Bollards with lights put soft, low light where people walk: along paths and driveways, around parking, at steps, entrances and the edges of a forecourt. Because the light sits at knee height, it shows the ground without glaring into eyes or windows. Most are LED and built for outdoor weather. This page covers what to look for in a bollard light, mains power against solar in a country with load-shedding, how far apart to space them and when a light bollard can also act as a barrier to vehicles.
What to look for
- Weather sealing: look for IP65 or higher, which means the head is sealed against dust and rain.
- Body: aluminium, powder coated steel or stainless steel; at the coast ask for marine grade or a coastal coating.
- Light spread: all round, one direction or downward only. Downward light is kinder to neighbours and the night sky.
- Colour of the light: warm white suits homes and gardens, cooler white is often used at commercial sites.
- Height: lower posts light paths, taller ones reach across driveways and parking.
Mains or solar
Mains powered bollard lights give steady, brighter light and can be switched by a timer or a daylight sensor. They need cable in conduit, trenching between posts and a registered electrician, who must issue a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for the electrical work. Factor trenching and reinstating paving into the cost.
Solar bollard lights skip the cabling and keep working through load-shedding, which is why they are popular in complexes and on farms. They give less light, need direct sun on the panel and lose output in a long run of cloudy days. A post under a tree or in the shadow of a wall will struggle.
Spacing for light
Spacing for lighting is different from spacing for blocking cars. For a path, many designers place lights so the pools of light just meet or overlap, often a few metres apart depending on the fitting and its height. Ask the supplier for the light spread of the model and space to that. Alternating sides on a wide path gives even coverage with fewer posts. Put an extra light at steps, corners and where a path meets a driveway, because those are the places people trip or cars and walkers meet. Avoid pointing light into bedroom windows on the other side of a complex road.
A light is not automatically a barrier
Most bollard lights are built to light, not to stop a car. A reversing bakkie will knock one flat. If the light must also protect a walkway or building, ask for an impact bollard with a light head: a steel post set in a footing with the fitting on top. See steel bollards and bollard installation. Keep light poles and floodlighting for a lighting specialist; this site covers lights in a bollard form.
What to put in your request
- Number of lights and length of the path
- Mains powered or solar
- Body material, colour and light colour
- Distance to the nearest power point
- Whether the post must also stop a car
Bollard Lights for homes, businesses and public spaces
- Homeowners: lighting the driveway and garden path so steps and edges are visible at night
- Estates, complexes and body corporates: solar lights along internal paths that keep working during load-shedding
- Shops, malls and petrol stations: lighting shopping centre walkways, drive-through lanes and parking edges
- Offices, hotels and car parks: hotel paths, office park entrances and visitor parking
- Warehouses, factories and depots: marking pedestrian routes between parking and the plant entrance
- Municipalities and public spaces: park paths, promenades and public squares after dark
- Schools, hospitals and campuses: campus walkways, hospital entrances and school paths
- Contractors and event organisers: supplying and wiring lit bollards to a landscape architect's layout
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an electrician for bollard lights?
Do solar bollard lights work in winter?
What IP rating should a bollard light have?
Will you install the lights?
Bollard Lights by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg