Office Lockers Guide: Sizes, Lock Types and How Many You Need
Short answer: A staff locker is typically 300 to 400 mm wide, 450 mm deep and 450 to 900 mm high per door, stacked two to four doors high in a bank about 1,800 mm tall. Plan one locker per employee where desks have no pedestals, and one per member in shared or shift-based offices. Number or digital locks avoid lost-key problems. Laminated board lockers match the office furniture; metal lockers suit heavy-duty and factory use.
Ten years ago every office seat came with a three-drawer pedestal. Today many companies skip it and give each person a locker. People carry less paper and more personal gear, and desks without pedestals are easier to share and rearrange. If you are planning lockers for the first time, here is what to decide.
Why are offices switching from pedestals to lockers?
- What people store has changed. A laptop bag, a helmet, a rain jacket, a lunch box and a water bottle do not fit in a pedestal drawer.
- Desks stay clear. Leg room improves and cleaning is easier.
- Shared desks become possible. Hot-desking and shift working need storage that is not tied to a seat.
- Layouts are easier to change. Moving a team does not mean moving thirty pedestals.
- Security. A locker is a better place for a laptop overnight than an open desk.
In Pune, where a large share of staff commute by two-wheeler, helmet storage alone is a strong reason. Shared-desk planning is covered in hybrid office layouts and hot-desking.
Standard office locker sizes
| Locker type | Door size (W x H) | Depth | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (4 doors high) | 300 x 450 mm | 450 mm | Laptop, small bag, lunch box |
| Medium (3 doors high) | 350 to 400 x 600 mm | 450 mm | Backpack, laptop, shoes |
| Large (2 doors high) | 400 x 900 mm | 450 to 500 mm | Helmet, backpack and jacket together |
| Full height | 300 to 400 x 1,800 mm | 450 to 500 mm | Hanging clothes, uniforms |
| Laptop charging locker | 300 to 400 x 150 to 200 mm | 450 mm | One laptop with a socket inside |
A full-face helmet needs an internal clear space of about 350 mm in each direction, so a 300 mm wide door is too narrow for it. If helmets matter, specify 400 mm wide lockers or a separate open helmet rack.
Which lock type is best?
| Lock | How it works | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cam lock with key | Individual key, master key with admin | Assigned lockers, low cost | Lost keys; keep a spare set |
| Hasp for padlock | User brings a padlock | Gyms, factories, short-term use | Looks basic; forgotten locks need cutting |
| Mechanical combination lock | User dials a code; master override | Shared lockers, no batteries | Forgotten codes |
| Digital keypad lock | User sets a PIN; admin master code | Hot-desking, daily-use lockers | Battery changes |
| RFID or access-card lock | Opens with the employee ID card | Larger offices with access-control systems | Higher cost; needs setup |
For assigned lockers in a small office, key locks with a master key are enough. For shared or free-use lockers, a digital keypad or combination lock saves the admin team a lot of trouble.
Laminated board or metal lockers?
| Factor | Laminated board | Metal |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Matches workstations and storage; any colour or wood grain | Industrial; limited colours |
| Size | Made to fit the wall or niche | Standard sizes |
| Noise | Quiet doors | Doors clang |
| Durability | Good in air-conditioned offices | Very high; suits rough use |
| Moisture | Needs sealed edges; avoid wet areas | Better for changing rooms and shop floors |
| Best use | Offices, co-working spaces, institutes | Factories, warehouses, gyms |
How many lockers do you need?
- Assigned desks without pedestals: one locker per employee, plus about 10 per cent spare for new joiners.
- Assigned desks with pedestals: lockers for about a third to half of staff, mainly for helmets and bags.
- Hot-desking: one per employee who uses the office, not per seat.
- Shift-based operations: one per employee across all shifts if items stay overnight, or one per person on the largest shift for day-use lockers.
- Visitors and interns: a few day-use lockers near reception.
How much space do lockers take?
A bank 900 mm wide and 1,800 mm high, with three columns of three medium doors, holds nine lockers on a footprint of about 0.4 sq m. For 45 people that is five banks, or 4.5 m of wall. Leave about 900 to 1,000 mm clear in front for doors to open and people to stand.
Where should lockers go?
- Near the entrance, so bags and helmets are dropped before people reach their desks
- Along a corridor wall or as a divider between the work area and the pantry
- In smaller groups close to each team in large offices
- Not in the exit route or in front of electrical panels
A locker bank finished on both sides can act as a partition, giving storage and separation in one unit.
Features worth adding
- Number plates or name-card holders
- A shelf inside taller lockers
- Ventilation slots, useful when wet rain gear or shoes are stored
- A charging socket inside selected lockers
- A mail slot in the door for documents and couriers
- A top surface used as a planter ledge or standing counter on low banks
- Strong hinges; locker doors are opened more often than any other storage
Common mistakes
- Lockers too small for a helmet or a backpack
- Key locks in a hot-desking office
- All lockers in one far corner
- No spare capacity
- No ventilation
- Thin doors and weak hinges that sag within a year
Reference sizes for other storage are in our office furniture dimensions chart.
Lockers made to fit your office
We make laminated board locker banks to the available wall size, in the same finish as your workstations, at our workshop in Dhanori, Pune. See the office furniture range.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard size of an office locker?
About 300 to 400 mm wide and 450 mm deep. Height per door depends on the stack: about 450 mm for four high, 600 mm for three high and 900 mm for two high.
Which lock is best for office lockers?
Key locks with a master key suit assigned lockers. Digital keypad or combination locks are better for shared lockers because there are no keys to lose.
Are lockers better than pedestals?
For paper-light teams and shared desks, yes. They hold bags, laptops and helmets and keep desks clear. Roles with daily paperwork may still want a pedestal.
Talk to Encore Interiors
Encore Interiors designs, manufactures and installs office furniture from its own workshop in Dhanori, Pune.
Address: Survey No. 19, 3/1, near Shard Lawns, Madhav Nagar, Dhanori, Pune, Maharashtra 411015
Phone: +91 89799 31695, +91 75076 17409
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