Walk-in cooler kit vs custom walk-in
Standard size or custom, you get the same 4 inch panels and the same build. Here is what actually changes, and a quick way to decide which one your room needs.
A standard size walk-in cooler kit and a custom walk-in use the same 4 inch cam-lock panels and the same build quality. The only real differences are the dimensions and what comes pre-matched: choose a standard package when one of our six standard footprints fits your room at 7'6" tall indoors, and go custom when the room, ceiling, doors or product do not fit those sizes.
A standard size is quoted as a factory standard size with the refrigeration already matched. Change the width, length or height and it is reclassified as custom and the price changes, but it is still the same panels, it still ships free, and it still comes with a dimensioned approval drawing you sign before anything is built.
What is the same, and what changes
Both columns below describe the same box: 4 inch tongue-and-groove panels with cam locks, NSF Listed, with no wood at the panel edge. What changes is how the size is set and how the refrigeration is chosen.
| Item | Standard size package | Custom walk-in |
|---|---|---|
| Footprints | 6x6, 6x8, 8x8, 8x10, 10x10, 10x12 | Built to your dimensions |
| Height | 7'6" | 7'6", 8'0", 8'6", 9'0", 10'0", 12'0" |
| Shape | Rectangle | Rectangle, L-shape, notched around a column, low ceiling |
| Refrigeration | Pre-matched: 1/2 HP (6x6), 3/4 HP (6x8, 8x8), 1 HP (8x10, 10x10), 1 1/2 HP (10x12) | Sized at quote from your heat load |
| As packaged | Indoor, without floor | Indoor or outdoor, with or without floor |
| Panels | 4 inch, NSF Listed, cam-lock | Same |
| Approval drawing | Yes, signed before ordering | Yes, signed before ordering |
| Shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping |
| Best fit | Rectangular indoor room with clearance, one temperature, standard door | Odd rooms, tall product, glass doors, combinations, outdoor pads |
Standard sizes are nominal: a standard 8x8 is quoted as 7'10" (8'0" nominal). Standard freezer packages also exist and include the floor; see walk-in freezers.
Either way, the box arrives as panels you assemble with an Allen wrench. Our walk-in cooler kits page covers what is in the kit.
When a standard package is the right call
If your room is a plain rectangle with space around it, a standard package is usually the simplest buy.
Our standard cooler packages are 6x6, 6x8, 8x8, 8x10, 10x10 and 10x12, all 7'6" tall, indoors, without a floor, held at 35°F, with refrigeration included and already matched to the box. Details are on the walk-in coolers page.
These sizes are popular for a reason. Across our quotes since 2012, the seven footprints that come up most are 8x10, 8x8, 6x8, 6x6, 10x10, 10x12 and 8x12. Six of those seven are standard package sizes, and the most common height is 7'6".
- The room fits. A standard footprint fits with clearance where the refrigeration and air need it.
- 7'6" works. Your ceiling clears the box and the evaporator, and your product fits about 86 inches of inside height.
- One temperature. You need a cooler only, behind a solid 34 x 76 inch door.
- Indoors on a level slab. The walls sit on your level concrete or tile floor, secured with a vinyl screed.
Not sure which footprint holds your stock? The walk-in cooler size guide has our capacity planning estimates.
When custom is worth it
Custom is worth it when a standard footprint would waste space, block a door or simply not fit.
Panels are made to your dimensions, so the shapes below are normal work. Refrigeration is then sized from your heat load (box size, product load, door openings, glass doors and the air around the box), not from floor area alone.
You can see real approval drawings for shapes like these in our drawings gallery.
A middle path: standard footprint, your options
You do not have to choose between a package exactly as listed and a fully custom box. Changing the width, length or height makes a standard size custom, and so do some options. A practical middle path is to keep a standard footprint and add only what you need. A standard size stays standard with its one 34 inch door on any wall, with or without a floor on a cooler, and with outdoor refrigeration. A wider or second door, glass doors, a view window, a ramp or reinforced floor, a height other than 7'6" or a special skin makes it custom.
- Door placement and hinge side. Put the door where your traffic flows and swing it away from the prep line.
- Wider door. A 34 inch door will not pass a 48 x 40 inch pallet. A 48 x 76 or 60 x 76 opening, or a sliding door, will.
- Floor. Optional on coolers. Order it over a wood deck, an upper floor or unconditioned space. See floor or no floor.
- Outdoor refrigeration. A remote outdoor condensing unit moves the heat out of your kitchen. Browse the refrigeration systems.
- Skins. White galvanized or stainless steel skins can be quoted instead of the standard Acrylume.
Nominal size vs your actual room
Standard sizes are nominal. A standard 8x8 is quoted as 7'10" (8'0" nominal), about 2 inches under the nominal size. Inside, after two 4 inch walls, you have about 10 inches less than nominal each way, and a 7'6" box is about 86 inches tall inside without a floor, about 82 inches with one.
The trap is picking a package first and hoping the room takes it. Measure the room first, then see whether a standard footprint fits with room to spare.
- Wall to wall. Measure length and width at the floor and again near the ceiling, since walls are not always straight.
- Lowest point overhead. Note beams, ducts, sprinkler heads and light fixtures. The box and the evaporator must clear them.
- Clearance. Leave space around the box for the refrigeration, for air and for working room during assembly.
- The route in. Measure your narrowest doorway, the tightest hallway turn and the lowest ceiling obstruction on the way to the room.
- The floor. Is it a level slab, tile, or a wood deck?
The installation guide explains how the panels go together once they arrive.
How to decide in 5 questions
- Does a standard footprint fit your measured room with clearance? If not, custom uses the space you have.
- Does 7'6" suit your ceiling and your product? A low ceiling or tall racks point to custom height.
- Is the room a plain rectangle? Columns and corners point to an L-shape or notched box.
- Is it one temperature with a solid door? Glass doors or a cooler and freezer together mean a custom layout.
- Indoors, with carts and hand trucks only? Outdoor pads and pallets mean options at least, and often custom.
Five yes answers: a standard package fits. A no on question 5 alone: a standard footprint with options (outdoor refrigeration, a wider door) may still work. A no on any of questions 1 to 4: go custom. The cost guide explains what each choice does to the number.
Not sure? Send us your measurements through the quote form and we will quote the standard size that fits, or the custom box, usually the same day.
Frequently asked
Is a custom walk-in cooler much more expensive than a standard size?
It depends on how far you move from a standard size and what you add. A standard size is quoted as a factory standard; a custom box is priced from its real panels and from refrigeration sized to your heat load.
The bigger cost drivers are usually height, glass doors, a floor, outdoor protection and refrigeration size. The cost guide walks through each one.
How long does a custom walk-in take?
Nothing is ordered until you sign the dimensioned approval drawing, so the clock starts at your signature. Standard sizes are built to order the same way, so they are not faster. Lead time depends on the factory schedule when you order, so ask us for the current lead time before you sign. Delivery dates are estimates.
Can a standard size walk-in cooler go outdoors?
The footprint can be a standard size, but an outdoor box gets a rain roof and an outdoor condensing unit or self-contained outdoor system, so the quote changes. It must also meet local wind uplift rules; in Florida you may need an engineer. See indoor vs outdoor walk-in coolers.
Can I change the door position on a standard size?
Yes, tell us where the door goes and which way it swings, and it will show on your approval drawing. Moving the door to another wall does not change a standard size.
What heights can a custom walk-in be?
Standard is 7'6". We regularly quote 8'0", 8'6", 9'0", 10'0" and 12'0", and shorter boxes for low ceilings. Remember the evaporator hangs from the ceiling and takes some of the top space.
Is a kit lower quality than a custom build?
No. Standard and custom boxes use the same 4 inch NSF Listed panels with the same cam-lock joints and gaskets. Both arrive as panels to assemble; see our walk-in cooler kits.
Also worth a look
Walk-in cooler kits
A complete prefab walk-in cooler or freezer: insulated cam-lock panels, door, hardware and matched refrigeration, built to a standard size or to your dimensions.
Read moreWhat size do I need?
A sizing method, the real interior dimensions of our standard boxes, rough capacity estimates and the sizes buyers actually choose, from more than 23,000 quotes since 2012.
Read moreWhat drives the cost
There is no single price for a walk-in, because the same footprint can be built many ways.
Read moreSend your room size, get a same-day quote
Send your measurements, a sketch or a few photos through the quote form, or text pictures to 954-237-6753. We will quote a standard package or a custom box, usually the same day, with free shipping and an approval drawing to sign before anything is built.