What Are the Benefits of Using Concrete Planters in Commercial Security?

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Standard bollards may be the most obvious structures for security, commonly installed along sidewalks or storefronts to prevent vehicle damage, but there are several benefits to using concrete planters as an alternative for commercial security. We’ll discuss some of the primary benefits in more detail below.

But first, let’s talk about what these structures have to do with commercial security. Just like standard bollards, a big part of what makes these structures effective for commercial security is as a simple deterrent. In some cases, the visual barrier of a bulky object within a driver’s view will keep them steadily on track. In cases where drivers might wish to intentionally use their vehicle to break through a storefront window, bollards and planters both will become a physical deterrent, impeding these kinds of breakthroughs.

But are concrete planters really as effective for commercial security as Bollards? Let’s review the most important similarities between a standard bollard and a concrete planter which make concrete planters nearly as successful for inhibiting vehicle damage.

Concrete Bollard Concrete Planter
Description: Concrete security bollards are reinforced concrete posts surrounding pedestrian areas or storefronts, designed to impede vehicle damage. Description: Concrete planters are essentially very large flower pots commonly used in pedestrian areas to discreetly impede vehicle penetration while also beautifying a space.
Typical Design: Concrete security bollards are typically fairly short posts of between 3 and 4 feet in height, reinforced with steel rebar to give them varying degrees of durability against vehicle impact. Some are more decorative than others, but they typically resemble thick posts. Typical Design: Concrete planters can be quite varied in design, but at their most basic, they look like standard flower pots, but much larger and often with steel rebar reinforcements. They can weigh up to 1500 pounds and stand several feet high.
Typical Weight: Concrete bollards can weigh anywhere from 400 to 800 pounds, depending on their size.  Typical Weight: Because concrete planters vary so much in shape and size, their weights vary quite a bit as well. They can be anywhere from 300 pounds to 1500 pounds. 
Typical Diameter: Concrete bollards tend to be thicker than steel bollards, with diameters around 18-20 inches.  Typical Diameter: Again, because concrete planters are stylized in different ways, their diameters vary a lot. Some are cylindrical with diameters that are consistent from top to bottom, and others taper outward like a bowl, stretching to as much as 60 inches in diameter at the top. 
Typical Use: Concrete bollards are typically placed around storefronts, parking lots, or pedestrian walkways – anywhere where pedestrians may need protection from nearby vehicle traffic, or anywhere traffic may be close enough to a storefront window to potentially break through upon impact.  Typical Use: Just like bollards, concrete planters tend to be placed around vulnerable glass storefronts or along pedestrian walkways, protecting these areas from nearby vehicles. However, in addition to these uses, they are also used to provide barriers for privacy, for instance along outdoor dining spaces or outdoor patios. More attractive and more bulky than basic bollards, these planters can help create beautiful green barriers along outdoor spaces. 

 

The comparison above should go a long way towards demonstrating how concrete planters are used for commercial security, but let’s summarize the primary benefits of this security method further:

Here are some benefits of using concrete planters in commercial security, instead of simple bollards.

  1. Concrete planters can be much larger than concrete bollards, making them even more durable against vehicle break-through. 
  2. Concrete planters and the plants they contain offer a security method that’s extremely discreet and looks more like a design feature than a simple barrier.
  3. Concrete planters and especially the plants they contain are effective sound barriers. This is not a benefit offered by a simple bollard.
  4. Concrete planters and the plants they contain contribute a long way towards making spaces feel more private. 
  5. Since concrete planters are very large, (and appear even larger when filled with plants), fewer of them are needed to create a full-feeling barrier. 

While they’re quite imposing by design, concrete planters are actually quite easy to get a hold of. For instance, a wide variety of concrete planter styles are available for sale online at crowd control retailers like Crowd Control Warehouse. While some are available for under $100, most are in the $500-$1000 range. To learn more about the different types of concrete planters available, visit Crowd Control Warehouse’ concrete planter collection.Â