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Like anything, the locker industry uses a fair bit of jargon to describe it's products and accessories. It can at best make ordering your school lockers a confusing experience and at worst cause mistakes that can be costly.
At Lockers for Schools, we aim to make the experience a more pleasant one and this article will break down the jargon and help you make a more informed choice for your school.
Locker
Even the word locker can cause confusion. This is because we all think of a locker being the individual compartment we use. The industry definition of a locker isn't the individual compartment but the unit as a whole. For example, each individual unit (tower) like the one in the picture above has four compartments vertically, so it's a four-compartment locker.
Nests
You may have heard this before if you have ever ordered lockers. A nest is simply the word to describe each tower, for example, a nest of one is one tower, a nest of two is two and so on.
It doesn't matter how many compartments each tower has the nesting is still the same. Lockers nested in two or three will often be slightly cheaper that they only use one sheet of steel between them so it can work out much more cost-effective and easier to install.
The only thing to consider is access, nests of two or three are much larger and more difficult to get upstairs than nests of one. A nest of two or three cannot be separated as they are built as one unit.
Mild steel
Mild steel is simply the type of steel used in all lockers, it is supplied to the manufacturers on large rolls which are fed onto industrial presses to shape and punch the locker before assembly.
Solid grade Laminate (SGL)
Solid grade laminate is a revolutionary material made by compressing sheets of paper with a resin at high pressures. It is extremely robust and water-resistant. It is also available in hundreds of colours and finishes. It's used across the construction industry in cladding, cubicles, wall panels but more importantly lockers. It has been very popular in education and is the material of choice with architects in new build schools.
It does make your lockers more expensive over steel but your lockers will last a lot longer so It's worth considering for your project.
Sloping Tops
A sloping top is exactly what it says. It's a sloped locker top which prevents students from putting their belongings or rubbish on top of a locker. These can be purchased with the locker when new or retrofitted to your lockers in situ.
Locker stands/feet
Locker stands are designed to lift your lockers off of the floor to prevent rusting when lockers are fitted to mopped floors. Stands can also be fitted with adjustable feet for when lockers are being installed on an uneven surface.
Cam Locks
A cam lock is simply a locker lock that is operated by a key. These are a no-cost option on most lockers.
Hasp and staple
Normally a hasp and staple lock is the type with a bar which is fitted to sheds but the locker industry have adopted the same name for a fitting that is operated with a padlock rather than a key. These are also normally a no-cost option.
Thanks for reading, I hope we have busted some serious locker jargon and I hope this article helps in some way make a more informed choice when it comes to choosing your lockers.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch.
You can also check out our website at www.lockersforschools.co.uk or our main site at www.lockertek.co.uk