.com/solutions/) - [BLOG](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en) - [CONTACT US](https://mcmurraystern.com/contact-us/) [FREE CONSULTATION](https://mcmurraystern.com/free-consultation/) ![Featured Image](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/hubfs/MB1%20When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking.png) Table Of Content ### Subscribe to Our Newsletter #### Share This Blog - - - - [mailto:?subject=When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking?&body=When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking?%20https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/when-should-you-add-a-mezzanine-instead-of-more-racking](mailto:?subject=When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking?&body=When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking?%20https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/when-should-you-add-a-mezzanine-instead-of-more-racking) [Facility Planning](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/facility-planning) [pallet racking](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/pallet-racking) [warehouse mezzanine](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/warehouse-mezzanine) [vertical space](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/vertical-space) [mezzanine storage](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/mezzanine-storage) [multi-level storage](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/multi-level-storage) [industrial racking](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/industrial-racking) [warehouse expansion](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/warehouse-expansion) # When Should You Add a Mezzanine Instead of More Racking? ## **Introduction** When a warehouse begins to run out of usable space, the first response is often to add another row of pallet racking. That can be the right move when the facility has open floor area, compatible aisle space, and a clear need for additional pallet positions. But some operations are constrained by the building footprint, unused overhead volume, crowded work areas, or the need for a separate level for storage, assembly, offices, or support functions. A mezzanine introduces another planning option: creating usable floor area within the existing building envelope. The decision is not simply about choosing between steel platforms and rack bays. It requires a review of what the facility needs to store, how employees and equipment move, what loads the structure must support, and how the space will be used over time. McMurray Stern approaches these projects as integrated storage and facility-planning decisions, helping organizations evaluate racking, multi-level systems, mezzanines, and other solutions around the actual operation. ## **Start With the Constraint, Not the Product** Before selecting a mezzanine or another racking system, identify what is truly limiting the operation. A facility may appear to need more storage, but the underlying issue could be a shortage of pallet positions, inefficient aisle planning, poor zoning, inadequate staging space, or a lack of room for value-added work. - Insufficient pallet positions for current or forecasted inventory. - Unused vertical clearance above existing storage or work areas. - Floor space consumed by fixed aisles, staging, or support functions. - Separate needs for storage, assembly, kitting, maintenance, or office space. - Poor separation between pedestrian activity, forklifts, picking, and replenishment. The constraint matters because a mezzanine creates usable elevated floor area, while racking primarily organizes inventory within a defined storage footprint. If the need is simply to increase pallet positions in an open warehouse, additional pallet racking may solve the problem more directly. If the facility needs a new level or a dedicated area for a different function, a mezzanine may provide greater planning flexibility.   ## **When More Racking May Be the Better Fit** Additional racking is often the more straightforward choice when the operation already has sufficient floor area and the primary requirement is vertical pallet storage. A well-planned pallet racking layout can increase capacity while preserving direct access for forklifts and other handling equipment. Racking is especially relevant when inventory is palletized, the load profile is consistent, and the facility needs a repeatable bay configuration. Beam elevations can be coordinated with pallet dimensions, product turnover, equipment reach, and required clearances. The result is a storage system designed around the way goods are received, stored, replenished, and picked. McMurray Stern’s pallet racking solutions can be evaluated around available space, pallet sizes, access requirements, and operational goals. Depending on the application, the planning process may also consider high-density mobile racking, which can reduce fixed aisle requirements and increase storage capacity within the existing footprint. ## **Segment Inventory Before Choosing the Storage Configuration** Not every product in a warehouse requires the same storage environment, access frequency, or handling method. Before deciding between additional pallet racking and a mezzanine, it is useful to understand how the inventory itself affects the storage requirement. Looking at inventory as one category can lead to a system that provides additional capacity but does not necessarily improve how materials are organized or accessed. Product dimensions, weight, packaging, turnover, quantity, and retrieval frequency can all influence the appropriate storage configuration. High-volume palletized products may require pallet racking with straightforward forklift access, while smaller components may be better suited to shelving, bins, cabinets, or other organized storage systems. Long or unusually shaped materials may require a different configuration altogether. Inventory turnover is another consideration. Frequently accessed products generally benefit from storage locations that support efficient retrieval and replenishment. Slower-moving materials may be positioned in areas where maximum accessibility is less important. Separating these requirements can help determine which inventory belongs in a pallet rack, which materials could use higher-density storage, and which items may benefit from dedicated areas. A mezzanine can also serve a specific inventory category rather than becoming additional general-purpose storage. For example, an upper-level area may support smaller parts, supplies, records, or other materials that do not require the same handling equipment as palletized inventory. This can allow ground-level space to remain available for heavier products or active material movement. The objective is to understand what type of storage each inventory group actually requires before selecting the equipment. By examining inventory characteristics first, facility planners can create a more intentional storage strategy instead of adding capacity uniformly throughout the building. This approach can also make it easier to combine different storage systems where the operation has diverse product and handling requirements. ## **When a Mezzanine Deserves Serious Consideration** A mezzanine becomes more relevant when the facility needs usable floor area in addition to, or instead of, more pallet positions. It can create space for light-duty storage, parts rooms, assembly, kitting, maintenance support, offices, or other functions that would otherwise compete for ground-level space. - The building has meaningful unused vertical clearance. - The operation needs a separate level for storage or work activities. - Ground-floor space is needed for material handling, staging, or production. - The facility must expand without moving to a larger building. - Different functions need to be separated while remaining within one location. A shelf-supported or rack-supported mezzanine can also combine elevated storage with a coordinated racking layout. In a manufacturing or distribution environment, the upper level may support lighter inventory or organized work areas, while the ground level remains available for heavier loads, pallet movement, receiving, or production activity. ## **Evaluate the Building and the Intended Load** A mezzanine is a structural project, not simply a taller storage accessory. The building’s clear height, column locations, floor conditions, fire protection, utilities, lighting, stairs, guardrails, access points, and permitted use all influence the design. The intended load must also be defined before the system is selected. Storage loads, personnel occupancy, carts, workstations, equipment, and material-handling activity can create different design requirements. A platform intended for light-duty shelving will not be planned in the same way as one supporting dense inventory or active workstations. The design should be reviewed by qualified professionals and coordinated with applicable building and safety requirements. ## **Consider Access and Workflow at Both Levels** The value of a mezzanine depends on how easily people and materials can move between levels. Stairs, lifts, conveyors, pallet access, picking routes, and replenishment procedures should be considered together. If employees must carry heavy or frequently accessed materials up and down stairs, the added floor area may introduce more movement than it removes. Racking decisions also require workflow analysis. A dense layout may create capacity but reduce access, while a more open configuration may support faster picking and safer equipment movement. The best solution balances storage density with the frequency, weight, and method of retrieval. ## **Plan Storage Around the Automation You May Need Later** Storage planning increasingly involves more than deciding where racks, shelves, or elevated platforms will be placed. Organizations may also need to consider how materials could be moved, retrieved, or stored through automated equipment as operational requirements change. Even when automation is not an immediate priority, considering potential future applications can help prevent a storage design from unnecessarily limiting later improvements. McMurray Stern provides manufacturing and distribution solutions that include automated storage and retrieval systems, vertical lift modules, automated picking systems, conveyors, carousels, pallet shuttles, and autonomous mobile robots. These technologies can support different requirements for storage density, retrieval, picking, and material movement. The relationship between storage and automation is important because equipment needs space to operate. Rack configuration, aisle dimensions, ceiling height, access points, staging areas, and material-transfer locations can all influence how automation could eventually be introduced. A facility that expects to automate selected processes may therefore want to consider these requirements while planning its storage environment. A mezzanine can also become part of a broader material-handling strategy. An elevated level might support parts storage, picking, or another defined function, while conveyors, lifts, or other equipment could support movement between areas where appropriate. Similarly, racking can be incorporated into a larger system designed around inventory storage and retrieval. This does not mean every facility needs to automate its storage operation. Instead, the planning process can identify where automation may provide value in the future and ensure that today's storage decisions do not unnecessarily restrict those possibilities. Considering automation alongside storage gives facility planners another way to evaluate the use of vertical space. Rather than viewing a mezzanine or additional racking as the final solution by itself, the facility can consider how storage, retrieval, and material movement may work together as operational needs evolve. ## **Use a Combined Strategy When the Facility Needs Both** The choice does not always have to be mezzanine versus racking. A combined design may be appropriate when the facility needs additional floor area and more organized pallet storage. For example, a mezzanine can create an upper-level parts or support area, while pallet racking below handles larger inventory. A multi-level shelving system can support smaller components above ground-level work areas, while heavy-duty racking remains dedicated to palletized goods. McMurray Stern’s manufacturing and distribution portfolio includes mezzanines, pallet racks, heavy-duty industrial shelving, multi-level shelving systems, high-density mobile storage, and other solutions that can be considered as part of a coordinated design-build project. ## **Minimize Operational Disruption During Installation** Choosing the right storage solution is only one part of a facility expansion project. Organizations must also consider how the installation itself will affect daily operations. Warehouses and manufacturing facilities often need to continue receiving materials, storing inventory, supporting production, picking orders, and shipping products while construction or equipment installation takes place. A new racking system may be installed in defined sections of an existing facility, while other areas remain available for normal operations. A mezzanine project can involve additional structural components, decking, stairs, guardrails, and access points, which may require more detailed coordination with the surrounding operation. The actual installation requirements will depend on the facility, system, and intended application. Before work begins, organizations can identify areas that are essential to daily activity. Receiving and shipping zones, production lines, high-use storage locations, forklift routes, pedestrian paths, and emergency access should all be considered when determining how installation activities will be organized. Temporary changes may also be necessary. Inventory could need to be relocated, certain aisles may need to remain clear, or picking and replenishment routes may need to be adjusted while work is underway. Planning these changes in advance can give employees and installation teams a clearer understanding of how the facility will operate during the project. Phased installation may provide an opportunity to limit the amount of the facility affected at one time when the project allows for it. Completing defined areas sequentially can help organizations maintain access to portions of the operation rather than treating the entire facility as a construction zone. Considering installation disruption early also helps establish realistic expectations around project timing and operational adjustments. The storage solution should ultimately support the facility once completed, but the transition to that finished system is part of the planning process as well. ## **Questions to Answer Before Making the Investment** Is the primary problem a lack of pallet positions or a lack of usable floor area? 1. How much clear vertical space is available, and what obstructions must be considered? 2. What materials, equipment, or activities will occupy the added space? 3. How frequently will items move between levels? 4. Will the solution support expected inventory, staffing, and workflow changes? 5. Can the project be installed without creating unacceptable disruption to operations? Answering these questions helps prevent a common planning mistake: selecting equipment before defining the operational problem. A mezzanine can be valuable, but it should be used where elevated floor area improves the facility’s function. Additional racking can be equally valuable when the need is focused on organized pallet capacity and direct material access. # **How McMurray Stern Supports the Planning Process** McMurray Stern helps organizations evaluate storage challenges through a design-build approach that considers facility conditions, inventory, workflow, equipment, and future requirements. The company’s manufacturing and distribution solutions include pallet racking, mezzanines, industrial shelving, high-density mobile systems, modular storage, and other equipment designed to work together. Rather than treating a mezzanine or racking system as an isolated purchase, the planning process can examine how the solution affects capacity, access, safety, staging, labor movement, and long-term flexibility. This creates a clearer basis for deciding whether to build upward, add more rack bays, compact existing storage, or combine several approaches. ## **Conclusion** A mezzanine is worth considering when a facility needs additional usable floor area and has the vertical volume, structural conditions, and workflow requirements to support another level. More racking may be the more direct answer when the primary need is additional pallet capacity within an available footprint. In many facilities, the strongest result comes from evaluating both options together. **Ready to evaluate your warehouse storage options?**[Manufacturing & Distribution Solutions](https://mcmurraystern.com/manufacturing-and-distribution-solutions/) ![Rudresh Jhaveri](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Rudresh%20Jhaveri.png?width=160&name=Rudresh%20Jhaveri.png) [![linkedin logo](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LinkedIn_logo.svg.png?width=90&name=LinkedIn_logo.svg.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudresh-jhaveri/) ##### About Rudresh Jhaveri Rudresh Jhaveri is an Automation Engineer and Design Consultant at McMurray Stern, where he focuses on developing and implementing automated storage and industrial solutions. Based in Santa Fe Springs, California, he contributes to projects involving warehouse automation, robotics, and high-density storage systems that improve operational efficiency. He began his academic journey at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, building a foundation in engineering and technical problem-solving. With a background that blends engineering principles and real-world design consulting, Rudresh supports clients in optimizing workflows and modernizing facilities. Known for his analytical mindset and hands-on approach, he plays a key role in translating complex operational needs into practical, scalable automation solutions within the material handling and storage industry. ## Recent blogs Explore Our Top Articles And The Latest Storage Trends, Where Industry Expertise Meets Innovation. [![Featured Image](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/hubfs/MB1%20When%20Should%20You%20Add%20a%20Mezzanine%20Instead%20of%20More%20Racking.png)](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/when-should-you-add-a-mezzanine-instead-of-more-racking) [Facility Planning](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/facility-planning) [pallet racking](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/pallet-racking) [warehouse mezzanine](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/warehouse-mezzanine) [vertical space](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/vertical-space) [mezzanine storage](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/mezzanine-storage) [multi-level storage](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/multi-level-storage) [industrial racking](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/industrial-racking) [warehouse expansion](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/tag/warehouse-expansion) #### [When Should You Add a Mezzanine Instead of More Racking?](https://blog.mcmurraystern.com/en/when-should-you-add-a-mezzanine-instead-of-more-racking) Introduction When a warehouse begins to run out of usable space, the first response is often to add another row of pallet racking.... 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