Much like traffic cones, bollards are something you see every day whether you realise it or not, marking of areas, outlining pathways, or stopping vehicles parking where they shouldn't.
Bollards were originally used on a ship or quay for mooring, and were originally made out of old cannons that were buried; this is why bollards are often still shaped similarly. As time has moved on so have the many uses and types of bollards available, so we are going to have look at the most popular and commonly used ones today.
Traditional Bollards
The traditional bollards, maintain its historic roots in look but their purpose is now mainly for residential and pedestrian areas, stopping traffic going any further.
These types of bollards are incredibly durable, designed to withstand years of adverse weather (or the British weather if you'd prefer) as well as having a high resistance to impact, these are a solid choice for many.
Heavy Duty Bollards
The heavy duty bollards, much like the traditional ones, are designed to stop through traffic as well as containing crowds and in some cases deterring burglary.
These bollards are more commercially used on business premises, especially those that have a lot of outdoor traffic; you will see these mainly in supermarket car parks and shopping centres.
Retractable and Sprung Bollards
Retractable bollards are great for any commercial premises as they offer great control and flexibilities of vehicles entering and leaving restricted areas.
There is also another type of bollard which is a reasonably new design. The sprung boundary post offers the durability of traditional and retractable bollards, but greatly reduces any damage that could occur if a vehicle hits it, bending to the pressure; it then simply goes back to its vertical position once the vehicle has moved.
Both of these are most commonly seen in business car parks and residential areas where parking times or traffic flow is restricted or changes at particular times.
Impact Protection Bollards
Impact protection bollards are slightly different to most bollards as they are designed with rails.
You will find these mainly in warehouses and distribution centres where keeping pedestrians and vehicles separate are paramount.
Because the rails are replaceable it means that any damaged areas can easily be replaced without having to replace the whole system, making it very cost effective and easy to maintain.
Fixed galvanised bollards are extremely strong and ideal for protecting property from ram-raiding, to prevent unlawful parking and to protect pedestrians. In their bare naked form of steel, they can however be tricky to spot, especially when the sun is low in the sky. An ideal solution to this problem is to pop a bollard sleeve over your galvanised post. These high-visibility brightly coloured sleeves are available in a wide range of eye-catching colours which can be installed and removed quickly and easily.
If you have any questions about any of our bollards then feel free to call our friendly customer service team on 0808 163 3704.