Many commercial spaces today operate with the help and ease of a dock leveler. This modern-day marvel forms a ramp that bridges the distance between a loading dock and a truck. While you may not give a dock leveler much thought, even if you use it on a daily basis, can you imagine how hard your job would be without it?

Dock levers have to be designed to compensate for the up-and-down movement of the trailer during loading and unloading and must support extremely heavy loads, service a wide range of truck heights, and compensate for tilted trucks.

How Does a Dock Leveler Work?

A dock leveler has a ramp and a lip. The ramp is hinged along its rear edge, and the lip is hinged at the front of the ramp. To use a dock leveler, raise the ramp. The lip will swing out. With the lip extended, lower the ramp until the lip rests on the truck.

As providers of dock levelers in Ohio, we have seen two different types of dock levelers rise to the top in popularity in 2023. In this post, we will go over the two most common types of dock levelers used in commercial spaces. Maybe one will sound like a good fit for your business.

1. Recessed Dock Levelers 

The recessed, or pit-style dock leveler is the most common type of dock leveler because it has a greater operating range, load range, and life expectancy. Recessed dock levelers are most often installed into pits that are formed into the concrete ahead of time. The pits are sized to meet the exact requirements of the dock levelers being used. Recessed dock levelers are available with a spring-loaded mechanical activation system or powered with a push-button activation system.

2. Edge-of-Dock Leveler

Edge-of-dock levelers are low-cost and simple to install as they don’t require breaking concrete.  It is typically used in an environment with minimal difference between trailer bed and dock.  An edge of the dock leveler is easily mounted to the dock face. These are not usually suited for high-volume dock traffic.

Dock Levelers in Ohio- Which Is Right For You? 

In the market for a new dock leveler? A good dock leveler can make or break your business operation so it is important to install one that can support your workload. Our team of technicians at Springfield Overhead Door has a vast knowledge of the different types of dock levelers on the market and can help you select the best one for your business. For dock leveler installation contact our team today.