Safety Bollards NZ: Bolt-Down vs In-Ground, Sizes, Spacing
A safety bollard has one job: stop a vehicle from reaching something it should not touch. That might be a roller door frame, a shopfront, a gas meter, a racking leg or a line of people on a footpath. Most buyers already know they need bollards. The harder questions are which fixing type, which diameter, how far apart, and whether to go galvanised or stainless. This guide works through those four decisions using the safety bollards and traffic safety products we stock in New Zealand.
Start With the Job, Not the Bollard
The right bollard depends on what is moving near it and what sits behind it. Match your site to one of these before you look at sizes.
- Warehouse doors, racking ends and loading docks. Forklifts and trucks at low speed, repeated knocks. Use larger diameter steel bollards or a heavy duty hoop.
- Shopfronts, entrances and footpaths. Cars parking nose in, with pedestrians close by. Use a row of mid size fixed bollards, in stainless if appearance matters.
- Car park bays, meters and downpipes. Small assets that get clipped. Use a single bollard or a low hoop around the asset.
- Lane marking and no parking zones. You want drivers to see the line, not hit a hard stop. Use flexible bollards.
Bolt-Down vs In-Ground Bollards
This is the question that decides most orders, so it is worth getting right first.
Bolt-down (surface mount) bollards
A bolt-down bollard has a flange plate welded to the base and fixes to an existing concrete slab with anchors. Our bolt-down galvanised steel bollards come in four sizes.
- Ø89mm, 3.5mm wall, 0.95m high, 200 x 200 x 10mm flange plate
- Ø114mm, 3.5mm wall, 0.95m high, 205 x 205 x 10mm flange plate
- Ø165mm, 4.5mm wall, 1.2m high, 250 x 250 x 10mm flange plate
- Ø220mm, 4.5mm wall, 1.2m high, 300 x 300 x 10mm flange plate
Choose bolt-down when the slab is already poured and in good condition, when you cannot dig because of services or a suspended floor, or when the layout may change later. Installation is quick, and a damaged bollard can be unbolted and replaced. The limit is the slab itself: a bolt-down bollard is only as strong as the concrete and anchors holding it. Check the hole size on the flange plate before you buy fixings, and read our guide to choosing masonry anchors for concrete if you are unsure which type suits your slab.
In-ground (cast in) bollards
An in-ground bollard is a longer post set into a concrete footing, so the footing and the surrounding ground take the load, not a set of anchors. Our in-ground galvanised steel bollards come in five diameters, Ø75mm, Ø89mm, Ø114mm, Ø165mm and Ø220mm, with wall thickness from 3.25mm to 4.5mm. Powder coated posts are 1.65m long overall and the plain galvanised finish is 1.5m, and heights can be customised.
For the footing, we recommend:
- a footing diameter of 3 to 4 times the bollard diameter
- an embedment depth of 3 to 5 times the bollard diameter
For a Ø114mm bollard that works out to a footing roughly 350mm to 450mm across with 350mm to 570mm of post in the ground, which leaves about a metre showing above the surface. Choose in-ground for new builds, unsealed or paved areas with no structural slab, and anywhere a heavier vehicle could make contact. Locate underground services before you dig or core.
Quick comparison
| Bolt-down | In-ground | |
|---|---|---|
| Fixes to | Existing concrete slab, with anchors | Its own concrete footing |
| Install | Drill and fix, no digging | Dig or core, set and cure |
| Strength depends on | Slab condition and anchors | Footing size and embedment |
| Replacing a damaged post | Unbolt and swap | Break out the footing |
| Suits | Warehouses, retrofits, leased sites | New builds, perimeters, heavier traffic |
What Diameter Do You Need?
Bigger is not always better. A Ø220mm bollard outside a cafe door is overkill, and a Ø75mm post will not do much against a reversing truck. As a starting point:
- Ø75mm to Ø89mm. Pedestrian areas, shopfronts and marking out car park bays where the traffic is cars at walking pace.
- Ø114mm. The general purpose size for car parks, building corners and entrances.
- Ø165mm to Ø220mm. Loading zones, roller doors and anywhere forklifts or trucks operate.
These bollards are sold for asset protection and traffic guidance. If your project specifies a tested vehicle impact rating, talk to us before you order so the specification is matched properly.
Galvanised, Powder Coated or Stainless Steel?
The galvanised steel range comes in three finishes: plain galvanised, high visibility yellow, and Matt Ironsand for sites where the bollards should blend in with dark joinery. Black reflective strips are supplied free of charge, so you can place the bands wherever they are most visible. For driveways, car parks and warehouses, yellow with black bands is the practical choice because drivers see it.
For shopfronts, offices and public entrances, 304 stainless steel bollards give a cleaner look. The flanged versions come in Ø76mm x 0.9m, Ø89mm x 0.9m and Ø114mm x 1.2m, and the in-ground versions in Ø89mm x 1.2m and Ø114mm x 1.5m. Close to the coast, 304 stainless needs regular washing down to keep tea staining away. Our comparison of galvanised steel and stainless steel covers how each behaves in New Zealand conditions.
How Far Apart Should Bollards Be?
A common rule of thumb is a clear gap of about 1.2m to 1.5m between bollards. That is too narrow for a car to pass and wide enough for wheelchairs, prams and trolleys. On an accessible route, keep at least 1.2m clear between bollards, which is the minimum clear width NZS 4121 sets for accessible routes. Measure the gap between the faces of the bollards, not centre to centre, because a Ø220mm post takes more out of the opening than a Ø89mm one.
Set bollards back from what they protect. A post hard against a roller door frame will pass the impact straight into the frame when it bends. For any work that is part of a building consent or sits on a public footpath, confirm spacing and placement with your designer or local council.
When a Hoop or a Flexible Bollard Is the Better Choice
A single post protects a point. To protect a width, such as a meter bank, a downpipe or the end of a racking aisle, a hoop does the job with one item.
- Standard hoop bollards: Ø76mm tube, widths from 375mm to 1200mm and heights from 350mm to 1200mm.
- Heavy duty hoop bollards: Ø115mm tube with a 3.5mm wall, 1310mm wide, in 225mm or 1050mm heights, yellow or galvanised.
- Corner hoop bollards: two 600mm sides that wrap a building corner.
Where you only need to mark a line, flexible traffic bollards stand 750mm high and bend on contact, then spring back. They come in three materials, from polyethylene for non-impact use up to thermoplastic polyurethane for areas that get hit often. They guide drivers; they do not stop a vehicle. In parking bays, pair bollards with wheel stops so cars stop short before they ever reach the post.
What Do Safety Bollards Cost in NZ?
Prices below are from our online store at the time of writing and include GST. Check the product page for the current price of the size and finish you need.
- In-ground galvanised steel bollards: from $120.75 for Ø75mm to $362.25 for Ø220mm
- Bolt-down galvanised steel bollards: from $157.55 for Ø89mm to $423.20 for Ø220mm
- 304 stainless steel bollards: from $151.80 for the Ø76mm x 0.9m flanged bollard
- Standard hoop bollards: from $144.90
- Flexible traffic bollards: from $14.95
The three finishes on the galvanised range are the same price per size, so choose the finish on visibility and looks. Allow for anchors on bolt-down jobs and for concrete on in-ground jobs.
Safety Bollard FAQs
Can I bolt a bollard onto asphalt or pavers?
Not reliably. Anchors need sound concrete to hold. On asphalt, pavers or bare ground, use an in-ground bollard set in its own concrete footing.
How deep should an in-ground bollard go?
We recommend an embedment depth of 3 to 5 times the bollard diameter, in a footing 3 to 4 times the diameter across. A Ø114mm bollard needs about 350mm to 570mm in the ground.
What is the difference between a safety bollard and a security bollard?
The terms are often used for the same product. Safety bollards protect people and assets from low speed, accidental contact. If you need a bollard tested to stop a deliberate vehicle impact, ask for the rating before you buy.
Are galvanised bollards suitable outdoors?
Yes. Galvanised steel is made for outdoor use, and the powder coated yellow and Matt Ironsand finishes sit over the galvanised post.
Do I need council approval to install bollards?
Bollards on your own property generally do not need approval, but rules differ for public footpaths, accessible routes and consented building work. Check with your local council before you install.
Get the Right Bollards for Your Site
Browse the full range of safety bollards, hoops, wheel stops and speed humps online, or bring your site measurements to our Albany, Manukau or Christchurch branch and we will help you work out the size, fixing and quantity. If you are also slowing traffic on the same site, our guide to speed bumps is a useful next read.
