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Driveway security posts come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s easy to get bogged down in the amount of choice. To make things a little easier, let’s look at the different types you might find.
The four main types of bollards you’ll come across are telescopic, removable, automatic, and fixed.
Now, these can be split into two groups, high security, and domestic security. High-security bollards are usually used to secure key sites such as government buildings or airports from vehicle attacks.
These bollards have been impact-tested, so not really the sort of thing you would have at the end of your driveway. On our website, you’ll find these under the Crash-Rated Solutions category.
Our domestic security line contains all our non-tested bollards which have been designed to protect everything from driveways to industrial sites.
Our driveway security bollards come in a wide range of models, so let’s dive into the different kinds you might find.
Let’s start things off by looking at fixed bollards. Fixed bollards much like the name implies are fixed in place, though you’ll sometimes see them called static bollards. You’ve probably seen these types of security bollards outside supermarkets or car parks lining pedestrian walkways.
These bollards aren’t usually suitable for driveways due to their fixed nature making it impossible to allow vehicular access. There may be circumstances however where you may want to look at fixed bollards if you’re aiming to permanently stop access to certain parts of your property or make the vehicular access path narrower.
Telescopic bollards are the most common type of driveway security post you’ll find. These bollards can be lowered into the ground manually, allowing you to protect your driveway, preventing any vehicular access when not in use, and allowing access to vehicles when needed.
Quick Tip: Make sure to check the wall thickness of the bollard you’re buying. A thicker wall can minimise ugly dents and damage when the bollard is knocked.
These are our most popular security bollards when it comes to driveway security as they are easy to use and offer secure protection for your driveway.
If you’re worried or put off by the potential lifting weight of a telescopic bollard, there’s no need to worry as our lift-assisted bollards reduce the lifting weight by 60%.
However, a telescopic bollard might not always be the most suitable option for your driveway. If you have a high water table, for example, it can make it difficult to raise the telescopic post out of the ground. In cases like this, a removable bollard might be a better option.
Another case where a removable bollard might be more suitable would be if you have pipes or wiring under the drive that may limit how deep you can excavate.
In cases like this removable bollards are a better option because they require a much shallower foundation. Instead of retracting into the ground like a telescopic bollard, they can instead be removed and stored safely.
In fact, we supply special storage sockets with our removable bollards so they can be stored safely without the risk of damaging the post.
There’s nothing worse than getting a brand new security post for your driveway and having no idea how to install it.
One of the best options to get driveway bollards fitted is to check with local builders or labourers before you order the bollard to see if they can install it for you. If you’re having difficulty finding someone, don’t worry, we have a number of recommended installers that we can put you in touch with.
If you’re unsure of how many bollards you need to install on your drive or whether there will be any issues, simply send us a picture of your driveway and one of our experts will be able to help.
This is something we find most people don’t think about when buying a driveway security bollard, but it’s one of the most important.
Fitting a new driveway security bollard requires digging down into concrete, brick, tarmac or whatever your driveway material is.
You will need to hire a skip so that the rubble and spoil can be taken away, leaving your driveway nice and clean.
Quick Tip: If you are only having one or two lift-out or telescopic bollards installed, you may be able to get away with rubble bags
If you speak with our team regarding your installation, they will be able to advise.
This is even more important if you’re looking at automatic driveway bollards as they require more extensive civil works.
While driveway bollards are sturdy pieces of kit, they do need looking after from time to time in order to ensure their longevity.
A lot like a car, a regular service can do a world of wonders, making sure you don’t run into any issues. In our experience, we recommend one service a year.
We also have a dedicated service department. In the event that you have problems with your driveway security bollard or indeed, someone accidentally drives into and damages your bollard, don’t panic, just give our service team a call and they can advise. If you need someone to come and take a look at your bollard, we have a number of companies we can put you in touch with who service our bollards. You can call our service team today to find out more.
We talk bollards day-in-day-out, so if you need some advice or have any questions about how best to secure your driveway, give us a ring on +44 (0) 345 350 3799, and our team will be happy to help or feel free to shoot us a message on Twitter or complete the contact us form below.
You can also find a wealth of information about our range of bollards on our website including videos, datasheets, and drawings.
Want more information on Street Fixed Bollard? Feel free to contact us.
Often a forgotten piece of construction projects large and small, the right bollard can become the cornerstone of any landscape feature or architectural facade.
But just what product is right for you? Where should you start? It’s best to begin with the basics. To help you get started, we’ve compiled answers to the most commonly asked questions our team has received over the years.
Bollards are most commonly used as visual barriers tasked with outlining the borders between pedestrian and vehicular areas, as well as deterring unauthorized access. A majority of the products used for this function are not crash-rated.
Bollards should be considered any time there is a need for pedestrian, storefront or building impact protection. Depending on the nature of a project, documents will specify bollards’ required impact performance. We will explore crash ratings in further detail below.
In other cases, architects or landscape architects draw bollards into plans as a way to create aesthetically appealing ways to separate spaces. In some of these cases, bollards are purely decorative and provide no impact protection.
It’s the reality on most landscape projects that bollards feature both performance and aesthetic requirements. Removable bollards, like those outfitted with our newly patented Twist andLockmount, can turn any streetscape into a flexible hybrid allowing users to modify pedestrian and vehicular usage according to a wider variety of use cases.
Below are some estimated baselinecosts that a client may expect to see from a contractor for bollard installation. The below figures are estimates only, bollard installation costs vary greatly depending on location and project conditions.
Estimate based on project requiring 15 to 20 bollards equal to BollardsUSA Century Series model.
*Site graded and prepared for bollard installation
Total installation cost per bollard: $1,028 – $1,278
*Bollard installed in existing concrete surface
Total installation cost per bollard: $878 – $1,128
The above figures include essential materials for bollard installation including concrete (1/3 cubic yard per bollard, 3,500 psi mix), concrete reinforcement (rebar and wire mesh) and equipment rental (mini-excavator, skid steer with auger bit or similarly priced equipment). Not included in the above estimate are additional materials and equipment such as traffic control rentals, plywood, pavement saw blades and disposal fees.
Labor costs for a typical bollard installation vary depending on the mounting option selected. Pipe mount installations typically require 24 to 48 inches of excavation which amounts to more labor hours than other methods featuring shallower mounts.
The bollard cost in the above estimate is based on a standard Century Series bollard and fixed mount installation kit. Removable bollards may cost approximately $200 -$300 more per bollard due to the additional components required to receive the bollard and allow easy removal.
Smaller bollard installation projects of two or three bollards will run higher costs in both labor and materials as well as product cost. Due to the cost of mobilization and setup time, short load fees and quantity pricing from suppliers, bollard installations consisting of 15 or more bollards realize a lower per-bollard installation cost than small installations.
The above estimate is not applicable to crash rated or K4 bollards.
The costs associated with crash rated bollard installations are anywhere from 50% -100% higher than that of standard decorative bollards.
The correct depth to bury a bollard fluctuates depending on engineering requirements and the desired mounting method. Fixed bollards using in-ground pipe mounting methods generally require a minimum of 24 inches up to 48 inches of concrete embedment below grade.
Many bollard installation methods do not necessarily require in-ground burial of the bollard. Instead, they are fastened to a separate component that is embedded in concrete below ground. A low-profile concrete embedded iron base is cast in concrete at a depth of four inches to secure the bollard in place using an all-thread rod. Similarly, all-thread may be anchored into a pre-drilled hole no more than six inches below grade to secure the bollard down onto an existing concrete surface.
Removable bollards, such as our Twist & Lock product line, often benefit from a lower-profile design requiring only eight inches below grade burial for the concrete embedded receiver casting. Crash-rated bollards may require a burial depth greater than 48 inches, but low profile options are available for these applications as well.
The BollardsUSA K4 shallow mount is installed at 12 inches below grade.
You can find detailed, downloadable product specs on our product page.
Bollards should be placed between three to five feet apart to allow for pedestrian traffic access while simultaneously prohibiting vehicular traffic. In addition, bollards must allow for full wheelchair access in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Exact distances may differ depending on specific project requirements.
While most bollards are set within a concrete base, not all bollards are required to have a poured concrete interior. Generally, large-scale bollard manufacturers will sell products requiring concrete-filling post-installation.
Often a misconception of product performance, proper interior pipe installation can make internal concrete and threaded pipe crash rating differences negligible. BollardsUSA products are installed using a threaded pipe interior, accompanied by an additional top cap allowing owners to screw the pipe into place.
With appropriate steel or cast iron parts inside the product, concrete may actually be the least necessary in terms of impact protection.
However, certain projects do require bollards with filled concrete interiors, in which case our products will arrive without the top cap to allow for alternative concrete fixation.
In most cases, bollard impact resistance requirements are defined by the nature of the project in mind. While some project specifications define the aesthetic quality of the product, more high-risk locations may demand more significant levels of site security.
Developed in 1985 by the U.S. State Department and revised in 2003 following the rising prevalence ofdomestic terrorism, K-Ratings certify products based on the distance the front bumper of a 15,000-pound vehicle is able to pass after impacting a certain barrier. Ratings are classified based on speed (K-ratings) and penetration (L-ratings) performance.
K4 bollards, testing against a 30 mile per hour benchmark, are the most common. K8 (40 miles per hour) and K12 (50 miles per hour) bollards are often specified by projects requiring a higher emphasis on building or pedestrian security, such as for Federal building plans.
Within the last decade, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) published standards F3016 & F3016M – 19: Standard Test Method for Surrogate Testing of Vehicle Impact Protective Devices at Low Speeds. These are more meticulous than the State Department standards they replace, defining ratings within categories broken out by vehicle weight and testing speed.
The ASTM classifications are: M (15,000 pounds), C (2,430 pounds), PU (5,070 pounds) and H (65,000 pounds). M40, for example, refers to testing M-category vehicles at 40 miles per hour.
An additional rating specification was implemented to track penetration distance after impact, broken down into the following: P1 (≤ 3.3 ft), P2 (3.3-23.0 ft), P3 (23.1-98.4 ft) and P4 (≥ 98.4 ft).
We recommend getting quotes from small, local concrete contractors.
In our experience, larger regional concrete contractors are not great candidates for bollard installation because they’re built for larger civil engineering projects requiring much more concrete than is needed to install bollards. Project specification, size and location may affect installer options.
At BollardsUSA, we understand that questions can be guided by specific project requirements. Our team is always available to answer your questions and help turn your vision into a reality.
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