Home security bollards for driveways (or ‘security posts’) have become a common sight at the end of driveways in the UK recently, mainly due to the increase in keyless car thefts and motor home thefts.
A home security bollard situated at the end of your driveway is one hell of a security measure.
Whether you have a camper van, motorhome, or an expensive car on your drive, a residential security bollard or security post is a strong and robust physical security measure that will take extreme force and expertise to defeat.
And it’s a security measure that will only be defeated through the use of an angle grinder, which of course would create quite a disturbance and commotion, which are two things a criminal definitely does not want.
In this article, I will look at the best security bollards for driveways available in the UK, types of security bollards available, how you would install a security bollard, and looking at the advantages and disadvantages of having a security bollard installed at the end of your driveway.
Below is a handy table of contents. Clicking on any of the article headers below will jump you straight to the place on this page you are interested in. I am an Amazon Associate, and earn commissions on qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
Best Security Bollards For Driveways (UK Top 3)
For convenience, I’ve listed the top 3 best security bollards for driveways in the table below, as well as a brief outline of key features. I’ll go through each product in detail further on down the page, as well as looking at the pros and cons of each.
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What Is A Home Security Bollard?
First, let’s look at what a home security bollard is, and what home security bollards for driveways can bring to the table.
A home security bollard is a sturdy post or pillar that is designed to prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering or exiting a private land (like your driveway for example). It is typically made of high-strength materials such as steel or metal, and can be installed in a variety of locations around a home, including driveways, in front of garages and at the end of private access roads.
The primary function of a home security bollard is to create a physical barrier that stops vehicles from driving through it.
This helps prevent vehicle theft or unauthorized access to a property, as well as providing added security for homeowners who may be concerned about potential illegal parking (which is a big problem around big cities, airports, and places with limited parking available).
The bollard is typically anchored into the ground using a secure mounting system or concrete that makes it difficult to remove. Some bollards also come equipped with additional features, such as locking mechanisms or retractable designs, which allow homeowners to control access to their property more effectively.
A home security bollard is an effective way to deter vehicle theft and provide added security for cars, vans and motorhomes.
By creating a physical barrier that is difficult to breach or remove, it can help protect your home against unauthorised access and give you peace of mind knowing that your vehicles are as safe and secure as possible.
(Winner) Ramco Security Bollard For Home Driveway
The Ramco Security Bollard is the winner here, and is one of the best security bollards for driveways due to it’s excellent design and competitive pricing.
This security bollard is a telescopic security bollard, which means the bollard sinks down into the ground when not in use, and is pulled up out of the ground when in use.
This means that to install this bollard, you’ll have to make a hole at the end of your driveway the same depth into the ground as the total height of the bollard (to enable it to sink into the ground).
You’ll also need Postcrete or concrete in the hole, to set it into position. You’ll also need some specialist tools and a medium skillset to install this yourself.
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The Ramco security bollard for driveways measures 54cm in height when erected and in use, however it needs a hole a total depth of at least 85cm for correct installation, and to allow for water run off and drainage (See below: How to install a security bollard).
Installation difficulties aside for the less DIY savvy, this is a terrific security bollard that has been well engineered, and designed not only for maximum protection, but for ease of use too.
The nice thing about these telescopic posts is the fact that they are so easy and quick to put up and take down. To remove the bollard to allow you access, use the key to unlock it and push it down into the groun and into its sleeve. To erect, simply pull up until you hear and feel the autolock lock the bollard into place.
With this security post, there’s no danger of running over it, or the underside of your vehicle catching it, becuase the entry hole into the ground is flush.
One of the main concerns over these products is the rusting element. And let’s be honest here. At some point in the future, these products are going to start showing signs of rust, but this will be years away (especially if installed correctly and not allowing water to collect at the bottom of the sleeve).
The Ramco however, is coated in electroplated zinc, which means the lifespan of this product is protected for many years to come.
Onto the security and robustness of this security post. Yes, it’s not moving anywhere fast, and neither are any of the vehicles parked behind it. And that is owing mainly to the way it is installed – it’s concreted into place of course, giving a good strong base that the post is attached to.
You can buy this security bollard direct at Amazon.co.uk by clicking this link: Ramco Security Bollard
(2nd Place) Maypole Security Post
The Maypole security post for driveways ran the Ramco extremely close. In fact, it was so close, that I considered awarding it joint 1st place. Perhaps there’s a little bias here, because I own this product myself.
And it comes a very close second, because this is an absolutely terrific security post for your driveway, at a crazy low price, and much easier to install than the Ramco offering above.
And the reason for it being in second place in the end?
Well, it’s not as easy and as smooth to put and and put down as the Ramco. This isn’t a telescopic security post, this is one that needs to be unlocked, and then lifted out of the way. To lock it again, you’ll need to move it back in place, slide it in and use the padlock to secure it.
So there is an element of faffing here, which can become cumbersome and slightly annoying if you need to lock and unlock it multiple times a day. If it’s for something like a weekend car, or a van or motorhome, that isn’t moved as frequently, then it’s no problem.
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That being said, I’m going to go back to the price, the ease of installation, and the quality on offer here. Because it ticks all boxes.
The current price of this is an absolute steal. Because of price flucatuations, I can’t put the price because it will immediately be out of date by the time I publish this article, but clicking here will show you the current price on Amazon.co.uk today (and it will open in a new window for you so you don’t lose this article).
As for installation, even though this is not a telescopic security post, the base does need cementing into the ground (which is great for maximum security). However, unlike the Ramco which requires an 85cm hole, this only requires a 25cm hole, which is a lot easier and manageable, and most of you will be able to do it with tools you already have (depending on your driveway materials).
Finally, quality. This is sturdy, depite being only 1kg. And the sturdiness comes from not only the security post itself, but the fact that part of it when erect is concreted into the ground. This security post for driveways is not going to be easily moved by criminals looking to steal your vehicle.
If you are looking for a good budget option then, that is easy to install, and you don’t mind moving the actual post out of the way when needing access, then this is the perfect solution.
You can buy this security bollard direct at Amazon.co.uk by clicking this link: Maypole Security Post
(3rd Place) MP Security Post
In third place, is the MP security post for home driveways.
This is a very good security bollard for a driveway, but it comes in 3rd place because it’s the cheapest bollard in the list, and it’s the least secure in the list.
It does also happen to be the easiest to install, because it requires no base or digging as long as you have a concrete driveway, because the bollard is secured using three fixing bolts that need to be drilled into your driveway.
If you haven’t got a concrete driveway, then you’ll need to dig a small shallow hole, fill with postcrete and then fix the bolts in.
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That being said, this is still a very capable security bollard, and will offer good protection for any vehicles parked behind it.
The actual post itself weight around 2.6kgs, and is designed to be folded down flat when not in use. This takes away some of the pain of my main complaint about the Maypole offering above. However, just make sure you don’t run over it, and make sure there’s enough clearance from the underside of your vehicle when manoeuvering.
Dissappointingly, the fixtures for this product are not included. You have to buy these seperately (like these on Amazon here), however, why not just include the correct fixtures? It’s something I never understand with some products, however, for the low price of this product and the additional cost of the bolts, it still comes in pretty cheap.
This is the budget offering, and whilst recommended, for a few more pounds you could have one that has the base cemented into the ground to give you added security.
You can buy this security bollard direct at Amazon.co.uk by clicking this link: MP Security Post
Types Of Security Bollard
There’s three main types of design when it comes to driveway security bollards, and they are:
- A fold down bollard.
- A telescopic bollard.
- A removable bollard.
These three types also come with three different types of installation procedures, which you can see below:
- Bolt anchored (Like the MP).
- Telescopic (like the Ramco).
- Partially anchored (like the Maypole).
How To Install A Security Bollard
Of course, there’s two choices on how you will install your driveway security bollard:
- Do it yourself.
- Pay someone to do it for you.
The first choice means you will need to have a medium skill set when it comes to DIY skills. perhaps more importantly, you’ll need a set of tools that not everyone will have, and if you don’t have them, you’ll need to hire them or buy them, which adds on additional cost.
Do It Yourself
Doing it yourself will save you money as long as you have the necessary skills and tools, however, there’s three different types of installation required for the security bollards above, and it requires 3 different levels of skills and tools.
The diffiuclties are exlained below, with the caveat however, that only you know your own skills and only you know what tools you have to hand, so for some, what I say is hard may be a walk in the park:
- SKILL – EASIEST: Bolt anchored in.
- SKILL – MEDIUM: Partially anchored in (cemented in).
- SKILL – HARD: Telescopic.
With regards to tools, you’ll need at least a power drill and some basic tools, with the top end installation requiring a concrete breaker tool, postcrete and a few hours of your time.
Again, a lot of this depends on how your driveway is constructed, and how new it is.
Pay Someone To Do It
I estimate that a tradesman will do this for around the £100-£200 mark.
It’s a small job that should take them no more than 1-2 hours to complete.
Where To Install Security Bollards For Driveways
It’s important that you give careful consideration to the installation point of your security bollards for your driveway.
It goes without saying that a security bollard should be installed only on your own property, and should not protrude into any public area or footpath whatsoever.
But the most important thing is the placement of your security bollard. Install the bollard too far away from where your vehicle is going to be parked, and there’s a chance that your vehicle could be manoeuvered around the bollard.
Install it too tightly, and you’ll have problems when parking your vehicle and erecting the bollard.
The installation location will also depend on the type of driveway and access you have.
An open plan driveway, with grass verges either side, will require a bollard that’s installed tightly to your vehicle, as the red cross shows below.
A closed driveway, that has walls or fences surrounding it, is a little more simple; simply install at at the entrance point, like the red cross shows below.
Residential Driveway Bollards vs Commercial Bollards
So what’s the difference between residential driveway bollards and commercial bollards?
There’s a number of differences actually, and most of those differences are in their use cases.
Whilst residential driveway bollards are designed to keep vehicles inside the driveway, commercial bollards are mainly used to keep things out of specific areas.
For example, commercial bollards are used for:
- Bus lanes – keeping prohibited vehicles out, especially in city centres.
- Pedestrian areas – keeping a clear seperation between pedestrians and vehicles.
- Security – around vulnerable or important building (hostile vehicle mitigation).
Residential driveway bollards are also designed to be moved in and out of place by hand, where commercial bollards are either permanent or operated remotely by sensors.
Residential driveway bollards also tend to be smaller and lighter, where commercial bollards tend to be thicker, heavier and designed to take the impact of a vehicle travelling at speed.
Summary
Security bollards for driveways offer an almost bulletproof security measure for your pride and joy, whether that’s an old classic, a sports car, or even an expensive camper van or rv.
Add in a steering wheel lock and a security box for vehicle keys, and your vehicle is simply not going to be stolen in any easy manner known to a criminal.
Physical security is nearly always going to win the race. A huge security post that is concreted into the ground of your driveway tells a criminal one thing and one thing only; the vehicle behind the bollard is going absolutely nowehere.
If you are worried about the security of your vehicle, and your vehicle is particularly precious or valuable, then I recommend a security bollards for driveways as a sure fire way of preventing your vehicle from being stolen.
However, that being said, and in true fashion of this website, I never recommend one security devide or one security measure in isolation.
Home security should always be layered, one on top of the other, for a truly target hardened home.
You want that criminal to pass your home, look at it, and decline the opportunity of commiting a criminal act based on what they see and the security measures you have in place.
Go and install a security bollard by all means. But don’t neglect the other things.
While installing a security bollard, why not install some security lighting or a security floodlight that will turn on when it detects motion?
Why not install some security related signage?
Why not install a basic CCTV camera, or even a dummy CCTV camera?
There’s all manner of additional security measures you can take, and layering them one on top of another will make your home truly safe and secure.
For your convenience, here’s a recap of the best security bollards for driveways in the UK once again:
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Other Articles You May Like
If you found the article on The Best Security Bollards For Driveways useful, then don’t forget to check out some of my other articles. Here’s a small selection of articles you may also like from this site:
- – Best Steering Wheel Locks (UK Top 3)
- – Best Car Key Signal Blocker Box (UK Top 3)
- – 25 Simple Ways To Improve Garage Security
Here’s the complete list of products and links mentioned on this article on the best security bollards for driveways:
- – Ramco Security Bollard (Amazon.co.uk)
- – Maypole Security Post (Amazon.co.uk)
- – MP Security Post (Amazon.co.uk)
Here’s the sources used for this article:
Questions & Comments
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I’ll try my best to reply to each and every one of your questions, comments and suggestions.
Stay Safe. Stay Secure.
