Bollards
7 Best Security Bollards for Storefronts in 2026
Cojo
May 7, 2026
7 min read
The seven SKU categories that consistently meet storefront protection requirements in 2026 are concrete-filled Schedule 80 steel pipe (general-purpose retail), F3016 low-speed certified steel pipe (drive-thru and ATM), F2656 K4 surface-mount (retrofit on existing slab), F2656 K4 embedded (new construction), F2656 K8 reinforced (high-threat retail), F2656 K12 federal-tier (any project mandated to BIPS-12), and hybrid decorative-cover-over-crash-rated-core (architectural sites where appearance matters). Picking among them is a function of threat profile, foundation conditions, and aesthetic constraints rather than catalog preference.
Below: each of the seven categories with the selection logic we use, application match-ups, and the per-unit cost ranges buyers see in the Pacific Northwest commercial market through 2026.
Five criteria narrow the field for almost any storefront project:
The Storefront Safety Council's accident-frequency data documents roughly 60 vehicle-into-storefront crashes per day in the United States. For typical retail strip-center applications, a 30 mph approach with a 15,000-pound design vehicle is appropriate, which aligns with the ASTM F2656 K4 / M30 threshold ASTM F2656 or the ASTM F3016 30 mph low-speed threshold ASTM F3016.
The default storefront bollard for projects without a formal threat assessment requiring crash-rating. Six-inch diameter, Schedule 80 wall thickness, concrete-filled, embedded 36 inches in an 18-inch-diameter concrete footing. Service life 30 to 45 years. Best for retail strip centers, service businesses, and small-commercial storefronts.
Industry Baseline Range: $600 to $1,500 installed per unit.
The right choice for ATM enclosures, bank drive-thrus, and quick-service-restaurant drive-thru lanes. F3016 covers 10, 20, and 30 mph low-speed crash-rating with shallower foundation requirements than F2656. Six-inch diameter, certified system, 24 to 30 inch foundation depth.
Industry Baseline Range: $1,200 to $2,800 installed per unit.
The retrofit choice for existing slabs where coring deep foundation is impractical. Surface-mount baseplate with engineered slab tie-in. K4 / M30 rating stops a 15,000-pound vehicle at 30 mph. Most-installed crash-rated storefront SKU in U.S. retail.
Industry Baseline Range: $900 to $2,500 installed per unit.
The new-construction choice when 36-inch foundation depth is available. Same K4 / M30 rating as the surface-mount variant but lower per-unit cost because the foundation is poured fresh. Schedule 80 concrete-filled steel pipe in 18-inch concrete footing.
Industry Baseline Range: $700 to $1,800 installed per unit.
The higher-threat-retail choice for jewelry, banks, cannabis dispensaries, and any retail with a formal threat assessment supporting K8. Stops a 15,000-pound vehicle at 40 mph. Foundation typically 48 inches deep with rebar cage and engineered slab tie-in.
Industry Baseline Range: $2,500 to $5,000 installed per unit.
The federal-baseline choice for federal courthouses, embassies, military installations, and any site mandated to DHS BIPS-12 DHS BIPS-12. Stops a 15,000-pound vehicle at 50 mph. Foundation 48+ inches with engineered slab tie-in and possibly continuous below-grade beam.
Industry Baseline Range: $4,500 to $10,000+ installed per unit.
The architectural choice for civic plazas, historic districts, and high-end retail where appearance matters. Pairs an F2656-rated steel core with a slip-fit decorative cover (cast iron, ductile iron, aluminum, stone-clad). The cover is replaceable independently of the core. Crash-rating cert applies to the core; the cover is non-load-bearing.
Industry Baseline Range: $1,500 to $6,500 installed per unit.
| Category | ASTM Rating | Vehicle Stop | Foundation | Industry Baseline Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Schedule 80 general-purpose | None | Incidental | 36-inch | $600 to $1,500 |
| 2. F3016 low-speed | F3016 P1/P2/P3 | 30 mph max | 24 to 30-inch | $1,200 to $2,800 |
| 3. F2656 K4 surface-mount | F2656 M30/P1 | 30 mph at 15K lbs | Existing slab + tie-in | $900 to $2,500 |
| 4. F2656 K4 embedded | F2656 M30/P1 | 30 mph at 15K lbs | 36-inch | $700 to $1,800 |
| 5. F2656 K8 reinforced | F2656 M40/P1 | 40 mph at 15K lbs | 48-inch + rebar cage | $2,500 to $5,000 |
| 6. F2656 K12 federal | F2656 M50/P1 | 50 mph at 15K lbs | 48+ inch + slab tie-in | $4,500 to $10,000+ |
| 7. Hybrid (core + cover) | Per core spec | Per core spec | Per core spec | $1,500 to $6,500 |
Steel surcharges remain elevated through Q2 2026 and have widened the cost gap between general-purpose Schedule 40 and crash-rated Schedule 80 systems. F2656 K12 / M50 systems carry an additional engineering-stamp cost ($1,500 to $5,000 per project) that smaller commercial K4 installations avoid. Lead times on certified F2656 K12 systems are running 10 to 14 weeks at U.S. distributors. For broader category context, see our crash-rated vs decorative bollards reference.
| Application | Recommended Category |
|---|---|
| Standard retail strip-center storefront | Category 1 (Schedule 80) or Category 4 (K4 embedded) |
| Bank ATM enclosure | Category 2 (F3016 low-speed) |
| Drive-thru menu board | Category 2 (F3016 low-speed) |
| Jewelry / cannabis retail | Category 5 (K8 reinforced) |
| State courthouse perimeter | Category 5 (K8 reinforced) |
| Federal courthouse public approach | Category 6 (K12 federal-tier) |
| Civic plaza with architectural constraint | Category 7 (Hybrid) |
| Historic-district streetscape | Category 7 (Hybrid) with cast-iron cover |
Foundation requirements scale with the rating tier. ACI 301 governs structural concrete construction practices ACI Concrete and references foundation reinforcement and cure-time requirements that apply to all crash-rated systems. For typical commercial projects, the foundation is poured at 28-day design strength before bollard commissioning.
For deeper coverage of the K-rating thresholds, see our K4 vs K8 vs K12 crash-rating guide.
On a 14,000-square-foot Beaverton mixed-use retail-corridor project completed March 2026, Cojo crews installed twelve Category 4 (F2656 K4 embedded) bollards at the storefront facades and four Category 7 hybrid bollards with cast-iron covers at the plaza-side entry. The threat assessment justified K4 at the storefront (parking-lot vehicle approach at typical 25 to 30 mph) and the hybrid at the plaza entry where city design review required cast-iron historic-streetscape compliance. Project documents specified the F2656 cert by manufacturer with same-system foundations poured under the manufacturer's installation requirements.
Compliance overlap with ADA parking lot striping sometimes shifts bollard placement at accessible-route crossings; the bollard category (1 through 7) is selected based on the threat profile at that specific crossing. Cojo serves the Beaverton retail corridor and the rest of Oregon for security-bollard installations across all seven categories.
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