| Surface-mount (bolt-down) | Embedded / core-drilled | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | Drill anchor holes, bolt the plate (e.g. Post Guard BDB6: 10 × 12 in plate, four ¾ in holes) | Core or excavate, footing below frost, set and fill the post, cure 2–3 days (Reliance Foundry) |
| Depth | None | From 12 in (ännt FX4536SS) to 42 in (McCue CrashCore pier, Reliance Vector S30) |
| Strength | Limited by the anchors and slab | The footing and the ground take the load |
| Best on | Parkade decks, finished floors, slabs with services or post-tension cables | Sidewalks, lots, docks: anywhere you can dig |
| Crash-rated? | Only shallow systems tested that way (e.g. Gibraltar G-1441, 5 in excavation) | Most rated bollards |
Pick surface-mount if
- You can’t dig or core.
- The job is guiding traffic or marking an edge.
- You need it done in a day.
Pick embedded if
- People, glass, gas meters or racking are behind the bollards.
- Vehicles are heavier or faster than a car parking.
- You want it to last decades without re-anchoring.
Sources
- Post Guard, BDB6 6 in bolt-down bollard spec sheet (PDF, via Sure Guard)
- Reliance Foundry, How to install a pipe bollard in existing concrete
- ännt Bollards, FX4536SS stainless fixed bollard
- McCue, CrashCore S10 customer drawing (PDF)
- Reliance Foundry, Vector S30 bollard (R-1010-S30)
- Gibraltar, Ultra-shallow bollards