How to give your school lockers a makeover

School lockers go through a lot.

Every day, school lockers get bumped, bashed, broken into and drawn on. They occupy a huge amount of school space, but are a vital part of the day-to-day life for your pupils. Choosing the wrong lockers, or letting your old lockers fall into disrepair, can cost you much more than just a replacement fee. A perceived lack of security could also damage your school’s reputation.

Treating your school lockers to a complete makeover is achievable with a school budget and a plan. Here’s how to get started:

Locker type

Start by thinking about the types of locker your school needs.

Do you need temporary ‘knock-down’ lockers, which are less costly, less secure and likely to need replacing sooner? Or, permanent lockers, which cost more to install but should stand the test of time?

The location earmarked for your lockers should also guide your decision. Do you need lockers for a changing room with a built-in bench, slimline ones for a hallway, sturdy ones for a dedicated locker room or even waterproof lockers for external use?

Time was that steel lockers were your only option. While secure and weighty, this type of locker costs more, can be tricky to repair or replace and easily damaged by water.

Plastic lockers have come a long way. They’re now more vandal-proof than their steel counterparts and almost completely resistant to the elements, helping your school save valuable space when placed outside.

Laminate door lockers give you the best of both worlds. Premium laminated doors are attached to steel locker housings, providing an almost vandal-proof option with a slick finish and broad range of colour options.

Locker size

Choosing the right sized locker is all about balance. Larger lockers offer more versatility, but any increase in size has to be multiplied by the total number of pupils.

Locker size depends on your educational practices. If you rely on iPads rather than traditional textbooks, your pupils will need less space. If your school specialises in a subject like art or PE, pupils will need more space.

A standard locker is designed to hold up to 14kg of books, a coat, backpack and folders. It should be around 133,000 cubic cm per pupil (38cm x 38cm x 91.5cm). For a changing room, you should aim for a smaller capacity of around 88,500 cubic cm per pupil (38cm x 38cm x 61cm).

Locker security

Locker security relies on two factors; steel gauge and locks.

A heavier gauge locker will be bulkier and weigh more, but will also offer additional security and need replacing less often. 14-gauge steel doors and 20-gauge steel bottoms are the minimum you should aim for.

Lockers with cross-bracing and other structural support can increase durability without adding too much weight.

Built-in locks are more secure and harder to break. They generally require a recessed handle, but you can choose between key locks, combination locks and even electronic locks.

The other option is for your students to use removal padlocks, which can be brought in or supplied by the school. This often works out cheaper, but isn’t as secure and gives your school less control. With padlocks, a locker with single-point locks is recommended to improve durability.

Locker colour scheme

Your school locker colour scheme can have a major effect on pupils and staff.

It can instil spirit in the school colours — especially in sports changing rooms. Your chosen colour scheme can even affect pupils’ mood and attainment.

You can also use colours to differentiate between student groups. A certain colour could be used to indicate a specific year or form group.

School lockers are an underestimated factor for many schools. Give yours the makeover they deserve in 2017.

Call on Utility Rentals to help you get set up with a brand new suite of lockers on a versatile rental agreement.