Australian schools have been investing in Davell’s locker systems for many years and over that time we have developed standard and customised designs to meet their needs. To help our customers we have distilled the facts, based on school objectives, manufacturer’s advice and our decades of experience, into this useful School Locker Buying Guide.
The School Locker Buying Guide
Gone are the days of dated school lockers with jammed doors, broken handles and temperamental locks. Today’s lockers come in durable, modern designs with a host of customisable options. Here are a few things you might want to consider when buying new lockers for your school.
Locker Size
What do you want your lockers to hold? And how many doors high do you want them to be? Locker manufacturers talk in tiers, where two tiers means two doors, one on top of the other. You can get one, two, three, four, six, eight or twelve tier lockers as standard. Standard widths are 305mm, 381mm, 450mm & 495mm, and depths of 450mm or 550mm; however, other sizes are available upon request. As an example, a typical school locker is four tiers – 381mm wide, 1803mm high and 450mm deep – big enough to fit the backpack and personal belongings of your average student.
Locker Location
At Davell we manufacture lockers to suit many different environments. Lockers located indoors need only be manufactured from mild steel. Lockers located under an awning or semi-exposed to the elements may need to be manufactured from zinc-coated steel, the zinc coating helps prevent rusting. For harsher environments we can also manufacture stainless steel lockers. Note – We do not recommend placing lockers where they may come in contact with inclement weather as it is impossible to avoid water ingress into the interior of the locker and the lock mechanism.
Locker Style
Traditional lockers have louvres on the doors for ventilation, but for a more modern look we also offer contemporary lockers with a slotted pattern that runs the full length of each door. If you like the look of laminate timber doors, we manufacture hybrid lockers combining the strength and environmental benefits of a steel carcass with the aesthetic appeal of laminate doors, which come in a range of colours including wood grain finishes.
Durability/Security
Davell lockers are made from heavy gauge steel with a fully welded frame which gives the locker its strength and stability. Each door is reinforced and is contained by a perimeter frame which prevents the door from being forced inwards. If you’re looking for something even more secure there’s optional three point locking on every door.
Sloping Top Lockers
A good option for schools is to have your lockers supplied with sloping tops. A sloping top restricts storing unwanted items such as school bags, shoes, food scraps and other unsightly rubbish while presenting a cleaner and more aesthetic appearance.
Locks
An important step to consider is the the locking system for your new lockers. Key operated or handles that accept padlocks (known as ‘provision for padlock’) are standard. A higher security level key operated lock is available as an option which features an interchangeable barrel. We can provide a combination padlock which features an override key should the student forget their code. Also offered is a range of mechanical or electronic keyless combination locks including RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or ‘smartcard’ locks that operate with most student ID cards. Note – It is becoming increasingly popular for schools to use keyless locking systems in order to avoid maintaining a key or padlock management programme. See more about our locks here.
Locker Colour
Forget choosing between grey or beige, Davell lockers come in a large range of Dulux powder coat colours with almost 50 standard shades, which you can match to your school or House colours. You can choose contrasting colours for the doors and body of the locker or doors in mixed colours. Choose from standard, pearl, rippled or textured finishes. If you require a specific colour we also offer a custom colour matching service.
Plinths, Stands, Stands with Seats, Bench Seating
You can also incorporate locker plinths, stands, stands with seats and bench seating, complementing our locker range. A plinth raises the locker making the bottom compartment more accessible, while a stand provides the same convenience with the added benefit of providing increased ventilation and enabling easy access to clean under each locker.
Charging Lockers
One of the more recent innovations in lockers is the availability of power and USB outlets for charging laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Charging lockers are available in stand-alone dedicated device charging lockers, as well as the option of adding a charging point in individual student lockers.
Get in touch
There’s a reason why so many schools choose Davell for their locker requirements.
Contact us today for an obligation free assessment of your locker requirements on 1800 069 105 or email.
You can download a copy of the Davell School Locker Buying Guide here.
If you would like an example of how we work with schools, you can read our Abbotsleigh School Case Study here.