Dock Boards
Aluminium Dock Boards
An aluminium dock board bridges the gap and the height difference between a dock edge and a trailer bed. The S&L TAS series publishes 21 models…
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Dock Equipment · Dock Boards
Steel Dock Boards and Dock Plates With Diamond Tread Decks
Where a bay runs steel-wheeled trucks, castings or swarf-laden pallets, a steel deck outlasts an aluminium one. The S&L steel range uses diamond tread decks with welded lift handles or lifting rings, in board and plate formats.
Product Overview
What This Product Is and Where It Fits
The choice between steel and aluminium is rarely about strength, it is about what crosses the deck. Steel-wheeled pallet trucks, hot or sharp offcuts and abrasive debris all wear an aluminium tread faster than they wear a steel one.
The trade-off is handling weight. A steel board normally lives in one bay rather than being carried between them, so the specification question becomes which bay, not which shift.
Two formats appear in the S&L photographs. The board format carries a raised side curb and a release lever at the leading edge. The plate format is flatter, with a welded tubular lift handle across the near edge or a lifting ring, and a folding support leg underneath.
Capacity ratings and dimensions for the steel range are not published on the original S&L documentation. They are quoted per bay against the height difference and the truck that will cross.
Key Benefits
Three Reasons Buyers Specify This Line
Deck wear where abrasion is the problem
A diamond tread steel deck stands up to steel wheels, swarf and castings better than an aluminium tread of the same rating.
Lifting points built into the deck
A welded tubular handle or a lifting ring, so a board that lives in one bay can still be moved when the bay is reorganised.
Board and plate formats
The curbed board for regular bay use, the flatter plate with a folding support leg for ground-level and occasional positions.
Application Scenarios
- Bays running steel-wheeled pallet trucks
- Foundry, forge and fabrication dispatch
- Scrap and swarf movement across a dock edge
- Ground-level loading with a folding-leg plate
Who It Is For
- Plants where the deck wears out before the structure does
- Facilities standardising on one board per bay rather than a shared pool
- Distributors supplying steel dock boards alongside aluminium
- Buyers replacing a worn aluminium tread in an abrasive bay
Problems It Solves
- Aluminium tread worn smooth by steel wheels and debris
- Boards damaged by sharp or hot material dragged across them
- Plates with no lifting point that have to be levered up by hand
- Ground-level plates that will not sit level without a support leg
Technical Features
What Is Actually Published For This Line
Diamond tread steel deck
Full-width tread pattern for wheel and foot grip.
Welded tubular lift handle
Fitted across the near edge on the plate format.
Lifting ring and folding support leg
On the painted plate version, for ground-level positions.
Raised side curb and release lever
On the board format, at the leading edge.
Specifications
Steel Dock Boards and Plates Specification Table
Every figure below is transcribed from the specification sheets S&L published for this line. Where a figure is not published, it is marked rather than estimated.
| Specification | Status |
|---|---|
| Rated capacity | TBC at quotation |
| Width and length range | TBC at quotation |
| Deck plate thickness | TBC at quotation |
| Net weight | TBC at quotation |
These are confirmed at quotation rather than estimated here.
Product Photography
Steel Dock Boards and Plates As Supplied
Every photograph below is from the S&L product records for this line. Nothing is a stock image or a rendering.
Materials
Materials and Finish
Steel deck plate with welded handles, curbs and support legs. Finish is painted or bare steel depending on the format.
ManufacturingHow It Is Made
Deck plate is cut and the loading edge formed, the handle or lifting ring and any curb or support leg are welded on, then the board is cleaned and finished.
Quality Control
What Is Checked Before Packing
Weld inspection at the handle, curb and leg joints, a flatness check on the deck, and a function check on the folding support leg where one is fitted.
CertificationsCertification Status
No third-party certification is published for Steel Dock Boards and Plates in S&L's own documentation, so this page marks it TBC at quotation rather than implying one. Dock board buyers normally need the capacity rating evidenced rather than a certificate. The TAS series publishes its rating per model; for the steel range the rating is confirmed in writing at quotation.
Customisation
Options Within The Published Range
- Board or plate format
- Width and length quoted to the bay
- Lifting handle or lifting ring
- Curb and support leg arrangement confirmed at quotation
Comparison
How It Compares With The Alternatives
| Option | When To Choose It |
|---|---|
| Steel dock board | Abrasion resistance with a raised side curb. Stays in one bay. |
| Aluminium dock board | Lower weight and a published model list with rated capacities. Moves between bays. |
| Steel dock plate | Flatter, with a lift handle or ring and a folding leg, for ground-level and occasional-use positions. |
Use Guide
Getting It Right On Site
- Decide the bay first, since a steel board is not a shared-pool item
- Give S&L the height difference and the heaviest truck and load for the quotation
- Use the welded handle or lifting ring rather than levering the plate up by hand
- Check the deck, the curb and the support leg for deformation after heavy or repeated use
Questions
Steel Dock Boards and Plates Questions
What capacity are the steel boards rated to?
Capacity is not published on the original S&L documentation. It is quoted per bay against the height difference and the truck that will cross the board.
When should I choose steel over aluminium?
When wear is the deciding factor: steel wheels, swarf, castings, hot or sharp material. Choose aluminium when the board has to be moved between bays and you want a published capacity class.
What is the difference between the board and the plate?
The board carries a raised side curb and a release lever at the leading edge. The plate is flatter, with a welded lift handle or a lifting ring and a folding support leg.
Do the steel boards have yellow safety curbs like the aluminium ones?
No. The yellow steel curbs are a feature of the aluminium TAS range. The steel boards in the S&L photographs use a plain raised curb or no curb at all, depending on the format.
Can I order a steel board in a non-standard size?
Yes. Because the steel range is quoted rather than listed, size is set at quotation.
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Related Solutions
Further Reading
Quote Steel Dock Boards and Plates By Model Code
Name the capacity class and the bay dimensions. Undersized boards almost always come from quoting on pallet weight rather than the whole crossing load.