Dockboards vs. Dock Plates
The Difference Between Dockboards and Dock Plates / How to Choose Between a Dockboard and Dock Plate / Custom Steel Fabrication and Design / About Copperloy
The Difference Between Dockboards and Dock Plates
Here you can see the difference between a dock board and a dock plate. The dock board has curbs, where the dock plate does not.
We’re frequently asked about the differences between dock boards and dock plates, as these products are often confused. Our goal is to ensure that our customers clearly understand each option.
Dockboards are built for heavy-duty loading and unloading applications, bridging any gaps that could pose safety concerns. They’re designed for use with forklifts and other material handling equipment, making freight transfers more efficient.
Copperloy offers dock boards in steel, aluminum with bolt-on steel curbs, and aluminum with welded curbs. They can handle capacities of up to 20,000 pounds, thanks in part to their raised sides, or curbs, which help prevent equipment runoff.
Dock plates serve a similar purpose, bridging gaps between areas to streamline material handling operations. Unlike dock boards, dock plates have no curbs; they’re simply flat pieces of metal with a slight bend that makes moving on and off surfaces smoother.
Dock plates are available in both steel and aluminum and can support loads of up to 17,000 pounds. The difference in capacity when compared to dock boards is due to the absence of structural curbs, which lend dock boards their extra strength.
How to Choose Between a Dockboard and a Dock Plate
People often ask about the difference between our dock boards and dock plates, their applications, and which are best for their needs.
Copperloy’s steel dock board just as great in grey rather than the traditional yellow.
Deciding between dock boards and dock plates starts with your capacity needs and application. For heavy-duty applications that need higher capacities and use forklifts, dock boards are the best solution.
However, if you’re not using these for heavy-duty loading and unloading, then a flat dock plate that offers an easy transition from one place to another is the more economical choice.
When it comes to deciding on a dock plate over a dockboard, keep in mind that dock plates do offer many advantages. One benefit is that a dockboard’s curb can get in the way.
For example, if you have you have extra high-unitized loads where fork trucks cannot lift loads above the height of side curbs, dock plates are a better option. They are also great for irregular or sharp turns, where, again, a curb could get in the way.
Copperloy offers custom dock boards and custom dock plates to meet any requirement or unique challenge. Our custom manufacturing and fabrication team can engineer exactly what you need from start to finish! You can read about a custom rail board we did here.
When it comes to safe material handling, Copperloy’s inventory does not end at dock boards and dock plates. We offer customers a wide variety of American-made mobile yard ramps that provide a loading and unloading facility where one isn’t already established. This wide range of equipment includes: mobile yard ramps, dock-to-ground ramps, truck ramps, and forklift ramps.
Learn more about what Copperloy can do for your material handling needs, by calling us directly at 800-321-4968 or clicking here and filling out the form.
Custom Steel Fabrication and Design
The same material handling installation just will not work in every facility. For this reason, our team is proud to offer premier custom steel fabrication and design services. Count on the team to fabricate extruded aluminum, stainless steels, specialty steels and more to meet the distinct requirements of your space and goals. To list, just some of the team’s custom projects have included lift tables, rebar pallets and lift tables.
Significantly, the Copperloy team keeps all burning, painting, fabricating and machining operations in one space to streamline production and ensure a high ROI for the customer. Are you ready to transform your space? If so, then reach out to the team from Copperloy today.
About Copperloy
Whether your next facility upgrade requires durable dockboards, yard ramps or ramp accessories, you can feel confident in counting on our manufacturing team for your ideal material handling solution. For more than half a century, teams of all kinds have partnered with Copperloy to maximize workplace safety, efficiency and profitability. Connect with the team of manufacturers from Copperloy today to find out how you could get the most out of your facility transformation.
