Things to consider when choosing a bollard for your warehouse

One of the most common things used to protect valuable assets in a building is a bollard. There are many types of bollards out there, but essentially, they serve the same function. They are meant to be a barrier between a moving object, like a forklift, and an asset. So why are there so many options? It really comes down to how much you want to spend and how much do you want to protect. When you breakdown the options, there really are 2 main types. Embedded bollards and surface mounted bollards.

Embedded bollards are installed by being directly embedded into a concrete foundation. They are made for high impact from heavy equipment because they are so secure to the concrete foundation. They are not just for show, they are the real deal. If you hit them, they should stop the moving object in its tracks. Usually, the concrete will be damaged before the bollard is. So why aren’t all bollards embedded? There are various reasons for that. The two most common are price and flexibility. The cost to install is very expensive since there is concrete being poured. Also, once installed you really can’t move it. So, if you want some flexibility on your warehouse floor or if you are leasing a building, an embedded bollard would not be ideal.

If you’re looking to save money and still want the ability to remove bollards at some point, you would most likely purchase a surface mounted bollard. The benefits are that they can be removed and the overall cost to purchase and install is substantially less. The most common height is 42’’ but there are other height. The other things to consider are bollard thickness and bollard diameter. The thicker and wider the bollard, the more impact it will withstand. These are just a few things to consider when purchasing a bollard. You would be surprised at how many options you can get into when it comes to purchasing.