Cooler Wall Planner: Doors & Walk-In Size

Cooler wall planner

Rough box size from the door count you want. Not an engineered layout.

Glass doors

Door width

Box depth (ft)

Box height (ft)

Door run along the sales floorDoors × nominal width; frames and end panels add to this≈ 30.0 ft

Box footprintRun × depth, outside the sales floor≈ 300 sq ft

Interior volumeBefore shelving and aisle space≈ 2,400 cu ft

Real door frames, end panels, panel thickness and the refrigeration system change the final dimensions. Exact sizes come from the door manufacturer's specification and a refrigeration load calculation for the box.

Why the cooler wall decides so much

The cooler wall is one of the most expensive parts of the store and one of the hardest to change. It sets where the back wall sits, how much floor the walk-in behind it takes, and where customers walk. That is why we size it early, alongside the floor plan, rather than fitting doors into whatever wall is left.

How the planner works

The planner multiplies your door count by the nominal door width to estimate the door run along the sales floor. It multiplies that run by the box depth for the walk-in footprint behind the doors, and by the height for interior volume. Real door frames, end panels and panel thickness add to these figures, so treat them as a starting point.

Planning the doors by category

A simple way to set the door count:

List the categories you will sell cold: soft drinks, water, energy drinks, dairy, beer, and any others.
Give each category the doors its sales justify. Beer and soft drinks usually take the most.
Add up the doors, run the planner, and check the wall fits your floor plan.
If it doesn't fit, decide whether to shrink a category, move some to reach-ins, or add a beer cave.

Depth and back stock

The depth of the box is about back stock. A deeper walk-in holds more product between deliveries but takes floor space from the stockroom and the store. Sizing it depends on your delivery schedule and sales volume, which is why the final size comes from a refrigeration load calculation, not a rule of thumb.

From plan to installed wall

We design walk-in coolers with refrigeration calculations and power requirements, and install the display door lines we carry, including Anthony and Styleline. See glass display doors and commercial walk-in coolers.

Frequently asked questions

How many cooler doors does a convenience store need?

There is no fixed number. It depends on how much cold beverage, dairy and beer you sell and how often you are delivered. Count the categories you plan to carry, give each its doors, and check the result fits the wall. A store that sells a lot of cold drinks almost always wishes it had more doors.

Should the cooler doors be 24 or 30 inches wide?

Both are common nominal widths. Narrower doors give more facings for the same wall length; wider doors give more shelf width per door. Your door manufacturer's specification sets the exact frame dimensions.

Is a beer cave part of the cooler wall?

Usually not. A beer cave is a walk-in customers enter, often next to the cooler wall. See beer cave cost.

Turn a planning range into a quote for your store

JayComp Development has designed and built more than 2,500 convenience stores, liquor stores and travel centers since 1996, from Ravia, Oklahoma to all 50 states. We design the store, then supply and install the equipment.

Send the site, the store type and your timing. Quotes are free, with no obligation.

Cooler Wall Planner: How Many Doors and How Big a Box