Loading Dock Door Seals
Loading Dock Door Seals
Loading Dock Seals
We have a complete line of dock seals to fit any application. Our loading dock consultant, Gary Buechel, has over 35 years of experience in the door industry helping customers get the job done right the first time.
Dock Seal 101- The Dock Seal Basics- Here is what you need to know about the building:
In addition to the above dock survey, it is important to take into account what kinds of trucks will be in use at the dock. Things like:
At this point, you will know if you need a loading dock seal or a loading dock shelter. Assuming that a seal is the answer, there are many design considerations and options like:
Dock Seal Projection- dock seals are custom made and usually project away from the wall 8" to 20". Projections over 20" can be accomplished when necessary. Generally, the seal projects beyond the bumpers 4" to 6". Typical examples of a standard dock would be a 10" projection seal with a 4.5" bumper projection or a 20" projection seal on a 16" edge of dock leveler.
Straight or Tapered Seals may be needed when the trucks are backing down hill or up hill. A typical example is a 4% sloped approach requiring a 9" bumper projection to keep the top of the truck at least 4" off the wall paired with a dock seal that is 13" deep at the bottom to 9" at the top.
Beveled or wedged side pads may be needed to get the seals to contact the back of the trucks. Dock doors are usually 8' wide and semi trailers are too, so the opening on the face of the seal needs to be less than 8'. This is accomplished by using a 2x10 or 2x8 on the back of the vertical pads with a 12" face.
So if the door is wider than 8', you must look carefully at the relationship of the door opening, the truck width, and the type of freight being moved into and out of the trailers. A seal for a 9' wide door normally wedges into 7'6" or so to seal against the back of an 8' wide truck. If there is a reason why the door is so wide, it is a good bet that a loading dock shelter would be a better option.
How the seal works on top depends on a lot of things. Ideally, an 8x9 dock door on a 4' dock height with a head pad above the door assuming trucks 8' wide x 13'6" high is hard to beat. Recognizing the variables is the key to a proper dock seal design. Sometime head pads need to be taller to get up as high as the highest trucks. Other times, the head pad may wedge down into the door opening to get a good seal on a trailer a little shorter than the opening. Other times, no head pad is the way to go, and curtain style headers are needed. They can be fixed or slit and can be adjustable.
- Door Opening Width and Height
- Dock Height
- Bumper Projection- (total projection from wall to bumper)
- Flat or Sloped Approach
- Check Side Room and Head Room
In addition to the above dock survey, it is important to take into account what kinds of trucks will be in use at the dock. Things like:
- Trucks all same or variety of traffic
- Range of truck widths
- Range of truck heights
- Any lift-gates or step type trucks or are all trucks mostly flush in back to contact standard dock seal set up
- Whether full access to truck opening height and/or width is required
At this point, you will know if you need a loading dock seal or a loading dock shelter. Assuming that a seal is the answer, there are many design considerations and options like:
Dock Seal Projection- dock seals are custom made and usually project away from the wall 8" to 20". Projections over 20" can be accomplished when necessary. Generally, the seal projects beyond the bumpers 4" to 6". Typical examples of a standard dock would be a 10" projection seal with a 4.5" bumper projection or a 20" projection seal on a 16" edge of dock leveler.
Straight or Tapered Seals may be needed when the trucks are backing down hill or up hill. A typical example is a 4% sloped approach requiring a 9" bumper projection to keep the top of the truck at least 4" off the wall paired with a dock seal that is 13" deep at the bottom to 9" at the top.
Beveled or wedged side pads may be needed to get the seals to contact the back of the trucks. Dock doors are usually 8' wide and semi trailers are too, so the opening on the face of the seal needs to be less than 8'. This is accomplished by using a 2x10 or 2x8 on the back of the vertical pads with a 12" face.
So if the door is wider than 8', you must look carefully at the relationship of the door opening, the truck width, and the type of freight being moved into and out of the trailers. A seal for a 9' wide door normally wedges into 7'6" or so to seal against the back of an 8' wide truck. If there is a reason why the door is so wide, it is a good bet that a loading dock shelter would be a better option.
How the seal works on top depends on a lot of things. Ideally, an 8x9 dock door on a 4' dock height with a head pad above the door assuming trucks 8' wide x 13'6" high is hard to beat. Recognizing the variables is the key to a proper dock seal design. Sometime head pads need to be taller to get up as high as the highest trucks. Other times, the head pad may wedge down into the door opening to get a good seal on a trailer a little shorter than the opening. Other times, no head pad is the way to go, and curtain style headers are needed. They can be fixed or slit and can be adjustable.
Snow/Rain Hood Canopy
Snow/Rain Hood Canopy
A galvanized steel snow/rain hood canopy is recommended for installation over all dock seals. This canopy is
designed to protect the top of the seal from damaging rain, snow, and ice.
The integral gutter drains to the sides rather than on or in the trailer.
SS-18, 18" projection, 16 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
SS-24, 24" projection, 16 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
SS-30, 30" projection, 14 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
SS-36, 36" projection, 14 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
Special projections and special lengths available.
Please contact us for:
Snow Hood /Canopy Submittal Drawing
Snow Hood /Canopy Brace Quantity By Size & Snow Hood Weights
designed to protect the top of the seal from damaging rain, snow, and ice.
The integral gutter drains to the sides rather than on or in the trailer.
SS-18, 18" projection, 16 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
SS-24, 24" projection, 16 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
SS-30, 30" projection, 14 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
SS-36, 36" projection, 14 gauge material, in either 10' or 12' length.
Special projections and special lengths available.
Please contact us for:
Snow Hood /Canopy Submittal Drawing
Snow Hood /Canopy Brace Quantity By Size & Snow Hood Weights