Floor loading is the single biggest technical risk in any mobile shelving relocation. Get it wrong and the install fails inspection. Get it right and you'll never think about it again.
What "loading" actually means
Manufacturers quote uniformly distributed loading in kN/m². A typical 5-shelf archive system loaded at 70 kg per linear metre delivers around 5–7 kN/m² at the track footprint. Modern office slabs handle that easily; older suspended timber floors often do not.
FM2 vs FM3 flatness
Mobile shelving needs FM2-class flatness as a minimum (Concrete Society TR34). Areas worse than that need self-levelling compound applied before tracks are laid. We measure with a digital straight-edge during survey and price the levelling into the quote — no surprises later.
Suspended floors
Most failures we see are above-ground-floor systems on timber joist or older concrete slabs. Always commission a structural calculation if you can't find an as-built drawing. Spreader plates can solve borderline cases.
What to send us
- As-built floor build-up drawing (or photo of any visible expansion joints)
- Postcode of the destination
- Floor level (G/1/2/B)
- Any known load restrictions
That's enough for our team to issue a confident quote within 24 hours.