Case study / Warehouse

188 columns
painted for
Amazon.

We painted the columns under a new mezzanine at Amazon's site in Magna Park, Lutterworth. Walls, bulkheads and a toilet block were part of the job too. We worked for the main contractor, Uplands Retail, during the fit-out.

See how we did it

Columns under the new mezzanine at Amazon Lutterworth, painted yellow with a white band at the top, with an orange access lift between them — Yellow columns with a white band to the top.Completed October 2026

Client: Amazon
Main contractor: Uplands Retail
Location: Magna Park, Lutterworth
Dates: September to October 2026, in two visits
The work: Columns, walls, bulkheads, toilet block and door frames

Last checked: October 2026

01 / The job

A colour code on every column.

Uplands Retail was fitting out part of Amazon's site at Magna Park with a new mezzanine. They asked us to paint the columns underneath it, along with walls, bulkheads and a toilet block.

The colours came from the project drawings. RAL is the standard colour code we match to. Each column is RAL 1021 yellow on all sides. Above the yellow, a 600 mm band of RAL 9010 white runs to the top. Seven columns that Uplands marked on site have RAL 3020 red bands.

A bulkhead is a boxed section that drops below a ceiling. We painted the walls and 385 metres of bulkhead in RAL 9016 white. The toilet block walls came to 150 m², and the door frames are RAL 7004 grey.

Our part of the job was the paint. The mezzanine, stairs, railings, fencing, conveyors and floors are other trades' work.

Rows of columns under the mezzanine, painted yellow with white bands at the top, one with a red band — Columns under the new mezzanine, each yellow with a white band to the top. Red bands mark the columns Uplands pointed out on site.

02 / What made it hard

Working round a busy fit-out.

We worked during the building's fit-out, alongside other trades in the same space.

Uplands set the dates. We came in two visits: the first in early September 2026 and the second at the end of that month.

The columns run up to the underside of the mezzanine, so much of the work was at height. We used small powered access lifts, which raise a worker straight up, and worked from the ground where we could.

The job called for brush and roller only, with water-based paints and no spraying. So every colour band on every column was painted by hand.

The job also grew while we were there. Uplands asked us to paint more columns under the mezzanine, and the existing columns on the deck above it. Later they added the stairwell bulkheads and making good, which means filling and repairing surfaces before painting.

03 / What we did

What we painted, area by area.

We issued our RAMS (risk assessments and method statements) for the job before work started.

01
Columns under the mezzanine188 columns boxed in with plasterboard, painted RAL 1021 yellow on all sides. A 600 mm band of RAL 9010 white runs above the yellow to the top. Red RAL 3020 bands go on the seven columns Uplands marked.
02
Columns on the deckThe existing columns on the mezzanine deck, painted yellow. Uplands added these during the job.
03
Walls and bulkheadsWalls and 385 metres of bulkhead in RAL 9016 white matt emulsion.
04
Toilet block150 m² of toilet block walls in RAL 9016 white.
05
Door framesDoor frames in RAL 7004 grey eggshell, a paint finish with a low sheen.
06
StairwellBulkhead decorations and making good in the stairwell, added during the job.

Toilet corridor with white walls and grey door frames around three doors — **Toilet corridor**White walls and grey eggshell door frames.

Grey door frame at the top of a stair, with white walls on both sides — **Top of the stairs**RAL 7004 grey eggshell frame, with white walls around it.

04 / Colours and paints

The colours and paints we used.

We used Albany Supercover matt emulsion on the columns, walls and bulkheads, and Albany Acrylic Eggshell on the door frames. Both are water-based. Everything went on by brush and roller.

RAL 1021Colza yellowColumns, all sidesAlbany Supercover matt emulsion
RAL 9010Pure white600 mm band above the yellow, to the topAlbany Supercover matt emulsion
RAL 3020Traffic redBands on the columns Uplands markedAlbany Supercover matt emulsion
RAL 9016Traffic whiteWalls, bulkheads and toilet block wallsAlbany Supercover matt emulsion
RAL 7004Signal greyDoor framesAlbany Acrylic Eggshell

Colours on screen are a guide only.

05 / A closer look

The finished work.

Our own photos from site. Each caption says what we painted.

Warehouse floor beside the new mezzanine, with yellow and white columns under it and a black stair inside a mesh cage — We painted the columns under the new mezzanine. The stair, fencing and conveyors are other trades' work.

Column on the mezzanine deck, yellow with a red band near the top, beside an orange access lift and a fire extinguisher — We painted the existing columns on the mezzanine deck.

Yellow and white columns under the mezzanine, behind yellow conveyors and a yellow stair — We painted the columns behind the conveyors. The conveyors and the yellow stair are other trades' work.

Stairwell with white walls, black railings and a grey door on the landing above — We painted the stairwell walls white. The stair and railings are other trades' work.

Top of the stairwell with white walls and a white boxed bulkhead below the ceiling — We decorated the stairwell bulkhead and walls in white.

06 / The result

Finished in October 2026.

The job reached practical completion in October 2026. That means the work was finished and ready to hand over.

Every column under the mezzanine now follows the same colour code. The red bands sit on the columns Uplands chose.

Got a warehouse or distribution centre to paint? We can price from your drawings and colour schedule.

Warehouse or distribution centre?

Tell us about your site.

Send us the drawings or a few photos by email to office@astardecorators.com. Or use the form to tell us what needs doing. We will tell you if we need a site survey before we price it.

Ask for a price Call Pawel on 077 6178 1304

188 columnspainted forAmazon.