Locker Guide: What a Locker Is, Types, Sizes & Buying Tips
A locker is a secure, personal storage compartment designed to keep belongings safe, organised and out of the way. Total Locker Service supplies and installs lockers across the UK for schools, workplaces, gyms and leisure facilities.
On this page we explain what a locker is, the main types of lockers, common sizes and materials, and how to choose the right locker for your building. When you are ready to buy, you can move straight from this guide into our product ranges for school, staff, gym and specialist lockers.
What Is a Locker?
A locker is usually a tall, narrow steel or plastic cabinet divided into one or more lockable compartments. Users store clothing, bags, shoes, laptops, tools or personal items inside, then secure the door with a key lock, padlock, mechanical code or electronic lock. In the UK, lockers are most often found in schools, offices, factories, gyms, swimming pools and public buildings.
Where Are They Used For?
Lockers are used wherever people need safe, temporary or long-term storage:
- School locker: used by pupils to store books, coats, bags and PE kit during the day.
- Workplace locker: issued to staff for uniforms, PPE, personal items and valuables.
- Gym or leisure locker: used by members to store clothing and valuables while they work out or swim.
- Specialist locker: for laptops, tablets, phones, parcels, charging tools or controlled items.
Sizes and Compartment Layouts
Most UK metal lockers are around 1800 mm high and 300 mm or 450 mm wide, with depths of 300 mm to 450 mm. A single-door locker gives one user full-height hanging space, while multi-door lockers divide the same shell into 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 compartments.
Choosing the right locker layout is a balance between personal space and the number of users you need to accommodate in the room. Single-door lockers offer more space per user, while six-door lockers maximise capacity in a small footprint.
Materials
The most common materials for a locker body and door are:
- Steel: economical, strong and ideal for general school and staff use.
- Aluminium and laminate: excellent for wet areas and heavy-duty environments, with modern colours and very long service life.
- Plastic: completely rust-proof and ideal for outdoor or poolside use.
Locking Options
A locker can be fitted with different lock types depending on how it is used:
- Key cam lock: simple, reliable and ideal where each user has an allocated locker.
- Hasp and staple: the user provides their own padlock.
- Mechanical combination lock: no keys to manage, often used in shared environments.
- Coin or token lock: common in gyms, pools and leisure sites.
- Electronic locker lock: code, card or fob-operated for advanced control and audit.
How to Choose the Right Locker
When selecting a locker system, consider:
- The environment – dry, humid, wet or outdoor.
- The number of users and how often the lockers will be used.
- What needs to be stored – clothing, bags, laptops, tools or mixed items.
- Required security level and lock type.
- Available space, access routes and fire regulations.
If you are unsure which locker specification you need, our team can review drawings or photos and recommend a complete layout, including benches, charging points and suitable locking options.
Locker Buying Guide Custom Lockers Pure Lockers Budget Lockers Work Lockers
1 Door Locker How quickly can lockers be delivered in the UK?
Our most popular lockers are available on a 5-working-day express delivery service to most UK mainland postcodes. Some specialist locker ranges and colours have longer lead times, but we will always confirm this when you request a quotation.
What are the most common locker sizes?
A standard full-height locker in the UK is typically 1800 mm high, 300 mm wide and 450 mm deep. Smaller widths and depths are available, and multi-door lockers divide the height into 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 compartments to increase capacity.
Which locker materials are best for wet or humid areas?
For wet areas and poolside changing rooms, we recommend aluminium-bodied lockers with compact laminate doors, or fully plastic lockers. These options will not rust and are designed to perform reliably in humid and chlorinated environments.