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Solid Surface is the Perfect Durable Locker Material

In staff break rooms, school hallways, amusement parks and athletic facilities, you almost always find rows upon rows of lockers. Regardless of the location, lockers face high traffic and heavy use, and failing to choose a strong locker material can cost facility owners loads of money in the long run. Here’s a detailed look at locker material options and the benefits and disadvantages of each.

Common Locker Materials

Lockers must meet a number of requirements, including durability, cleanliness, cost-efficiency and aesthetics. The most common lockers, of course, are the navy blue or deep gray metal ones found in most middle school hallways. Other materials include wood, high-density polyethylene and solid surface. Each has its benefits as a locker material, but some are better than the others. Here’s a look at the main pros and cons of each material.

Metal

The most common locker in any setting, metal lockers are simply designed and cheaply priced. Easy to install in bulk and casual enough in appearance, these lockers tend to prove a cost effective option in education and work settings. However, durable as metal may first seem, it’s difficult to maintain. It’s easily dented and bent, and after a few years, the paint begins to chip, leaving the metal exposed to further deterioration. Maintenance costs of these lockers, then, are high, as the lockers are susceptible to water and chemical damage—two plausible occurrences in schools and athletic facilities alike.

Pros:

Cheap (initially)

Standardized

Simple design for educational environments

Cons:

Easily bent, scratched

Chipped paint leads to exposed, rusty metal

Maintenance costs—removing stains, repainting

Underwhelming aesthetic

Security issues from locker rust

Noisy to open and close

Wood

Wood lockers share some traits with metal lockers but also come with a number of additional durability issues. As wood is porous, it is even more susceptible to damage from water and other liquids. Laminate wood, too, risks damage and delamination with exposure to liquids. Moreover, these factors make wood a more likely breeding ground for bacteria and mold. More commonly found in high-scale environments than in schools, however, the appearance of wood lockers is more aesthetically pleasing than that of metal.

Pros:

Higher-end appearance

Durable initially

Quieter to close

Cons:

More expensive initially

Higher long-term maintenance costs

Susceptible to water damage

Harbor mold, bacteria growth

Absorb and hold odors

Difficult repairs if trying to maintain appearance

HDPE Plastic

HDPE lockers, not yet commonly found in schools or other environments, prove good options for educational settings. Nonporous and water-resistant, these lockers can hold up to liquid exposure and high use. They are easily cleaned and maintained, and they don’t hold odors or harbor bacteria growth, ensuring a pleasant atmosphere wherever the lockers are. However, their initial cost is higher than other options and their appearance, while not underwhelming, is not necessarily high-end.

Pros: 

Lower long-term maintenance costs

Easily cleaned

Water resistant, nonporous

Don’t hold odors

Not easily bent, damaged

No harmful chemicals from paints, coatings, etc.

Environmentally friendly

Cons:

Higher initial costs

Average appearance

Poor weathering resistance

Solid Surface Lockers: The Best Choice

It’s clear that each of the common locker materials has its advantages and disadvantages. Of course, the specific pros and cons depend upon the setting in which the locker will be installed, but in general, these pros and cons apply to all settings.

Solid surface—a material much less common than others—also provides a range of benefits that make it a great locker material. It’s extremely durable and repairable. With a guaranteed life cycle of at least 10 years, solid surface can hold its own in any environment. It is nonporous, as well as water-, chemical-, bacteria- and heat-resistant. Damages are quick and easy to fix. It doesn’t harbor odors or mold growth, and it’s extremely easy to clean, ensuring a sanitary environment.

Moreover, the sleek, simple appearance of solid surface makes it perfect for a number of environments, with a polished aesthetic that brings high-style to any atmosphere.

In Athletics

There’s no shortage of evidence of the results of poor sanitation affecting player health and safety in locker rooms. In recent years, many athletes have contracted MRSA—commonly known as staph infection—as a result of dirty locker rooms. Open skin from cuts and unsanitary, sweaty environments don’t mix.

In such cases, solid surface proves highly effective. This material is bacteria resistant, meaning it doesn’t harbor germs. It’s extraordinarily easy to clean, and it easily withstands the heavy use common of any locker room. Moreover, its beautiful appearance contributes to a high-end space—an increasingly important aspect in recruiting https://www.ordergenericpropeciaonline.com college and professional players.

In Staff Break Rooms

Many staff break rooms have lockers for staff members. Break rooms, which offer staff a quick breather from the demands of their work, should maintain a pleasant environment. Solid surface lockers function to this end. With beautiful white (or hued) exteriors that easily maintain their cleanliness and appearance, these lockers contribute to a calm, relaxed atmosphere.

Some jobs in particular necessitate a clean break room. Healthcare facilities, for instance, must maintain sanitation in every room at all times. When staff members take quick breaks in between their daily duties, they encounter a number of appliances in break rooms. If they open their locker to quickly grab a personal item, the substances on that lockers stay with them. Of course, frequent hand washing is key to preventing the spread of these substances, but in a fast-paced, critical job such as those in hospitals, sometimes the hand washing is forgotten.

To avoid HAIs and the transfer of germs, then, utilizing solid surface lockers in employee break rooms is a great option.

In Educational Settings

Lockers take a beating in schools. From sweaty gym bags and spilled water bottles to slamming doors and heavy textbooks, these small spaces that hold students’ school possessions must withstand high traffic and heavy wear.

In such a setting, solid surface proves an effective choice. Though the initial cost of installing solid surface lockers in a school is high, the durability of the lockers and limited need for maintenance saves schools time and money in the long run. Moreover, the sleek appearance of this materials adds an aesthetic appeal not easily achieved with navy-painted metal.

Pros:

Extremely durable

Minimal maintenance

Nonporous

Doesn’t hold odors

Water-, stain- and bacteria-resistant

Highly sanitary

Flexible in shape

Aesthetically pleasing

Cons:

Expensive initially

Heavier than metal or plastic

Solid Surface Lockers

It’s clear that solid surface is a great locker material for a number of environments. Its cleanliness and stain resistance make it perfect for critically sanitary environments such as healthcare facilities and high traffic areas such as locker rooms and education facilities, among others. Its durability ensures it will hold up to years of heavy use. Its polished exterior provides a pleasant aesthetic, and its low maintenance costs save money in the long run.

Shield’s Lockers

Our lockers have been specified in a number of athletic locker rooms, including the locker room of the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets. With the higher risk of staph infection in these areas, it’s extremely important to take extra precautions. Failure to maintain a clean environment can have expensive consequences, so choosing an effective locker material is incredibly important.

Our solid surface lockers are meticulously crafted to meet the needs of any facility. We work with the client to determine the best format, color, hardware and more. Here’s a look at a few of our locker options:

 

 Our lockers also come in a number of color options:

Further, clients can choose from many hardware options and additional features to make our product fit their needs:

 

Meeting Our Clients’ Needs

At Shield, we fully believe in giving our clients the ability to customize products to meet their needs. When we worked with the Charlotte Hornets, we created lockers with two zones—one for the player and one for the team—to best support the team and showcase the returning Charlotte Hornets brand.

Our customization process gives clients the full ability to utilize the best locker material—solid surface—in a way that fully satisfies their wishes.

Choosing the Best

Durable. Sanitary. Nonporous. Bacteria-resistant. Chemical-resistant.

Solid surface comes with a number of benefits that make it the perfect choice for lockers. Regardless of the facility in which a locker will be, it must stand up to heavy traffic. Solid surface is the only material of its kind that is guaranteed to last for decades.

In some facilities such as healthcare facilities and athletic locker rooms, maintaining a sanitary environment is critical to success. In such environments, solid surface is the perfect solution. Because it is bacteria-resistant, stain-resistant and nonporous, it maintains extreme cleanliness and is easily wiped down.

The beautiful exterior of solid surface is an added benefit in any facility, giving environments a polished look.

Working with Shield to utilize this locker material, clients can rest assured that they are getting the best. They have the full ability to customize the product to meet their needs, and, with proper care, their product is ensured to last for years.

For those facilities that want to save money in the long run while maintaining a safe, aesthetically pleasing environment, there’s no better option than solid surface.