Explainer

How do removable bollards work?

Short answer: A steel socket is set flush in the concrete. The removable bollard drops into it and locks with a key. Unlock it and lift it out to open the space, then drop it back in and lock it to close. While it is out, park it in a bolt-down storage holder (SW-SL90 or SW-SL140), which is a floor fitting, not an in-ground one. It is a deterrent and delineation bollard, not crash-rated.

Figures: SafeWise product data. Standards are quoted as commonly cited guidance, so check the current edition. How we check.

A removable bollard is a steel post that lifts out of a socket in the ground. Here is what you get, how it works day to day, where the bollard goes when it is out, and what to ask any supplier before you buy.

Updated 28 October 2026

On this page: What you get · Day to day · Where it goes when out · The lock · Weight and upkeep · What it won't do · Who it suits · Questions for suppliers · FAQs

Removable bollard lifted out beside its in-ground socket with the key-lock cover

What you get

The parts of a removable bollard

A SafeWise removable bollard is sold as one set: the post, its own in-ground socket, a cover plate, and a key lock with keys. The socket is set flush with the finished surface and stays in the ground.

Parts, sizes and starting price of the SafeWise 90mm and 140mm removable bollards
Part	90mm (SW-RB90)	140mm (SW-RB140)
Bollard	Ø90, 900mm above ground, approx. 9.5kg	Ø140, 900mm above ground, approx. 13.5kg
In-ground socket	Ø102 × 4mm wall, about 225mm deep	Ø152 × 4mm wall; confirm depth with us before you drill
Cover plate	Ø187 × 6mm, supplied	Ø214 × 6mm, supplied
Key lock and keys	Integral lock, keys supplied	Integral lock, keys supplied
Core drill hole (existing slab)	About Ø130mm	About Ø220–225mm
From, ex GST	$120 ($132 inc GST)	$140 ($154 inc GST)

Prices are per-unit starting points as at October 2026, ex GST and ex freight. Installation, grout, concrete, gravel and freight are not included.

The bollard is 3mm-wall carbon steel, powder-coated safety yellow with a red reflective band. The socket does the holding: it is cast into a new pour or core drilled into an existing slab, then finished flush, so the ground stays level whether the bollard is in or out. The full method is in the removable bollard installation guide, and hole sizes are in the core drill size guide.

Day to day

How you use it: four steps

1. Unlock
Turn the key in the bollard's integral lock. This releases the bollard from the socket.
2. Lift it out
Lift the bollard straight up and clear. It weighs approx. 9.5kg (90mm) or approx. 13.5kg (140mm), so lift with your legs and keep your back straight.
3. Park it
Stand it in a bolt-down storage holder beside the opening, not against a wall or across a lane, so it does not get lost, scratched or driven over.
4. Close up
To leave the socket empty, use the cover plate supplied and keep grit out. To close the space again, lift the bollard from its holder, drop it fully into the socket and lock it. Take the key out and put it back where it lives.

Parking the bollard

Where the bollard goes when it is out

A removed bollard needs somewhere to stand. A storage holder is a carbon steel tube on a base plate that bolts to the floor, with four bolt holes. The 90mm holder (SW-SL90, $25 ex GST) has an internal Ø102mm and stands about 225mm tall. The 140mm holder (SW-SL140, $35 ex GST) has an internal Ø152mm and stands about 200mm tall. Both are in stock in Melbourne.

A holder is not an in-ground sleeve. It sits on top of the floor, and the in-ground socket is the part that comes with the bollard. If the two terms are confusing, read bollard sleeve vs socket vs storage holder. Fixings are not included, so choose anchors suited to your slab.

Removable safety bollard parked in a bolt-down storage holder on a concrete path

Pricing a bollard and holder? Send the size, how many and your postcode.

Request a quote

The lock

How the key lock works

SafeWise removable bollards use an integral key lock, built into the bollard. Keys are supplied with the order, and there is no separate padlock to buy or lose. The lock holds the bollard in its socket, so a passer-by cannot simply pull it out.

Spare keys and keyed-alike sets (several bollards that open with one key) are best raised when you enquire: ask us. The lock is a deterrent, not a security rating, and the real control is who holds the keys. Key registers, lost keys and spares are covered in removable bollard keys and key control.

Weight and upkeep

Weight, drainage and keeping the socket clear

Weight

The 90mm weighs approx. 9.5kg and the 140mm approx. 13.5kg. Most people lift the 90mm without trouble. If the same person lifts it every day, that is a good reason to choose 90mm. If the space opens many times a day, a fold-down or automatic bollard may suit better: see removable vs fold-down vs retractable bollards.

Drainage and a clear socket

The socket is set over a layer of gravel so water can drain, because standing water in a closed hole can rust a socket over time. In use, keep grit and debris out of the socket so the bollard seats fully and the lock turns. Brush it out now and then, and check the key works.

Be realistic

What a removable bollard will not do

Not crash-rated. SafeWise removable bollards are safety and delineation bollards. They are not impact-tested or certified to hostile-vehicle standards such as PAS 68 or IWA 14. They mark a space, deter parking and keep a car at parking speed out of it. They will not stop a driver who is determined, and they are not a ram-raid barrier. See safety vs crash-rated bollards. We make no compliance claims for any standard.

Who it suits

Where a removable bollard makes sense

Driveways. Lift it out to drive in, lock it back to keep other vehicles off. See driveway bollards.
Strata and reserved car spaces. The key holder opens the bay to park and holds it when they leave. Get approval first: see lockable parking bollards.
Loading and service access. A lane that is closed most of the day and opened for deliveries, a skip bin or a tow truck.
Not for a gap that never opens. Use a fixed bollard there. Removable vs fixed bollards sets out the trade-offs.

Before you buy

What to ask any supplier before you buy a removable bollard

Quotes for removable bollards are not always like for like. Ask each supplier these questions. Our answers are alongside.

Questions to ask any supplier before buying a removable bollard, and the SafeWise answer to each
Question	SafeWise answer
What is in the price?	The bollard, its own in-ground socket, a cover plate, the key lock and keys. Not included: installation, grout, concrete, gravel, anchors for a holder, freight.
Are keys keyed alike?	Ask when you enquire. We have not published key-alike availability.
What type of lock is it?	An integral key lock, built into the bollard. Not a padlock.
How deep is the socket?	About 225mm for the 90mm. For the 140mm, confirm the depth with us before you drill.
Is it in stock?	Storage holders are in stock in Melbourne. Bollards are pre-order on the next container: factory production typically 15–20 days plus sea freight and customs. The landing date is on your quote.
What does freight cost?	Quoted per job, to any Australian postcode. Melbourne pickup by arrangement.
Is there a minimum order?	No hard minimum. Pallet and container volumes get better pricing.
What is the impact rating?	None. Not crash-rated, impact-tested or certified to PAS 68 or IWA 14.
Does it comply with a standard?	We make no compliance claims. Standards are cited as commonly used guidance only.

Prices are indicative per-unit starting points as at October 2026, confirmed on your written quote. See also bollard cost in Australia and the bollard terms glossary.