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Kickplates: Essential Protection for Walk-in Cooler and Freezer Doors

Posted in Recommended Reading by mmathews on 04/16 at 08:53 PM

Walk-in cooler and freezer doors withstand a number of assaults over time. One of the more immediately devastating assaults is damage from mechanical transports like forklifts, pallet jacks and even hand truck blades. A simple kickplate will not stop a forklift from piercing the door, but the kickplate can stop modest damage and maintain the environmental integrity of the interior of the unit or space.

Even simple push carts or hand trucks can degrade a door over time. The act of opening a door with the hand truck blade or the ends of a cart cause wear and eventually break down the door surface unless it is protected. Mounting a kickplate can avoid damage requiring the door to be replaced before it’s standard lifetime.

Kickplates are mounted on each side of an R-Plus door using screws and sealed with color-matching silicone. This mounting process maintains the integrity of the door finish underneath the kickplate, further enhancing the longevity of the door. The kickplates prevent unsightly damage and maintain the integrity of the interior environment by protecting against puncture, but they can also be quickly replaced in less time and at less cost than replacing a full door.

Available finishes are standard in 1/8-inch aluminum, 18-gauge stainless steel, and 16-gauge galvanized steel. But special orders are available through consultation with your R-Plus Doors factory representative. Stainless steel is the best surface for corrosive environments, especially those exposed to salt-laden sea air, and in manufacturing facilities that are constantly in wash-down cycles. Aluminum is the next best choice for these corrosive environments; galvanized steel will eventually develop rust, especially in where exposed to external environments.

Although kickplates do add weight to a door, this is rarely an issue. In some installations, on extremely large doors, the additional weight can require the use of a heavier-duty hinge or an additional hinge. R-Plus sliding door hangers are already designed to manage heavier weight than the standard doors and easily manage the addition of kickplates.

Obviously, using a kickplate has many advantages. Kickplates extend the service life of the door, protect the door from common bumps and scrapes during typical use, and are quickly replaced when necessary while maintaining the integrity of the environment they enclose. For more information on kickplate options or R-Plus Doors, contact your local R-Plus Doors representative.

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