Every school has a need for school lockers. When you have hundreds of students who need a safe and secure place to store items throughout the day, you need to provide appropriate locker space. Throw on top of that the need for athletic room lockers, and you can see how school lockers are among the most important types of school furniture that a school can buy.
Yet there is a bewildering array of school lockers available. There are lockers of different sizes, shapes, and made from different materials. Every element of the school locker, from the way it opens to the number of shelves inside presents a school with a wide diversity of choices. So the question becomes how can a school get the most for its money and make the right choices when it comes to shopping for storage lockers?
First, you need to spend time before you start your search by evaluating your needs. Think about how much individual locker space each student needs. Is your school located in a colder area where students will need to store bulky winter coats during the day? Do many of your students have bulky projects that need to be kept in school lockers for at least a portion of the day? Perhaps your students just need a small space to store text books and small personal items. Every school is different and must determine what kind of school lockers are most appropriate.
Next, you must figure our how much space you have for your locker area. If you are short on space, then tiered lockers stacked on top of one another may be the most appropriate. Layout is also key. The same lockers can be set up in a variety of configurations taking up vastly different amounts of space. Here is where a consultation with a layout expert comes in handy.
A third important way to evaluate your storage locker needs is by thinking about how much daily use the lockers will get. If these storage lockers are intended for students, then you need models designed for heavy, daily use. If you have a need for storage lockers that are used much less often – or storage lockers used by teachers and other employees, it might be more cost effective to select storage lockers that are designed for less use. You don’t always need to purchase triple steel reinforced lockers if there is no need.
Whatever you decide, do not rush into the project. School lockers can be a significant budgetary item and you want to choose ones that will not only serve your needs and those of your students, but you also want lockers that will last for years and years. You also want to make a cost effective investment. so look for lockers that have a reputation for extremely low annual maintenance costs.