DoorOne piece of steel, hung on hinges in the frame.
Louvers (vents)Six slots top and bottom let air through the locker.
Recessed handle (lift handle)Lifting it frees the lock bar so the door opens.
Hat shelfCrosses near the top; single-tier lockers usually have one.
Coat hook (wall hook)Single prong hooks on the sides and back.
LegsSix inches high; the front ones extend the frame.
Sloping hood (slope top)Slopes to the front so nothing is left on top.
The locker shut 5
Number plateCarries the locker’s number, riveted to the door.
Built-in combination lockLocks the door without a padlock; turn the dial to open.
Padlock hasp (padlock loop)Takes the user’s padlock through the lift handle.
HingeFull loop hinges hold the door to the frame.
Door frameWelded channels round the door; the latch catches on them.
The locker open 3
Coat rod (hanging rail)Takes coat hangers; fitted in the deeper lockers.
Side panel (division)Shared between neighbouring lockers in a row.
Lock bar (three-point latch)Its fingers catch the frame at top, middle and bottom.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-24. (1) Wikipedia, Locker, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locker : single-tier lockers have a shelf about a foot from the top and a hanging rail with hooks under it; two- and three-tier lockers usually lack the shelf; a hasp and staple or a padlocking hole in the handle; built-in locks; three-point locking; sloping tops. (2) A steel locker maker's 2023 locker specifier guide, https://www.lyonworkspace.com/wp-content/uploads/lyon-2023-locker-specifier-guide.pdf : door frame of formed channels with door strikes; one-piece door; recessed handle pocket and a lift handle with a hasp for a padlock; built-in combination lock; 5-knuckle full loop hinges; lockbar with three latch points on single-tier doors, two on double and triple tier; standard louvers; number plates near the top; a shelf about 9 in. below the top on single-tier lockers; one double prong and three single prong wall hooks; coat rods; 6 in. legs; sloping hoods. (3) A steel locker maker's locker features and accessories specification, https://www.republicstorage.com/wp-content/uploads/republic-specifications-locker-features-and-accessories.pdf : six louvers top and bottom; 6 in. legs extending the side frame members; recessed handle; bolted hinges; three-point latching; continuous sloping tops to stop things being left on top. (4) A steel locker maker's K.D. locker assembly instructions, https://www.pencoproducts.com/media/3765/lockerassembly2-20.pdf : door and frame assemblies; divisions (sides), back, top and bottom; shelf; single prong wall hooks and a double prong ceiling hook; coat rod; rear legs; number plate riveted to the top of the door; slope tops cut at 18 degrees; hasp; built-in combination and key locks. (5) A locker maker's single-tier installation instructions, https://www.lockers.com/assets/2/6/inst_standardlockers_1tier.pdf : side panels, back panel, hat shelf, single and double coat hooks, a coat rod in 18 in. deep lockers in place of the double hook, door frame, sloping hood, rear legs. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-24. Licence: own work
How it works
A steel locker is a box of side panels, back, top and bottom with a door frame on the front. Louvers let air through, and a lock bar inside the door latches it at three points.
Read the full guide
Outside the door
The recessed handle sits in a pocket on the latch side; lifting it frees the lock bar. A padlock goes through the hasp in the handle, or a built-in combination lock does the job. The number plate is riveted near the top.
Inside a single-tier locker
A hat shelf crosses near the top, with coat hooks on the sides and back. Deeper lockers take a coat rod in place of the double hook under the shelf. Two- and three-tier lockers usually have no shelf.
A sloping hood keeps things from being piled on top of a row of lockers; a flat top can have one added.
Questions and answers
What are the parts of a locker called?
The door in its door frame, louvers, a recessed handle with a padlock hasp or a built-in combination lock, hinges and a number plate. Inside are a hat shelf, coat hooks and a coat rod; side panels, legs and a sloping hood make the body.
What are the slots on a locker door for?
They are louvers: vents punched in the door so air moves through the locker. Standard doors have six at the top and six at the bottom; some have small louvers or diamond perforations instead.
How does a locker door latch?
Lifting the handle moves a lock bar inside the door's latch edge. Its fingers catch the frame at three points on a single-tier door and at two on a double or triple tier, so the door holds top, middle and bottom.