LLONSSON LIMITED T +44(0)1883 622068

49 Court Farm Road, F +44(0)1883 623280

Warlingham, Surrey E sales@llonsson.co.uk
CR6 9BL United Kingdom W www.llonsson.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 515 1657 59

Mezzanine floors: Baseplate design

How are the loads from mezzanine floors dispersed?

Load dispersal

Loads from freestanding mezzanine

floors are all supported through columns
and base plates by the concrete floor
slab, which is in turn supported by the
subsoil below it.

The object when designing a mezzanine

floor is to ensure that the loads applied
down the columns are adequately
distributed over the subsoil so that they
are less than its ‘subsoil bearing
capacity’. The load is then safely
dispersed through the ground without
settlement, subsidence, shear or any
associated building damage.

What are typical loads on mezzanine floors?

A typical mezzanine floor supports a design load of around 5kN (approx. half a tonne)
per square metre, uniformly distributed load, on a column grid of around 4m x 5m. This
means that a column in the middle of such a floor will support half a tonne on each
square metre of the 20 square metres that it supports, making a total of 10 tonnes down
the column. Typically this will be applied to the concrete floor on a base plate 300mm (1
foot) square.

Uniformly distributed loads

It is generally assumed when designing mezzanine floors that the load will be evenly
applied over the whole area, and such a load is referred to as a uniformly distributed load
or UDL.

Prepared by: Llonsson Ltd © Llonsson Ltd 2009 1

REGISTERED OFFICE: ROBERTSFIELD, HOLLAND ROAD, OXTED, SURREY, RH8 9BQ REGISTERED NO: 2389444
LLONSSON LIMITED T +44(0)1883 622068
49 Court Farm Road, F +44(0)1883 623280
Warlingham, Surrey E sales@llonsson.co.uk
CR6 9BL United Kingdom W www.llonsson.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 515 1657 59

The effect of slab construction and subsoil

Load dispersal is affected by the construction of the slab itself. The thickness of the slab,
the amount of reinforcement and the depth of hardcore below the slab affect how the
load applied by the column is distributed to the subsoil.

The subsoil in turn can vary from made up ground, through clays, sands and gravels to
chalk, limestone and granite which have greatly varying subsoil bearing capacities, and
therefore the mezzanine floor loads may need to be distributed over different sized areas
in order to ensure they are kept below the ‘subsoil bearing capacity’.

Mezzanine floor base plate design

Mezzanine floor base plates are designed by first calculating the load applied down each
column, and based upon the subsoil and slab construction a suitable mezzanine floor
base plate size can then be calculated to safely disperse the applied load. Plate sizes will
vary to suit the load applied to each column, depending on the area of mezzanine
flooring that it supports.

Obtaining subsoil and slab construction data

Depending on the site location, history and age, information may be readily available, or
may need to be obtained by investigation and test. An old riverside location with an old
slab is likely to need some trial holes or cores and penetration tests to obtain the relevant
data, whilst a brand new site in a chalk
downland location would be expected
to come with full specifications.

The first port of call for documentation

is the landlord or owner, followed by
the local authority. If no documentary
information is available, conservative
assumptions may be acceptable to
approved inspectors and building
control officers, failing which visual
inspection of trial holes and testing of
subsoil by independent geotechnical
engineers may be necessary.

Prepared by: Llonsson Ltd © Llonsson Ltd 2009 2

REGISTERED OFFICE: ROBERTSFIELD, HOLLAND ROAD, OXTED, SURREY, RH8 9BQ REGISTERED NO: 2389444
LLONSSON LIMITED T +44(0)1883 622068
49 Court Farm Road, F +44(0)1883 623280
Warlingham, Surrey E sales@llonsson.co.uk
CR6 9BL United Kingdom W www.llonsson.co.uk

VAT Registration No: 515 1657 59

High load, poor subsoil scenarios

The poorer the ground quality and the higher the mezzanine flooring loads, the more
likely trial holes and testing will be necessary, and the more likely that the slab alone will
not be adequate to accommodate the applied loads and independent foundations may be
needed, though the percentage of mezzanine floor applications where these factors
combine is low.

Get advice
This general information relates to the design of mezzanine floor base plates and is
intended for guidance only. Each project needs to be assessed on its own merits.
It is always prudent to discuss your specific project with an approved inspector or
building control officer prior to commencing work, a task with which your mezzanine floor
contractor will be prepared to assist.
Mezzanine floor advice and support
If you would like advice regarding the specific requirements for your project, someone to
liaise with building control on your behalf, or a quotation for your project call Llonsson Ltd
on 01883 622068.

Prepared by: Llonsson Ltd © Llonsson Ltd 2009 3

REGISTERED OFFICE: ROBERTSFIELD, HOLLAND ROAD, OXTED, SURREY, RH8 9BQ REGISTERED NO: 2389444