Dock Plates and Boards

Capacity is based on a concentrated load test with a specific wheel configuration — for example, the rated load one forklift wheel can carry while centered on the plate — not the total weight the plate could theoretically support if spread evenly. Always match the plate's stated capacity to your actual heaviest equipment's per-wheel load, not just the pallet or cargo weight.

Aluminum plates are significantly lighter, making them easier for one person to position, remove and store, which suits operations where the plate moves between multiple dock doors regularly. Steel plates, often diamond-plate pattern, handle higher capacities and heavier forklift traffic but are harder to reposition manually — steel is the better fit for a plate that stays at one dock permanently.

The raised side edges (curbs) on a curbed dock plate stop a wheel from rolling off the side of the plate if the equipment crosses at a slight angle rather than dead-center — a real risk when the trailer isn't perfectly aligned with the dock. Flat, uncurbed plates are more compact and lighter but require more careful positioning by the operator.

Length needs to account for both the horizontal gap between dock and truck bed and any vertical height difference — too short a plate creates a transition ramp angle too steep for wheeled equipment to cross safely, especially loaded pallet jacks. As a rule of thumb, the plate should create a grade no steeper than what your equipment's wheels and load rating can handle; check the manufacturer's sizing guidance for your specific gap dimensions.

Portable dock plates are a legitimate and widely used solution for lower-frequency or variable-location loading, but they require the operator to properly position and secure the plate (often with safety chains hooked to the truck bed) before each use. A permanently mounted mechanical dock leveler is generally preferred for continuous, high-volume dock traffic since it eliminates the manual positioning step entirely.