I'll squeeze it in somewhere--it's just a baby forklift! And yeah, the more I learn the more I'm thinking the answer might just be "buy a pre-engineered steel mezzanine." I need to investigate those used mezzanine dealers and see what the reality is there.
Drifter/youtuber, Taylor Ray, recently put out a video with a pre-engineered, mail order assemled steel loft.
I did a mezzanine setup using palet racks. A couple longer beams span the two horizontal racks to form it. I'm about $1200 in the setup since the wood was included in the sale. Picked up the two horizontal and green shallow rack from a music store closing then the blue center rack from a guy that resells them.
I don't have mezzanine but I do have 24' of 3 pallet rack shelves.
The only mistake I made was I bought 10' up rights for my 12' ceiling. 8' would have been fine.
If you use the uprights as a base for a mezzanine I would bolt it to the floor and wall.
I think you can get 16' spans now,bolted to the floor you could put the first "shelf" 8' above the floor then tie 2 together for an 8' floor.
Like Lego you could easily put together a setup that would hold 10,000 lbs.,but you have to bolt it to the floor.
I'll start its own thread at some point, but figured I'd post an update. New shop acquired!
When I lived in a 24' x 60' shop, my bathroom was closer to the front. I had 21' peak, in same layout as yours. 15' tall pallet racks (5 10' sections) down the entire wall of the side with bathroom. 6th 10'tall section was set over bathroom (100% non load bearing bathroom, about 4' away from the racking against wall. Cross beams (4x6 I beams) gave me a 10' x 12' floor never did get walls built. Was still young enough, I just used my ladder, couple times a week. But my reach type forklift had hand controls at the forks! So if ida stayed there, I would have had an elevator!
I do NOT regret getting married at 45, and moving to her place in AL. But I do miss my 3 phase power!!!
My parallel pallet racks with cross beams (too big, just what I had) worked better for me , as it used the stability of a long line, instead of two free standing sections.
But I got mine SUPER cheap at an auction. At modern prices, a pre built would probably be as cost effective.