Locker Shelves: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

Locker Shelves

Locker Shelves

Updated on 3/17/2024
Christie JamesBy Christie James
Recognized Blog Writer With Appearances On Media Outlets
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When it comes to purchasing lockers, there is an extensive range of products to choose from, and you must choose products that are suitable to the environment in which you will be using them. A primary consideration when investing in lockers is the size, color, material, locking mechanisms, the level of security required, and even the anti-bacterial coatings.

You need to consider how many doors, tiers, or compartments you need for your cabinet. As a result of the content stored in the lockers, the locker size is often determined by the type of garments hung in them. So, if workwear or other clothing items are hung in the lockers, the locker size has to be appropriate for them. You can also use small compartments for storing packed lunches if you are looking for them to keep food dry.

 

In general, locker units contain between one and six compartments in a vertical configuration. Furthermore, you can choose from a range of designs concerning grouping, and if space is an issue or specific storage needs exist, it is also possible to create bespoke solutions. The use of twin lockers is a popular choice for places with limited space, as they can store two people's belongings while having the same width as a single unit.

 

Suppose you require separate storage areas for clothing. If the lockers are wet or dirty, lockers can offer a wide range of configurations on the inside, including shelving, hanging rails, and central partitions.

 

The locker's material will be influenced by its surroundings. They use ventilated plastic or lockers coated with corrosion prevention coatings in wet areas. Outdoor lockers need to have reinforced doors and secure deadlocks, as they can prevent vandalism in outdoor environments. Additionally, some lockers include clear panels in the doors or are wire mesh, which can deter thieves since it is possible to monitor the contents without opening the doors quickly.

 

Today, many lockers have anti-bacterial protection as a standard feature, which is also popular with consumers. There are products available that use an additive in the paint finish that inhibits the growth of bacteria on its surface and can reduce cross-contamination from surfaces with a high frequency of contact.

 

The final factor, but by no means the least, is the locking system, and again, there are options available for every environment, each with its own set of pros and cons. Locks and techniques secured with a padlock have the advantage of being key-operated. As an alternative, coin-operated lockers are an obvious choice for lockers to be used by the general public. Some of these systems receive the coins to provide an additional income stream.

 

History Of Locker-Shelving

Considering that the locker industry is valued at $1.2 trillion and is expected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2024, it can be assumed that it has progressed a long way since its inception. You may be likely asking, "Well, where did it all begin?'' This article will give you the history of the locker when the first locker was created.

 

Study after study has shown that the roots of this phenomenon can be traced back to the ancient Greek period, which was approximately 2500 years ago. It is common knowledge that there are three essential components to competition and training centers dating back to ancient times. On one side are the running tracks, and on the other are the wrestling rings where the wrestlers carry out their maneuvers.

 

One last part needs to be present to undress and change the clothes. There is also a place for the athletes to take a shower afterward. This place is called a gymnasium, and this is what the athletes would train and compete in. As well to women, men of all ages have also taken advantage of these facilities for their daily exercise.

 

There was a time when athletes stripped of their clothing for their sports events and left their personal belongings on the benches in the dressing rooms, in cubbies, or on shelves with security provided by an attendant when they disrobed for their sports events.

 

As the Greeks found that the rooms were large and often overcrowded, they found it necessary to impose a strict law that forbade theft in these rooms. A law attributed to Solon enacted the death penalty for anyone found possessing any stolen object. We continue to observe the same practice today. We kept all belongings in our control in our care with the help of a security guard.

 

The First Locker-Shelving

Archaeologists discovered the oldest lock known to humankind in Nineveh, Egypt. About 4000 years ago, a wooden pin-type tumbler lock was discovered with a wooden tumbler. Padlocks were also used by the Romans and ancient Greeks between 500BC and 300AD. The Harleton Green Gold Club in South Carolina may have been the first to use lockers as simple stacks of cabinets with padlocks in 1786.

 

The storage lockers found at the site of the wreckage of HMS Terror, an armed vessel sunk by a Japanese warship in 1848, date back to Victorian times. Founded in 1857, the Yale Lock Company came up with its first padlock in 1857 and first cylinder lock in 1865.

 

Introduction To The Locker-Shelving

The common understanding is that lockers are small, usually narrow storage compartments placed in changing rooms, locker rooms, or dressing rooms to store clothing and other personal items. Locker rooms have always been considered to be gender-specific. You can even find facilities with locker room attendants that will look after your belongings until the time has come for you to get them back.

 

Since the inception of lockers, they have always been used to store valuable items of great significance. There is a high demand for this product in North America and Europe, driven primarily by health clubs, recreation centers, offices, breakrooms, schools, restaurants, etc.

 

The custom locker cabinets were built on the job site by cabinet makers of wood, and by 1923, W.N. "Vance" was granted a patent for his metal locker design. In 1924, Lyon Metal Products started manufacturing metal lockers for the military. In 1928, Lyon merged with Durand Steel Locker Company of Chicago, a Chicago-based company. They patented their padlocks in 1920, making them the first company to do so. During the 1920s, Worley set up shop in Orinda, California, and started building metal school lockers. Another patent was made in 1931 for a coat hook with a single prong on either side of the curve.

 

Modern Locker-Shelving

Currently, lockers can be made from wood, fabricated wood, metal, steel, stainless steel, plastic, solid phenolic, and others. There are a limited number of pre-manufactured lockers' sizes and colors. Lockers that cannot be found on the shelves can often be custom printed and manufactured.

 

There has also been a change in the locking system. The latest digital/electronic locks are available in various styles, from simple padlocks to combination locks and keypads. They are often integrated with the ability to access WiFi functionality, allowing auditing trails and account management to be carried out seamlessly.

 

Types Of Locker-Shelving

Take a look at the following product highlights to understand the main differences between the different types of lockers available. We want to encourage you to take advantage of the "Your Guide" over the page to determine which product would be most suitable for your needs.

 

Standard / Coloured Lockers

If you are looking for a simple locker storage system at a reasonable price, these are ideal. This product is available in a wide array of colors and door options. It is possible to get lockers with sloping tops to prevent items from falling onto the top of the lockers.

 

Two Person Lockers

Twin lockers are also referred to as double lockers. These are a good solution because they are cost-effective and perfect for those who do not have a lot of space. It is common for these chests to come with storage areas on the bottom and shelves on the top to maximize the use of available space.

 

Uniform Lockers

These lockers have multiple compartments and are suitable for those who have to wear uniforms. In addition to standard lockers, you can also buy large capacity uniform lockers that will give you additional space to store bulkier items.

 

Clean And Dirty Lockers 

Partitioning a locker can be helpful when it comes to keeping clean and dirty items or wet and dry items separate. These lockers are designed with ventilation slots to allow damp clothes to breathe.

 

Mesh Lockers 

The wire used to make these are mainly used for security purposes, and they are made from wires. The contents of this box are easily visible, so it is suitable for use in areas where theft is a concern. You can also use the wire mesh to ventilate clothing after it has been wet.

 

Personal Effects Lockers 

The lockers can be used to store valuables and bags in a space-saving manner. Several types of lockers have been made specifically for the storage of laptop computers, all of which have additional security in the form of an ASSA deadlock, which can also be added as an optional security strap to ensure their safety further.

 

Wet Area Lockers 

Plastic or steel pre-coated with a protective finish is often used to prevent lockers from rusting in damp conditions. These lockers have ventilation holes that allow water to escape if they get wet. Gyms and leisure centers are often home to these lockers; they can be fitted with a coin-operated lock to ensure that unauthorized people cannot open them.

 

Benefits Of Locker-Shelving

Hospitals must have adequate storage space. When storage, the first thing that we think about is large cabinets and cupboards. Hospitals have a lot of storage units, including beds and trolleys, which they can use to store their equipment. Nearly every valuable item in a hospital has a storage area to facilitate the smooth functioning of its innumerable activities. There is a dual benefit of hospital lockers: they serve as a means of storage for medical staff and as storage for patients admitted to the hospital.

 

Hospitals have a common sight of a bedside locker that serves various purposes. This is one of the pieces of furniture that can be considered to have a very high utility. Many things can be stored in the bedside lockers, including personal belongings, medical reports, and other items. Compared to other storage devices found in hospitals, it is a relatively small device, but it has many advantages over others.

 

Flexibility Of Movement

On the surface, it may seem like a hospital bed would be one of the stationary things in a hospital. Most people believe the hospital bed stays in the same spot since patients change. However, most hospital beds are manufactured so that they can be moved. Most of them come with wheels attached to them. During an emergency or critical condition, the bed is moved to a different location along with the patient. With this in mind, both the bedside storage locker and the bed itself have wheels to facilitate ease of maneuvering. The patient's medical records, reports, medicines, and belongings have been relocated from one location to another. Still, this patient's medical records, reports, medications, and belongings remain in the locker and with the patient after the move.

 

Ease Of Access

We designed the bedside storage lockers to make things easy for all of us to access. It is pretty standard for lockers to have multiple drawers to allow everyone to access them. Every drawer has an opening wide enough to view the items kept inside and enable them to be stored as large and small objects. Using the drawers, the user can organize things by stacking them up and arranging them very organized. Moreover, a separate bracket is also provided for holding water bottles and other bottled medicines. Nurses, doctors, and patients can easily access the lockers because they are designed in a way that is easy for everyone to access. Lockers are designed to correspond with the height of beds so that the patient can easily remove his belongings without any difficulty.

 

What To Consider Before Buying Locker Shelves

If you step into a store to purchase lockers, you will be confused because several options are to choose from. There is a wide range of locker designs, shapes, and technologies available in the market today. There is undoubtedly an option to search for the best locker on the market; however, you cannot be sure if the same locker is the right one for you. It is always best to identify your needs and requirements when choosing a locker. To help you make things easier, we have put together a guide to help you make the right choice for lockers that meet your needs.

 

Measure The Area

It is not always easy to tell whether a lock is a suitable size simply by looking at it. They may be of different dimensions, and even visual inspection may not be sufficient. The fitting of lockers is an essential aspect as an ill-fitted locker may disrupt the ambiance of your place and the way your space is utilized. If you plan to place lockers in an area where the wall and the sides are not visible, carefully measure the wall and the sides and note down the measurements. It is essential that when purchasing a locker, you focus first and foremost on the size, then consider other aspects.

 

Decide The Number And Size Of Compartments

The requirements for different uses can be pretty other. For instance, if you want lockers for the gym, you might wish for lockers with the same size compartments; however, if you're going to for lockers for your personal use, you might want a locker with different sized compartments. If you are aware of your needs, you may be able to directly inquire about the number of lockers you need and save yourself a lot of time.

 

Choose A Door Type

Various types of locks are available for multiple doors, and each of them has a different purpose. The locker doors are a necessity, as they are the side of the locker that the user constantly touches. Steel locker doors are available in both dry and wet conditions, so you'll be able to use them in both dry and wet climates. Plastic lockers are also a great purchase as they are very durable, provide extra features such as rust resistance, and are chlorine-resistant. A locker's type of door determines the kind of lock it has. You can buy a locker with a suitable door depending on the frequency of use and the environment in which it will be used.

 

Get The Best Locking Option

The primary function of a locker is to lock things away. There are many different locks available for lockers today, making them suitable for use in many places other than gyms and schools. Many camlocks come with keys, but there are also Hasp & staple locks that are keyless. Combination locks with digital numbers and letters are gaining popularity in this day and age. The coin returns and retained locks are also available to you. These available options are generally installed to generate revenue. You need to determine the usage and then purchase a locker according to it.

 

Check For Customization

Depending on the size and color of the product, customization can be made possible. It is possible to customize the locker type when you buy a locker if you do not want to end up with a regular locker type. Don't hesitate to contact us if you are interested in learning about the charges that need to be paid for custom lockers. For more information about different locker types, you can visit our store. There are a wide variety of storage products that we deal with, such as lockers.

 

How To Use Locker-Shelves

There are many purposes that storage lockers can serve. Whether you are moving to a new place or you want to keep your space organized, storage lockers are the perfect solution. Although this may seem like the ideal solution, it is not the only one. Even storing something in a storage locker can be challenging at times. There is no point in having a lot of lockers, as that would defeat the purpose of having one. Lockers must be appropriately organized to accommodate every item adequately. You can make a storage locker a worthwhile investment if you invest in things such as storage boxes and shelvings. Here are some tips to help you organize the lockers better.

 

Pack The Storage Items

Different items should be packed separately before being placed in the locker. By doing so, you'll save time and energy. The first thing you can do is protect the items from being damaged by exposure to the environment and the surrounding materials that can damage them. Electronic products may be especially vulnerable to damage and require additional protection. First and foremost, packaging should be secure. Next, it is possible to store all items appropriately and save space. Optimal space utilization is achieved with packaging.

 

Get Storage Boxes

There is a type of product that can be stored in one box and set up properly in one location. The same is valid for storing similar items in storage boxes and stacking them over each other to maximize the storage space available. A cardboard box is a durable and readily available storage option. However, if you still use cardboard boxes, it might be time to upgrade. Instead of using cardboard boxes, consider colorful plastic boxes of different dimensions. Other items can be stored there and can be easily separated and identified based on color and size to be easily identified. As long as they have very high long-term durability, plastic storage boxes can be very cost-effective as a minimal investment.

 

Install Shelvings

A wide range of free-standing shelving units is readily available on the market. They are suitable for enhancing the storage capacity of storage lockers by installing them in them. Apart from the fact that you can use the entire width of the storage locker, you can also use the full height of the locker. You can also further divide the storage items according to your requirements. On top of that, one can place frequently used items on the top shelf of the shelving, so one does not have to take them out every time they need them.

 

Use Labels

Labels can be helpful for a variety of reasons. For instance, they can be placed on the shelves and storage boxes to keep them organized. As a result, you will be able to quickly identify your belongings and save quite a bit of time from opening each box to find out what you are looking for. Labeling can be done quickly, even with the use of color-coding. For example, if you have electronics in a box, you can mark the boxes with red labels to keep track of them quickly, while if the items are fragile, they can be marked with vibrant colors and glitter.

 

Uses Of Locker-Shelves

There is no doubt that locker shelving is an excellent storage solution, and its versatility can be used in any environment, from small warehouses to large distribution centers. Getting the right storage system for small things has always been a challenge, and the solution to this problem is to use mobile shelving. These types of shelving are multipurpose and can be used for many different purposes.

 

Mini Warehouse

Organizing storage space is easy with locker shelving that can be divided into different units. Mobile aisles allow for convenient storage. Since every shelf does not require a gallery, this shelving system can serve as a mini-warehouse.

 

Storage For Retail

A retail store can run out of storage space because there are a lot of items to store. Mismanagement of objects can lead to poor organizational skills, resulting in problems for a business. There are several ways that locker shelving can be used to provide extra space in a retail store for storing different things. Additionally, the sides of the units can also be labeled according to the material inside the units to simplify the process of sorting.

 

Storage For Archives

There are certain documents and paperwork that are important to every workplace. To keep them safe and accessible, they need to be held in a convenient and secure place easy to access. One option for storing such archives would be to use locker shelving.

 

Security

A locker shelving system can also be used for storing electronic parts that need to be kept in a secure place. It is possible to install a computer, and the laptop's features can be positioned on the shelving to be safely stored.

 

Storage For Literary Items

As well as files and books, other items need to be stored very carefully. The locker shelving can be used in various ways to utilize all the available space in different ways efficiently. Locker industrial shelving offered very high storage density and increased accessibility simultaneously.

 

Small Equipment Storage

It is essential to keep in mind that industrial workspaces are filled with different types of small equipment that must be stored efficiently. You can separate the small parts, store them in smaller storage containers, and keep them on the shelves. The small storage containers may be labeled and accessed according to their purpose.

 

Perishable Goods Storage

The use of industrial locker shelving as cold storage is probably one of the most impressive uses of this type of shelving. There is an opportunity to shift shelving to cold storage to add extra space to store perishable goods.

 

Extra Storage 

The warehouse is constantly being flooded with a variety of different items. It is possible to utilize mobile shelving units to create more space in the warehouse by using mobile units. In addition, place the frequently used things in a manner that will make them easy to find when you need them. There has been a dramatic increase in locker shelving in storage units where items are continuously being added for storage purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is A Plastic Locker?

Unlike metal lockers, plastic lockers are an alternative to the more standard metal lockers you might find. They are designed to withstand more extreme environments, such as the outdoors or areas with heavy moisture, such as swimming pool bathrooms and gym locker rooms. Due to the polyethylene and heavy-duty material of the bodies and doors, plastic lockers are also exceptionally resistant to vandalism, so they are a great storage solution for schools and public spaces.

What Is A Laminate Locker?

Laminated lockers are storage cupboards that have been covered with a protective laminate finish. Having a laminated finish allows the locker to be used in a range of potentially damaging environments, as it is rustproof, highly resistant to dent, scratches, and water damage. It would be impossible to determine whether laminate lockers are optimal for damp environments such as leisure center changing rooms. Still, they have proven to be an excellent option for various settings, including schools, offices, retail environments, and more.

What Is A Cube Locker?

If you need a compact storage solution for a tiny room or a whole row for an ample space such as a changing room or office, cube lockers are probably the best solution. Adaptable to any environment, cube lockers have the advantage of adapting to any situation. There is a wide variety of sizes, dimensions, and designs available.