The short answer: a bollard from Bunnings or another hardware store is fine for marking a space or deterring casual parking, and costs well under $100. An installed security bollard costs more because it is set into a core-drilled steel sleeve with its own built-in lock, so it stays put when someone actually tries to get past it.
"Bollards Bunnings" is one of the most searched bollard terms in Victoria, so here is a straight comparison. Key Bollards is not affiliated with Bunnings, and we have no problem recommending the DIY option when it fits.
What you get from a hardware store bollard
At the time of writing, Bunnings Trade lists a 900mm lockable removable safety bollard in yellow powder-coated steel for $69. The listing notes the padlock and keys are not included, and it does not publish wall thickness or fixing details. Other Australian retailers list similar fold-down safety bollards from about $69 to $109.
These products are made to be easy: buy it today, fit it on the weekend. For plenty of jobs, that is exactly right.
What you get from an installed security bollard
An installed keyed bollard is a system, not just a post:
- A steel sleeve core-drilled into your concrete. This is what the bollard actually sits in, and it does most of the work.
- A lock built into the bollard, unique to you, with no master key. No separate padlock to cut or lose.
- A flush cap that drops into the sleeve when the bollard is out, so you can drive straight over it.
- Someone who stands behind it. If the sleeve or lock has a problem, the installer fixes it.
Our bollards are Australian made steel, and most residential installs take an hour or two.
Side by side
| Hardware store bollard | Installed keyed bollard | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Around $70 to $110, plus a padlock | Usually the low hundreds per bollard, installed |
| Fitting | DIY, method varies by product | Core-drilled sleeve, set by the installer |
| Lock | Your padlock, often with an exposed shackle | Built-in lock, unique to you |
| When removed | Depends on the product | Flush cap, drive straight over |
| Best for | Marking a space, deterring casual parking | Stopping cars, trailers and boats being taken or parked |
The two things that decide whether a bollard holds
How it is fixed. Any bollard is only as strong as what holds it down. A post bolted to the surface relies on its bolts and the top layer of concrete. A post in a shallow or poorly set socket can be levered or driven out. A sleeve set properly into the slab spreads the load into the concrete. This matters far more than how thick the post looks.
How it is locked. A padlock with an exposed shackle can be cut with bolt cutters in seconds, and common padlock models are keyed in a limited number of ways. A lock built into the bollard body, with a key cut only for you, is much harder to defeat quietly.
When the hardware store bollard is the right call
Honestly, often. If you want to:
- stop neighbours or visitors parking in your spot out of habit,
- mark where a car should stop in a garage or carport,
- keep people from cutting across a corner,
then a cheap post may do the job, and you can upgrade later if it doesn't.
When it isn't
If the bollard is there to stop theft, the job is different. A boat, trailer, caravan or car on a driveway, a shopfront facing a road, or a warehouse door are the kinds of things people come back for, sometimes with tools. In those cases the fixing and the lock are the whole point, and that is where an installed keyed bollard earns its price. We break down the full costs in our Melbourne bollard price guide.