Workshop Mezzanine

 

Criteria	Score
Aesthetics and visual appeal	7/10
Suitability and usefulness	8/10
Sustainability and recycling	2/10
Problem solving and brief	7/10
Overall	6/10

As the workshop I rent is limited in space, I decided to add a mezzanine floor to create a space for reflection, relaxation and coffee drinking. The workshop measures 6.5m wide by 10m deep (approx.), and the tools I have amassed take up a large part of this space. The ‘kitchen’ area (fridge/freezer, sink, microwave, kettle and toaster) was part of this floor space as was the ‘comfy chair and sofa’, and these amenities are difficult to keep clean in a space which is constantly dusty and subject to a range of messy practices. There was also a VW van, two scooters and a small mobile shelving area to display items for sale stored in the workshop, meaning that a Tetris-like stacking system had to be employed at the end of each day’s work.

The van was sold freeing up enough capital to buy the resources to build the mezzanine. A design was created which involved a table like steel structure made up of steel girder, and the steel was ordered. The space presented a number of problems which would have to be overcome; there is a drain in the bottom left corner of the workshop which cannot be blocked, and the width of the unit meant that there would have to be a gap so that the structure could be erected. I also wanted a long span upon which a girder monkey containing a 1 ton capacity block and tackle would be installed, so that lifting of heavy items would be possible within the workshop. As the workshop is a rented space, it was decided that the structure would need to be removable and not fixed to the fabric of the building. A fixing system was devised to allow the steels to be bolted together, although this would involve welding end plates to the horizontal aspects of the structure. The plating system was drawn up in Adobe Illustrator with all relevant measurements on the drawing, and mocked up on the UCBC Laser cutter in Perspex. One of these mock-ups was delivered, along with the .EPS file to a steel manufacturer to be plasma cut in 10mm mild steel.

These end plates would also be placed on the bottoms of the four uprights in the event that these needed anchoring to the floor, as it was envisioned that there would be enough lateral stability to utilise the same plating system without the need for oversized foot plates. The steels (2 x 6m, 2 x 4.5m and 4 x 2.5m) were treated with a red oxide primer upon delivery, and the plates were welded to the relevant steels. These were then drilled using the laser cut template and a Mag Drill. The design of the structure was such that the only steels which needed drilling were the four 2.5m uprights, as this was going to be a more efficient process than trying to manipulate longer lengths of steel without heavy lifting equipment. The workshop was cleared and the steels were erected using a borrowed forklift truck from a neighbouring unit. The structure went up relatively smoothly, with the end uprights being constructed first and the longer spans inserted later.

Joisting was purchased and these were installed a 400mm on centres. It was important that the joists and noggins were placed regularly and evenly, as these would be on display once the structure was completed, so great care was taken to ensure that these were carefully measured and cut. The problem of working at height was minimised by creating the joists as a series of boxes, which were then placed on the structure and fixed using intermediate noggins. A 22mm Caberfloor system was then installed using screws on top of the joisting. A simple staircase was also created to facilitate easy access to the mezzanine floor.

A power supply to the floor was routed and installed, and the water supply was diverted to the upstairs area, enabling a kitchen area to be built. The space is not yet finished, but it is now usable and the extra space and opportunities that the mezzanine affords has been much appreciated.