Shopping for an ADA locker room bench usually starts with a spec sheet and ends with a practical question. Do you need a back, or will a wall do the job? The ADA accepts either. A bench has to provide back support or be affixed to a wall. That one choice can move the price by hundreds of dollars per bench.
Most guides stop at the measurements. This one starts with your room and works toward a product, using the three ADA benches in our shop, their listed prices, and a little arithmetic you can check yourself.
Walk your locker room with a tape measure and look for a solid wall run long enough for a bench and the clear floor space beside it. If you can fasten the bench to that wall, a model without a back can work, because the wall supplies the support. If the bench has to stand on an open floor, between rows of lockers or in the middle of a changing area, it needs its own back.
Either way, three numbers apply to every ADA bench. The seat must be at least 42 inches long and between 20 and 24 inches deep, and the top of the seat must sit between 17 and 19 inches above the floor. The benches in our shop list a seat height of 17.5 inches, so they land inside that window.
Before you choose, sketch your ADA locker room layout on paper, including the aisle and the lockers. Our locker room dimensions guide shows how aisles, benches, and lockers have to agree with each other.
Lockers Unlimited lists three ADA benches, and they sort neatly by how much support you need built in.
| Option | Listed price | Seat sizes (width x depth, inches) | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADA Locker Room Bench, no back | $350 to $548 | 42 x 20, 42 x 24, 48 x 20, 48 x 24, 60 x 20, 60 x 24, 72 x 20, and 72 x 24 by quote | Wall runs where you can fasten it |
| ADA Locker Room Bench with Back Support | $658 to $950 | 42 x 20, 42 x 24, 48 x 20, 48 x 24, 72 x 20, 72 x 24 | Open floor |
| ADA Wall Mounted Locker Room Bench Kit | $249 to $290 | 42 x 20, 42 x 24, 48 x 20, 48 x 24 | Wall runs on a tight budget |
Now the arithmetic. Say you need three benches. Without a back, that is 3 x $350 = $1,050 at the low end and 3 x $548 = $1,644 at the high end. With back support, it is 3 x $658 = $1,974 up to 3 x $950 = $2,850. The wall mounted kit comes to 3 x $249 = $747 up to 3 x $290 = $870. Per bench, the spread runs from $249 to $950, a gap of $701. Treat the low end of each range as a floor. On the plain bench, the cheapest size may be one of the 18-inch options discussed below.
A black pedestal and back bracket finish adds $20 on the benches that offer it, and the exact price inside each range depends on the size and pedestal you choose.
If budget decides it, start with the cheapest option that matches your room, not the cheapest option overall. A bench that suits the wrong spot costs more than the difference once you have to replace it. Match the bench to the wall first, then compare prices inside that group.
Look closely at the size menu on the plain ADA bench, and you will spot two options marked as likely not ADA compliant. Both are 18 inches deep. The ADA calls for a seat depth of 20 to 24 inches, so an 18-inch bench may work as ordinary seating but should not be counted as your accessible bench.
The choice between 20 and 24 inches matters too. A deeper seat gives more room to sit, but a 24-inch seat also takes four more inches of floor than a 20-inch one, so tight rooms sometimes settle on 20.
Then there is the clear floor space. The ADA wants at least 30 by 48 inches of open floor at the end of the bench, so a wheelchair can pull alongside it. Along a wall, that usually means a 48-inch bench needs a run of 48 + 30 = 78 inches. A 72-inch bench needs 72 + 30 = 102 inches, or 8.5 feet.
A back is more than a board behind the seat. The standard asks for back support at least 42 inches long that runs from no more than 2 inches above the seat to at least 18 inches above it, and sits no more than 2.5 inches from the rear edge of the seat.
Run the numbers on the model with a back. Its overall height is listed at 36.5 inches, and the seat sits at 17.5 inches, which leaves 36.5 minus 17.5 = 19 inches of back above the seat. That clears the 18-inch minimum by an inch. The product page does not list the back length or the gap behind the seat, so ask for both if an inspector will check them.
The seat on all three benches is butcher block hardwood, built from face-glued strips 1.25 inches thick with rounded comfort edges and a clear lacquer finish. If you are weighing wood locker room benches against plastic or other materials, our materials guide lays out the tradeoffs.
On the bench with back support, you can choose pedestals in powder-coated steel, 304 stainless steel, PVC plastic, or anodized aluminum. Mounting hardware for the bench is included, but floor anchors are not, so ask your installer what your floor needs. The plain ADA bench lists similar pedestal choices and notes that its pedestals must be anchored to the floor.
Stuck between metals? Our look at stainless steel or steel bench pedestals walks through which holds up better.
The back support on the model with a back is 20 inches high, and the whole bench stands about 36.5 inches tall from the floor to the top of the back. It is listed at 150 pounds, so plan for two people to carry it.
Locker rooms get wet, and hardwood does not love it. The seats carry two coats of catalyzed clear lacquer on the top and sides and one coat on the bottom, which protects the wood but is not a reason to park a bench in a shower stall. If your bench sits near a pool deck or showers, consider the stainless steel or PVC plastic pedestals offered on the back support model, and wipe the seat dry as part of the daily close.
Cleaning is easier when the routine is written down. Our guide to how to clean and maintain ADA changing room benches covers the routine in more detail, so your staff does not have to guess.
1. Does an ADA locker room bench need a back?
Only if it stands away from a wall. The ADA requires back support or wall attachment, so open floor benches need a back and wall-mounted ones do not.
2. How deep should an ADA locker room bench be?
The seat should be 20 to 24 inches deep and at least 42 inches long. Sizes listed as 18 inches deep fall short and are likely not ADA compliant.
3. How high should an ADA bench seat be?
The top of the seat must sit between 17 and 19 inches above the finished floor. The benches in this guide list a seat height of 17.5 inches.
4. How much floor space does an ADA bench need?
Plan on at least 30 by 48 inches of clear floor space at the end of the seat, so a 48-inch bench usually needs about 78 inches of wall.
5. How much does an ADA locker room bench cost?
Listed prices run from $249 for the wall-mounted kit to $950 for a bench with back support, depending on size, pedestals, and color. Ask for a quote.
At Lockers Unlimited, we combine innovation, quality, and excellent customer service to deliver the best storage solutions for your needs. From design to installation, we’re here to help every step of the way.
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