Metal Lockers

This standard covers the furnishing and installation of factory-fabricated metal lockers and their trim, accessories, and anchorage. A metal locker is an assembly of formed steel sheet — a body (back, sides, top, and bottom), a door, and a door frame — joined either by mechanical fasteners (knocked-down, or KD, construction) or by welding, and finished with a baked powder-coat enamel. The scope includes the selection of construction grade to match the service duty, the steel gauges of each component, the ventilation type appropriate to the contents stored, the latching and locking method, the trim and accessories that finish a locker installation, the dimensional and operational requirements for accessible lockers, and the anchorage and seismic restraint of the installed run.

The locker layout — the number of lockers, the tier arrangement, the individual opening sizes, the bank lengths, and the location of accessible lockers — shall be as indicated on the locker plans and elevations. This standard establishes the material, construction, finish, hardware, accessibility, and installation requirements for the lockers shown on those drawings.

The single most consequential decision in this standard is matching the construction grade to the service duty. A standard-duty KD locker that performs adequately in a supervised employee coat room will be pried, dented, and racked out of service within a season in an unsupervised school corridor or a high-turnover athletic locker room. The narrative below ties each construction grade and gauge to the occupancy and abuse level in which it is the appropriate choice, so that the specifier selects the locker from the actual service environment rather than from first cost alone. Plastic, polymer, and phenolic lockers are an alternative to steel where moisture, corrosion, or hose-down cleaning rules steel out; those materials are addressed in Plastic LockersPlastic LockersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/plastic-lockers and are noted here only as a selection branch.

Coordinate this work with Gypsum Board AssembliesGypsum Board AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/gypsum-board-assemblies and Unit MasonryUnit MasonryResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/unit-masonry for in-wall blocking and wall anchorage backing; with the flooring and base trades for the floor condition beneath closed and Z bases; with Toilet CompartmentsToilet CompartmentsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/toilet-compartments and Toilet AccessoriesToilet and Bath AccessoriesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/toilet-accessories where lockers adjoin a locker-room wet area; and with the electrical trade where electronic locks require power or network connection.

Materials, fabrication, finish, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of the referenced standards. Where the contract documents or the adopted building code impose more stringent requirements than a referenced standard, the more stringent requirement shall govern. The Contractor shall resolve conflicts in writing with the Architect before fabrication begins.

The following submittals shall be submitted for review and returned before fabrication begins.

Product Data: Manufacturer's product data for each locker type, construction grade, ventilation type, and lock, including the steel gauge of the body, door, and frame; the finish system; the available colors; and the lock function and keying or programming.

Shop Drawings: Plans and elevations of each locker location drawn to scale, showing every locker bank; tier arrangement and individual opening sizes; bank lengths and overall dimensions; the location and tier of each accessible locker; trim, sloped-top, base, end-panel, and filler-panel locations; number-plate sequence; bench locations; and the anchorage and seismic-restraint details with connection to the building structure. Shop drawings shall identify which lockers are accessible and shall show the reach-range compliance of the accessible lockers' operable parts.

Samples: Color and finish samples (manufacturer's full color line) and, where requested, a sample lock and recessed handle of each specified type.

Finish Test Reports: Reports demonstrating the powder-coat finish complies with the adhesion (ASTM D3359), corrosion-resistance (ASTM B117), impact (ASTM D2794), and gloss (ASTM D523) requirements specified under Materials below.

Seismic Anchorage Calculations: Where the project is in a seismic design category that requires anchorage of nonstructural components, signed and sealed anchorage calculations and details prepared in accordance with ASCE/SEI 7 for the locker height, weight, and base condition.

At substantial completion the Contractor shall provide the manufacturer's care and maintenance instructions, the manufacturer's written warranty, a master keying schedule or combination/programming record for the installed locks, and an inventory of attic-stock parts (number plates, locks, and touch-up paint) where specified. Lock control documentation shall be transmitted directly to the Owner's designated representative and shall not be left with the lockers.

The manufacturer shall be a firm regularly engaged in the fabrication of metal lockers of the type, construction grade, and lock specified, with a minimum of five years of production experience and products in service in comparable applications. Lockers, trim, accessories, and locks within a single installation shall be the product of a single manufacturer to ensure dimensional fit and finish match.

Trim, fillers, sloped tops, and bases are fabricated to the manufacturer's locker module and frame profile; mixing trim from one manufacturer with lockers from another produces misaligned joints and exposed gaps. Locks are machined to the manufacturer's door and frame preparation. The locker body, door, frame, trim, and lock shall therefore be a matched system from one source.

The Contractor shall verify field dimensions at each locker location before fabrication. Bank lengths, recess depths, soffit heights, and the as-built location of walls and columns determine the number of lockers, the trim, and the filler panels required. Where field conditions differ from the contract drawings, the Contractor shall notify the Architect before fabrication so that openings, trim, and fillers can be adjusted.

Locker components shall be formed from prime, commercial-quality mild steel sheet, free of surface imperfections. Cold-rolled sheet shall conform to ASTM A1008/A1008M; where hot-rolled sheet is used for heavier structural members it shall conform to ASTM A1011/A1011M. Where lockers will be exposed to elevated humidity or intermittent moisture, zinc-coated (galvannealed) sheet conforming to ASTM A653/A653M shall be specified for the body and door so that the steel substrate resists corrosion at coating defects; in sustained-wet or hose-down environments, steel lockers shall not be used and a non-metallic locker per Plastic LockersPlastic LockersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/plastic-lockers shall be selected instead.

The steel gauge of each component is the physical measure of locker duty. Gauge is expressed as a sheet-metal gauge number, where a lower number is a thicker, heavier sheet. The body, door, and frame each carry a gauge appropriate to the construction grade; the door and the frame — the components that take direct abuse — are heavier than the body in every grade. The values below are the procurable standards across the major manufacturers for each grade.

Standard-duty KD lockers ship as flat components fastened together in the field. They are the economical choice for supervised, low-abuse employee, office, and light-commercial applications. Standard-duty bodies are typically 24-gauge with 16-gauge door frames and 16-gauge doors. Standard-duty lockers shall not be specified for unsupervised school corridors, athletic rooms, or any high-abuse application.

Heavy-duty KD lockers use heavier body and door sheet and reinforced frames while retaining field-assembled KD construction. They are the appropriate selection for school corridors and general institutional use. Heavy-duty bodies are typically 16-gauge with 14- or 16-gauge door frames and 14- or 16-gauge doors.

Welded (fully assembled) lockers arrive as rigid, factory-welded units with no field-fastened body seams to loosen, racking-resistant frames, and the highest abuse resistance. They are the appropriate selection for athletic and team locker rooms, public recreation, corrections, and any environment with heavy abuse or no supervision. Welded bodies are typically 16-gauge with 12- or 14-gauge frames and 14- or 16-gauge doors.

Lockers shall be finished with a baked thermoset powder-coat enamel electrostatically applied over a cleaned, phosphatized steel substrate. The five-stage (or better) pretreatment — clean, rinse, iron- or zinc-phosphate conversion, rinse, seal — is essential: powder coat applied over unphosphatized steel loses adhesion and the finish fails at the first impact or scratch. The cured finish shall meet the performance requirements below.

The tier arrangement is the number of separately locking openings stacked within one locker frame height. More tiers give more openings per floor area at the cost of opening height. Tier shall be selected for the contents and the user: full-height single tier for hanging garments and street clothes, and box or triple tier for compact personal-item storage and high user counts.

One full-height opening per frame, suited to hanging coats and street clothes. The standard for employee and corridor lockers where garments are stored.

Two openings stacked, each roughly half the frame height. A common school-corridor configuration, doubling locker count where full-height hanging space is not required.

Three openings stacked. Used where user count is high and stored items are small (gym clothes, books, personal effects).

Four or more compact openings per frame, for personal-item, valet, and day-use storage where many users share a small footprint.

Two interlocking Z-shaped openings per width, each providing partial hanging height at roughly half the floor area of a single-tier locker — a space-efficient compromise that still allows short garments to hang.

Individual opening width, depth, and frame height shall be as indicated on the locker elevations. The values below are the common procurable nominal sizes and serve as datasheet defaults where the drawings do not dictate otherwise.

Lockers that store damp athletic clothing, footwear, or wet-weather garments shall be ventilated so that moisture and odor are not trapped. The ventilation type shall be matched to the airflow needed: louvered doors for general athletic and gym use, full perforation or diamond perforation for maximum airflow in wet team rooms and pool environments. Non-ventilated solid doors are appropriate only for dry storage of non-perishable items.

Louvers and perforations shall be formed in the door (and, for diamond ventilation, the sides) without sharp edges. In humid and aquatic environments, ventilation alone does not protect plain steel; specify galvannealed substrate per Materials, or select a non-metallic locker per Plastic LockersPlastic LockersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/plastic-lockers.

The latching mechanism holds the door closed and engages the lock; the lock secures the contents. The two are selected together. Recessed handles and recessed latches reduce snag and vandalism in corridors and athletic rooms; surface lift handles are simpler and lower cost for supervised employee use. Multi-point latching distributes the holding force along the door height and resists prying in abuse-prone applications.

Three-point (multi-point) latching engages the door at the top, center, and bottom of the frame and is the standard for unsupervised corridor and athletic lockers because it resists the pry-at-a-corner attack that defeats single-point latches. The recessed handle houses the lock in a protected pocket so the lock body cannot be struck or pried.

The locking method shall be selected for the Owner's access-control needs, the user population, and the willingness to manage keys, combinations, or batteries. Built-in combination locks suit schools and shared institutional use; padlock hasps let users supply their own locks; key locks suit assigned employee lockers; electronic locks suit day-use and shared lockers where users set their own code per use.

Where electronic locks are hard-wired or networked, coordinate power and data rough-in with the electrical trade before fabrication. Where battery-powered, the closeout submittal shall state the battery type and the expected service interval.

Trim and accessories finish a locker installation, close gaps to walls and soffits, keep dust and debris off and out of the lockers, and identify openings. They are selected for the installation condition and the housekeeping environment.

Continuous sloped tops, typically 16-gauge with an approximately 18-degree pitch, shall be specified for corridor, athletic, and public installations to prevent the locker tops from becoming a dust shelf and an informal storage surface. Omitting sloped tops in a dusty or unsupervised environment is a common and avoidable maintenance failure. Sloped-top end closures and splice covers shall be furnished to finish exposed ends and joints.

A Z-base (channel base) raises the lockers off the floor and creates a recessed toe space, improving appearance and simplifying floor cleaning; closed bases conceal legs for a finished look in public areas. Coordinate the base condition with the finished flooring and base trades.

Finished end panels shall close exposed locker ends; filler panels shall close the gaps between lockers and walls, columns, or obstructions; and recess trim shall bridge the gap to the wall and soffit where lockers are recessed. Gap and obstruction conditions are not always apparent until field measurement, so filler and trim quantities shall be confirmed against field dimensions before fabrication.

Number plates shall be riveted to each door at a consistent location. The numbering sequence shall be coordinated with the Owner's locker-assignment scheme; an arbitrary sequence forces the Owner to renumber after installation.

Where benches are provided, hardwood bench tops on metal pedestals are the standard; bench lengths and locations shall be as indicated. Where accessibility requires it, at least one bench complying with the accessible-bench provisions of the accessibility standard shall be provided in each locker room — see Accessibility below.

Where lockers are provided, accessible lockers shall be provided in accordance with the adopted accessibility standard. The 2010 ADA Standards (Sections 225 and 811) and ICC A117.1 require that at least 5 percent of lockers of each type, but no fewer than one of each type, comply. "Each type" includes each functional class of locker (for example, full-height garment lockers and box lockers are different types and each requires its accessible share). The number, type, and location of accessible lockers shall be as indicated on the locker plans and accessibility compliance documents; the Architect is responsible for confirming the count and configuration from the accessibility compliance path.

The defining requirement for an accessible locker is that its usable storage and every operable part fall within the reach range. Accessible lockers are normally located in a single tier or in the lower tier of a multi-tier bank so that the opening and the lock are reachable from a seated position.

A conventional small combination dial or a key cam lock that must be pinched and twisted does not meet the operable-parts criteria; accessible lockers shall use a lock operable with a closed fist or one easy motion. A clear floor space and an accessible route shall be provided at each accessible locker; verify this clearance against the locker plan.

Where benches are required in a locker room, at least one bench shall comply with the accessible-bench provisions (seat height, depth, back support, and clear floor space) of the accessibility standard. The accessible bench and its clear floor space shall be coordinated with the locker layout so the clearance is not blocked by a locker bank.

Lockers shall be fabricated to the dimensions and configuration shown on the approved shop drawings. Welded lockers shall be factory-welded into rigid units with welds ground smooth at exposed surfaces before finishing. KD lockers shall be fabricated with formed, flanged components that assemble into square, rigid banks with mechanical fasteners. Doors shall be formed with a continuous channel or box section at the lock edge and shall be hung to operate freely without binding, with the latch engaging the strike fully. Louvers, perforations, and ventilation openings shall be formed without sharp or burred edges. All components shall be cleaned, phosphatized, and powder-coated after forming and welding so that cut and formed edges are coated.

Lockers shall be installed after the wall and floor finishes are complete and the building is enclosed and conditioned. The Contractor shall verify before installation that solid in-wall blocking has been provided where lockers, trim, or benches anchor to walls. Blocking is furnished and installed under the wall trades; the locker Contractor shall confirm its presence and location against the shop drawings and notify the Architect of any missing or mislocated blocking before proceeding. Anchoring lockers or benches to gypsum board without blocking is a primary cause of failure and shall not be permitted.

Lockers shall be set level and plumb, shimmed as required, and anchored to the building structure. Banks shall be bolted together into continuous runs and anchored to the floor and, where backs are accessible, to the wall. Anchorage shall use fasteners appropriate to the substrate — expansion or wedge anchors into concrete, anchors into masonry, and through-bolts or lag screws into in-wall blocking within stud walls. Tall lockers shall be anchored at the top to the wall or, where freestanding, braced back-to-back, so they cannot tip.

Where the seismic design category requires anchorage of nonstructural components, lockers (particularly banks 60 in. or taller) shall be anchored vertically and laterally to resist the seismic forces determined per ASCE/SEI 7, in accordance with the sealed anchorage calculations and details submitted under Submittals. Seismic restraint is determined by the project's seismic design category and the locker height and weight; the Architect and Structural Engineer shall confirm the requirement. Anchorage relying solely on sheet-metal screws into unbraced studs does not satisfy a seismic anchorage requirement.

After installation the Contractor shall adjust every door so it operates freely, latches fully, and the lock engages; verify that accessible lockers' operable parts are within the reach range and operable as specified; install all trim, number plates, and accessories; and clean all surfaces. Protective coverings shall remain in place until adjustment and cleaning are complete. Doors that bind, latches that do not engage, and finish damage shall be corrected; deep scratches and corroded components shall be replaced rather than field-repaired, because field touch-up does not reproduce the baked finish.

The manufacturer shall warrant the lockers against defects in materials and workmanship — including finish adhesion, door and latch operation, and structural integrity of the body and frame — for the specified period. Welded heavy-duty locker programs commonly carry substantially longer warranties than standard-duty KD lockers; where the project uses welded construction, the longer warranty should be obtained and documented. The warranty shall not cover abuse beyond the rated service condition, improper cleaning chemicals, or modifications made without the manufacturer's authorization.

The Contractor shall warrant the installation — including level and plumb setting, anchorage and seismic restraint, door alignment, and compliance of accessible lockers with the reach-range and operable-parts requirements — for the specified period. Deficiencies attributable to installation workmanship shall be corrected by the Contractor at no cost to the Owner.