Door Widths Trending Larger Requiring Wider Dock Plates

Posted in Materials Handling

As the size of your warehouse doors become larger, so will the need for a larger dock board and other dock equipment.

Used to be, warehouse loading doors were a standard 60”-72” and so dock boards were stocked in that size.

But now that doors are trending larger so you must have wider dock board, plates and dock apparatus.

Koke Inc. has all dock board and equipment sizes your warehouse or distribution center could need. We also can provide you with sizes custom fit to your specifications.

To do so, read the short sizing and measuring primer below:

• In order to ascertain the right length of a dock board or dock plate, you’re going to need to know three things:
  • The height of the dock
  • The height of the highest truck bed
  • And the type of loading equipment that will be used.
• The minimum width of the dock board or dock plate should be one foot to 18 inches wider than the overall width of the pallet or vehicle you’re going to use. You can improve end loading efficiency by increasing the width of the dock plate/board.
• You then need to determine the height differential. Do so by subtracting the dock height from the highest truck height. A good rule of thumb is using 55 inches for the highest truck height (for freight trailers) and 59” on container or refrigerator trailers.
• The standard lip is 11 inches; we can provide you with others.
• Leg lengths tend to be two or three inches longer than the maximum height differential.
• A bend degree of 11 inches is standard (we can provide you with other angles, if needed).
• Note that refrigerated trailers need HRARL option.