5 notes when building a mezzanine for a one-story house

Mezzanines should not be built higher than 2.4 m and not exceed 60% of the floor area of ​​the floor.

Mezzanine is a solution to expand the usable area for houses with small area or areas with limited building height. The mezzanine can be both a private space such as a bedroom, an office, and a common place for the family such as a living room, kitchen, dining room, entertainment area...

During the design and construction process, the following factors should be kept in mind:

Size

Theoretically, the height of the mezzanine is usually in the range of 2.4-2.8 m, but in practice it is rarely built higher than 2.4 m. The area of ​​the mezzanine must not exceed 60% of the floor area according to construction standards. If built low, it will make this space feel cramped, but too high will be like a separate floor.

Determination of functions and materials

Right from the moment the idea of ​​​​building a mezzanine, homeowners need to clearly define the use function, making the design and decoration easier and more synchronous. If constructed during house construction, this mezzanine area will use concrete and steel reinforcement as the main materials and have high durability.

If the mezzanine area is constructed after the housing project has been put into use, priority will be given to materials that are light, easy to use and have high hardness and durability, such as wood, specialized mezzanine panels. In this case, the homeowner should arrange the bedroom, the office will be more suitable than the gym, kitchen...

A design of a house with a mezzanine. Photo: Nhacap4

Interior

Because the space is relatively narrow, when arranging furniture in the mezzanine, homeowners need to be moderate in quantity and style to avoid the feeling of confusion, the space becomes more and more cramped. Priority should be given to neutral color tones, limiting colorful colors.

Note that chandeliers or ceiling fans should not be used to avoid excess light and ensure safety for use. Ceiling systems should be designed and constructed in a simple, flat, or slightly jerky style.

balcony

The balustrade for the mezzanine should be made of tempered glass, wood or metal, with a simple, unfussy design. The railing should not be made too high, it will cause an imbalance in the space, nor should it be too low to prevent unsafety, especially for children. The standard height of the stair railing should be about 90 cm.

Stair

Homeowners can consider choosing a straight, herringbone, spiral staircase, with diverse materials such as wood, glass, iron... However, the stairs should not be placed in the middle because it takes up space. inconvenient to use. Instead, a position close to the wall will be more suitable.

Two important factors to consider when designing a mezzanine are light and temperature. To solve the disadvantage of lack of light, homeowners should install a scientific electrical system, along with windows to receive natural light and ventilation. With air conditioning requirements, especially in hot summer, the option of using insulation panels on the ceiling and around the wall can be considered.

The cost of building mezzanines is usually calculated according to m2. The current average unit price is about 5-6 million VND per m2, depending on construction location, materials, difficulty in actual construction.