Your Guide To Buying Metal Office Lockers

Buying metal office lockers comes down to three choices: how many doors, what size, and what kind of lock. Get those right and the rest, like colour and vents, is easy.

This guide covers each choice in plain terms, plus where lockers should go and how to keep them working.

Quick answer: how to choose office lockers

• Doors: one door for coats and workwear; two to four for bags and laptops; six or more for phones and keys.
• Size: standard steel lockers are usually 1800 mm tall, 300 or 380 mm wide and 300 to 450 mm deep.
• Lock: key for simplicity, combination or digital when staff change often.
• Count: one compartment per person who needs one, plus a few spare.

Types of metal locker by number of doors

Standard lockers share the same tall frame. Adding doors splits it into smaller compartments, so more people can use one locker.

If staff change into uniform, a full-length locker keeps clothes hanging rather than folded. If they just need a safe spot for a bag and laptop, a three or four-tier locker houses more people per metre of wall, as long as the bag and laptop fit the smaller compartment (see the size check below).

How do I choose the right size of lockers for my office?

Start with what goes inside, then check the space. Most UK makers build standard steel lockers 1800 mm tall. Widths are usually 300 or 380 mm, and depths run from 300 to 450 mm, with some deeper options.

• Measure the biggest thing people will store: a rucksack, a laptop bag, a coat on a hanger.
• Choose depth for coats on hangers; a shallow locker may only take them folded.
• Measure the wall, including the room in front for open doors and someone standing at them.
• Check the ceiling and anything above, such as windows, radiators or sockets.

Check the inside, not just the outside

The frame size and the number of doors don't tell you what fits. Before you order, ask for or check the model's:

• inside height, width and depth of each compartment;
• door opening, which is smaller than the compartment;
• hanging space, if there's a coat rail or hook.

Then check that everything one person stores fits at the same time, such as a coat, a bag and a laptop together.

Turn the number of people into a wall length

Lockers are usually sold singly or in runs that bolt together, so you can build a bank to fit the wall you have. To work out the length:

1. Decide how many compartments you need (see "How many lockers do I need?" below).
2. Divide by the compartments per locker, and round up.
3. Multiply by the width of one locker.

For example, 24 people with four-tier lockers need 24 ÷ 4 = 6 lockers. At 300 mm wide each, that's a 1800 mm run. Then add room in front for open doors, and for someone to walk past while they're open.

If standard sizes don't fit

Ask the maker about other widths, depths, heights or door layouts. Some offer made-to-measure lockers. If you expect to grow, check that matching lockers can be added later, and leave wall space for them.

Which lock should you choose?

There's no single best lock. Pick by how often lockers change hands and who manages them.

How to judge build quality

"Metal" covers a wide range. Check the specification rather than assuming:

• Doors and frame: are the doors and the frame reinforced, and do the doors sit tight in the frame?
• Hinges: sturdy hinges that suit doors being opened many times a day.
• Lock: its specification, whether it's anti-pick, and how keys or codes are managed. A digital lock is more convenient, not automatically more secure.
• Steel and finish: the steel used and a finish suited to where they'll stand. Heavier-gauge steel resists dents better, and stainless steel resists rust, at a higher cost. Ask how well the finish stands up to scratches. A damp changing room is harder on a finish than a dry office.
• Looks: lockers sit in plain view, so check the colour and finish suit the room. Many makers offer a choice of colours.

Features worth paying attention to

• Vents in the doors, or perforated side panels, let air move. That helps damp coats and gym kit dry out and keeps smells down. Damp left inside can lead to mould, mildew or rust, which spoil the locker and what's in it, so vents matter most if people store anything that minds damp. Vents help, but wet kit is best dried before it goes in.
• Sloping tops stop people piling things on top, and are easier to keep clean.
• Coat hooks and a shelf make a full-length locker far more useful.
• Number plates or name holders make it easy to allocate lockers.
• Stands or a plinth lift lockers off wet floors in changing rooms.

Where to put your lockers

Place lockers near the staff entrance or changing area, in good light, and never in a fire exit route. A spot people pass often, or one a camera covers, helps put off anyone tempted to tamper. Our guide to where to place lockers in an office covers the rules and the places to avoid.

Tall lockers can tip when loaded or pulled. Fix them to the wall or to each other if the maker recommends it.

Before delivery day, check the route in: doorways, corridors, stairs and lifts against the locker's size. Ask the supplier whether lockers arrive built or flat, who assembles and fixes them, and how long that takes. Time depends on how many lockers you're fitting and how complex the job is, such as bolting runs together or fixing to the wall.

Keeping metal lockers in good condition

1. Clean with mild detergent and a soft cloth. Built-up dirt wears the finish, and abrasive cleaners scratch it. Dry off any moisture, which can lead to rust.
2. Check locks, hinges, handles and the feet or base now and then, and fix loose or worn parts before they break. Check the feet more often in busy areas.
3. Ask people to be gentle. Slamming or forcing doors damages hinges and locks.
4. Look after the locks as the lock maker says. Only use a lubricant if their instructions call for one.
5. Keep vents clear, so damp doesn't build up inside.
6. Clear lockers out when people leave, and get the keys back.

Metal office locker FAQs

Are metal lockers better than plastic or wooden ones?

For most offices, yes. Steel is strong and easy to clean. It's generally tougher than plastic against knocks, everyday wear and tampering, though it can dent and, if left damp, rust.

Plastic lockers won't rust, so they suit wet areas like pools. Wooden or laminate-door lockers suit offices that want a softer look.

Are metal lockers fireproof?

No. Steel doesn't burn, but a standard locker isn't a fire safe and won't protect paper or electronics inside from heat. Keep important documents somewhere designed for it.

Some makers offer fire-resistant coatings or materials as an option. If it matters to you, ask the maker about that model's fire properties.

How many lockers do I need?

It depends on how you share them.

• Assigned lockers (one each, kept all year): one compartment for every person who has one, including people who are rarely in but leave things on site.
• Day-use lockers (empty at the end of the day): enough for the most people in at once on your busiest day. Agree when they're cleared and how they're handed out.

Then add a few spares for visitors, new starters and changes in who comes in when.

Can lockers be moved later?

Yes, but empty them first and take them apart if they're bolted in runs. Check the locker's weight and the maker's handling instructions to see how many people it needs. A large bank may need a professional move.

Personal storage without lockers

If staff mainly need somewhere to lock a bag and a few files, you may not need lockers at all. A lockable office pedestal at each desk can do the job, if what they bring fits the drawers and each person has their own. Our standard mobile pedestal locks all its drawers and comes with two keys.

For shared kit, a lockable steel cupboard works well, though it doesn't give each person a space of their own, and a coat stand by the door takes care of coats. Our friendly team can help you choose. Planning the whole office? See our guide on how to choose office furniture.