Post vs. Bollard — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 29, 2024
A post is a versatile structural element used for support or marking, while a bollard is specifically designed for control and security, typically in traffic scenarios.
Difference Between Post and Bollard
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Posts serve a wide array of functions, from structural support in buildings and bridges to marking boundaries or supporting fences and signage. They can be made from various materials such as wood, metal, or concrete, depending on their intended use. Posts are integral to construction and landscaping, providing stability and definition to structures and spaces. They can be temporary, as with signposts or construction supports, or permanent, as in the case of building supports or utility poles. Bollards, on the other hand, are sturdy, short vertical posts designed primarily to control or restrict vehicular access while allowing pedestrian movement. They serve a critical role in traffic management, security, and pedestrian safety. Bollards can be fixed, retractable, or even impact-resistant, designed to withstand significant force. Often found in urban environments, around buildings, and in parking lots, bollards help delineate pedestrian areas, protect structures from vehicle intrusion, and manage traffic flow.
The distinction between posts and bollards also extends to their design and aesthetics. Posts, given their varied applications, come in numerous shapes, sizes, and designs. They may be simple and functional, like a fence post, or ornate and decorative, as seen in some architectural columns. The design of a post often reflects its function and the context in which it is used, blending with the surrounding environment or standing out as a feature element. Bollards, while primarily functional, have evolved to include aesthetic considerations, with designs that complement urban architecture and landscapes. Modern bollards are not only barriers but also elements of urban design, offering a blend of functionality and style. They may feature lighting, signage, or artistic elements, contributing to the visual and functional aspects of public spaces.
The usage of posts and bollards highlights their roles in safety and functionality. Posts are essential for support and demarcation, used extensively in construction, fencing, and signage. Their role is foundational, often providing the necessary structure and support for various installations and utilities.
Bollards focus on protection and control, strategically placed to safeguard pedestrians, guide vehicular traffic, and secure vulnerable areas against accidents or intentional harm. Their deployment in urban planning and security strategies underscores their importance in modern infrastructure, offering a balance between accessibility and safety.
While both posts and bollards are vertical elements emerging from the ground, their purposes, designs, and applications differ significantly. Posts are versatile and foundational, used for support, boundary marking, and as bearers of signs and lights. Bollards, however, are specialized for control, safety, and security, particularly in relation to vehicles and pedestrian spaces. Together, they play crucial roles in the construction, design, and functionality of built environments.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Function
Support, marking, and structural stability.
Vehicle control, pedestrian safety, and perimeter security.
Design Variability
Wide range, from simple to ornate.
Primarily functional but increasingly includes aesthetic designs.
Material
Wood, metal, concrete, etc., depending on use.
Often metal, sometimes concrete or plastic for specific needs.
Location
Buildings, fences, roads for signs and lights, landscapes.
Urban areas, around buildings, parking lots, pedestrian zones.
Purpose
Support structures, mark boundaries, carry utilities.
Protect spaces from vehicles, manage traffic, ensure pedestrian safety.
Compare with Definitions
Post
A long, sturdy piece of timber or metal set upright in the ground and used as a support or marker.
The wooden posts of the fence were evenly spaced.
Bollard
A short, thick post on the deck of a ship or on a wharf, used for securing ropes.
The sailor tied the rope around the bollard.
Post
A pole used for supporting or holding up something.
The basketball hoop was mounted on a metal post.
Bollard
Decorative elements that enhance urban design while providing security.
The illuminated bollards added both beauty and safety to the walkway.
Post
A marker or pole used for informational or directional signs.
The sign post at the crossroad displayed directions to the nearest town.
Bollard
A sturdy post used to prevent vehicular access to pedestrian areas.
Bollards were installed at the park entrance to restrict car access.
Post
Structural elements in construction that bear loads.
The roof was supported by steel posts.
Bollard
Protective barriers around buildings to prevent damage from vehicles.
Bollards outside the storefront prevented accidental crashes.
Post
Temporary or permanent markers for boundaries or properties.
Survey posts marked the land boundaries.
Bollard
Traffic management tools that guide vehicles and protect pedestrians.
The city added bollards to improve pedestrian safety at crossings.
Post
A long, sturdy piece of timber or metal set upright in the ground and used as a support or marker
Follow the blue posts until the track meets a road
Bollard
A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. The term originally referred to a post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats, but is now also used to refer to posts installed to control road traffic and posts designed to prevent automotive vehicles from colliding or crashing into pedestrians and structures, whether intentional from ram-raids and vehicle-ramming attacks, or unintentional losses of control.
Post
A piece of writing, image, or other item of content published online, typically on a blog or social media website or application
In a recent post, he cautioned investors to be wary of these predictions
Bollard
(Nautical) A thick post on a ship or wharf, used for securing ropes and hawsers.
Post
The official service or system that delivers letters and parcels
The tickets are in the post
Winners will be notified by post
Bollard
One of a series of posts preventing vehicles from entering an area.
Post
Each of a series of couriers who carried mail on horseback between fixed stages.
Bollard
A projecting bulge of snow or ice used as an anchor for a rope in mountaineering.
Post
A position of paid employment; a job
He resigned from the post of Foreign Minister
A teaching post
Bollard
(nautical) A strong vertical post of timber or iron, fixed to the ground and/or on the deck of a ship, to which the ship's mooring lines etc are secured.
Post
A place where someone is on duty or where a particular activity is carried out
A customs post
A shift worker asleep at his post
Bollard
A similar post preventing vehicle access to a pedestrian area, to delineate traffic lanes, or used for security purposes.
Post
The status or rank of full-grade captain in the Royal Navy
Captain Miller was made post in 1796
Bollard
An upright wooden or iron post in a boat or on a dock, used in veering or fastening ropes.
Post
Display (a notice) in a public place
A curt notice had been posted on the door
Bollard
A strong post (as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines);
The road was closed to vehicular traffic with bollards
Post
Announce or publish (something, especially a financial result)
The company posted a £460,000 loss
Post
(of a player or team) achieve or record (a particular score or result)
Smith and Lamb posted a century partnership
Post
Send (a letter or parcel) via the postal system
Post off your order form today
I've just been to post a letter
Post
(in bookkeeping) enter (an item) in a ledger
Post the transaction in the second column
Initial records kept in day books are periodically posted to accounts
Post
Travel with relays of horses
We posted in an open carriage
Post
Send (someone) to a place to take up an appointment
He was posted to Washington as military attaché
Post
With haste
Come now, come post
Post
Subsequent to; after
American poetry post the 1950s hasn't had the same impact
Post
A long piece of wood or other material set upright into the ground to serve as a marker or support.
Post
A support for a beam in the framework of a building.
Post
A terminal of a battery.
Post
(Sports) A goal post.
Post
The starting point at a racetrack.
Post
The slender barlike part of a stud earring that passes through the ear and is secured at the back with a small cap or clip.
Post
An electronic message sent to and displayed on an online forum
Ignored several inflammatory posts.
Post
A military base.
Post
The grounds and buildings of a military base.
Post
A local organization of military veterans.
Post
Either of two bugle calls in the British Army, sounded in the evening as a signal to retire to quarters.
Post
An assigned position or station, as of a guard or sentry.
Post
(Basketball) A position usually taken by the center close to the basket or below the foul line, serving as the focus of the team's offense.
Post
A position of employment, especially an appointed public office.
Post
A place to which someone is assigned for duty.
Post
A trading post.
Post
A postal system.
Post
A post office.
Post
A delivery or amount of mail
Waiting for the morning's post to arrive.
Post
One of a series of relay stations along a fixed route, furnishing fresh riders and horses for the delivery of mail on horseback.
Post
A rider on such a mail route; a courier.
Post
To display (an announcement) in a place of public view.
Post
To cover (a wall, for example) with posters.
Post
To announce by or as if by posters
Post banns.
Post
(Computers) To make (an electronic message) available by sending it to an online forum
Posted a response to a question about car engines.
Post
To put up signs on (property) warning against trespassing.
Post
To denounce publicly
Post a man as a thief.
Post
To publish (a name) on a list.
Post
(Games) To gain (points or a point) in a game or contest; score.
Post
To assign to a specific position or station
Post a sentry at the gate.
Post
To appoint to a naval or military command.
Post
To put forward; present
Post bail.
Post
Chiefly British To mail (a letter or package).
Post
(Archaic) To send by mail in a system of relays on horseback.
Post
To inform of the latest news
Keep us posted.
Post
To transfer (an item) to a ledger in bookkeeping.
Post
To make the necessary entries in (a ledger).
Post
(Computers) To enter (a unit of information) on a record or into a section of storage.
Post
To travel in stages or relays.
Post
To travel with speed or in haste.
Post
To bob up and down in the saddle in rhythm with a horse's trotting gait.
Post
With great speed; rapidly.
Post
By post horse.
Post
A long dowel or plank protruding from the ground; a fencepost; a lightpost.
Ram a post into the ground
Post
(construction) A stud; a two-by-four.
Post
A pole in a battery.
Post
(dentistry) A long, narrow piece inserted into a root canal to provide retention for a crown.
Post
A prolonged final melody note, among moving harmony notes.
Post
A printing paper size measuring 19.25 inches x 15.5 inches.
Post
(sports) A goalpost.
Post
A location on a basketball court near the basket.
Post
(obsolete) The doorpost of a victualler's shop or inn, on which were chalked the scores of customers; hence, a score; a debt.
Post
The vertical part of a crochet stitch.
Post
(obsolete) Each of a series of men stationed at specific places along a postroad, with responsibility for relaying letters and dispatches of the monarch (and later others) along the route.
Post
(dated) A station, or one of a series of stations, established for the refreshment and accommodation of travellers on some recognized route.
A stage or railway post
Post
A military base; the place at which a soldier or a body of troops is stationed; also, the troops at such a station.
Post
Someone who travels express along a set route carrying letters and dispatches; a courier.
Post
An organisation for delivering letters, parcels etc., or the service provided by such an organisation.
Sent via post; parcel post
Post
A single delivery of letters; the letters or deliveries that make up a single batch delivered to one person or one address.
Post
A message posted in an electronic or Internet forum, or on a blog, etc.
Post
(American football) A moderate to deep passing route in which a receiver runs 10-20 yards from the line of scrimmage straight down the field, then cuts toward the middle of the field (towards the facing goalposts) at a 45-degree angle.
Two of the receivers ran post patterns.
Post
(obsolete) Haste or speed, like that of a messenger or mail carrier.
Post
(obsolete) One who has charge of a station, especially a postal station.
Post
An assigned station; a guard post.
Post
An appointed position in an organization, job.
Post
Post-production.
We'll fix it in post
Post
(transitive) To hang (a notice) in a conspicuous manner for general review.
Post no bills.
Post
To hold up to public blame or reproach; to advertise opprobriously; to denounce by public proclamation.
To post someone for cowardice
Post
(accounting) To carry (an account) from the journal to the ledger.
Post
To inform; to give the news to; to make acquainted with the details of a subject; often with up.
Post
To pay down (the stake).
Post
To pay (a blind).
Since Jim was new to the game, he had to post $4 in order to receive a hand.
Post
To travel with relays of horses; to travel by post horses, originally as a courier.
Post
To travel quickly; to hurry.
Post
To send (an item of mail etc.) through the postal service.
Mail items posted before 7.00pm within the Central Business District and before 5.00pm outside the Central Business District will be delivered the next working day.
Post
(horse-riding) To rise and sink in the saddle, in accordance with the motion of the horse, especially in trotting.
Post
(Internet) To publish (a message) to a newsgroup, forum, blog, etc.
I couldn't figure it out, so I posted a question on the mailing list.
Post
To enter (a name) on a list, as for service, promotion, etc.
Post
To assign to a station; to set; to place.
Post a sentinel in front of the door.
Post
With the post, on post-horses; by a relay of horses (changing at every staging-post); hence, express, with speed, quickly.
Post
Sent via the postal service.
Post
After; especially after a significant event that has long-term ramifications.
Post
Hired to do what is wrong; suborned.
Post
The doorpost of a victualer's shop or inn, on which were chalked the scores of customers; hence, a score; a debt.
When God sends coinI will discharge your post.
Post
The place at which anything is stopped, placed, or fixed; a station.
Post
A messenger who goes from station; an express; especially, one who is employed by the government to carry letters and parcels regularly from one place to another; a letter carrier; a postman.
In certain places there be always fresh posts, to carry that further which is brought unto them by the other.
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,Receiving them from such a worthless post.
Post
An established conveyance for letters from one place or station to another; especially, the governmental system in any country for carrying and distributing letters and parcels; the post office; the mail; hence, the carriage by which the mail is transported.
I send you the fair copy of the poem on dullness, which I should not care to hazard by the common post.
Post
Haste or speed, like that of a messenger or mail carrier.
Post
One who has charge of a station, especially of a postal station.
He held office of postmaster, or, as it was then called, post, for several years.
Post
A station, office, or position of service, trust, or emolument; as, the post of duty; the post of danger.
The post of honor is a private station.
Post
A size of printing and writing paper. See the Table under Paper.
Post
To attach to a post, a wall, or other usual place of affixing public notices; to placard; as, to post a notice; to post playbills.
Post
To hold up to public blame or reproach; to advertise opprobriously; to denounce by public proclamation; as, to post one for cowardice.
On pain of being posted to your sorrowFail not, at four, to meet me.
Post
To enter (a name) on a list, as for service, promotion, or the like.
Post
To assign to a station; to set; to place; as, to post a sentinel.
Post
To carry, as an account, from the journal to the ledger; as, to post an account; to transfer, as accounts, to the ledger.
You have not posted your books these ten years.
Post
To place in the care of the post; to mail; as, to post a letter.
Post
To inform; to give the news to; to make (one) acquainted with the details of a subject; - often with up.
Thoroughly posted up in the politics and literature of the day.
Post
To travel with post horses; figuratively, to travel in haste.
And post o'er land and ocean without rest.
Post
To rise and sink in the saddle, in accordance with the motion of the horse, esp. in trotting.
Post
With post horses; hence, in haste; as, to travel post.
Post
The position where someone (as a guard or sentry) stands or is assigned to stand;
A soldier manned the entrance post
A sentry station
Post
Military installation at which a body of troops is stationed;
This military post provides an important source of income for the town nearby
There is an officer's club on the post
Post
A job in an organization;
He occupied a post in the treasury
Post
An upright consisting of a piece of timber or metal fixed firmly in an upright position;
He set a row of posts in the ground and strung barbwire between them
Post
United States aviator who in 1933 made the first solo flight around the world (1899-1935)
Post
United States female author who wrote a book and a syndicated newspaper column on etiquette (1872-1960)
Post
United States manufacturer of breakfast cereals and Postum (1854-1914)
Post
Any particular collection of letters or packages that is delivered;
Your mail is on the table
Is there any post for me?
She was opening her post
Post
A pole or stake set up to mark something (as the start or end of a race track);
A pair of posts marked the goal
The corner of the lot was indicated by a stake
Post
The system whereby messages are transmitted via the post office;
The mail handles billions of items every day
He works for the United States mail service
In England they call mail `the post'
Post
The delivery and collection of letters and packages;
It came by the first post
If you hurry you'll catch the post
Post
Affix in a public place or for public notice;
Post a warning
Post
Publicize with, or as if with, a poster;
I'll post the news on the bulletin board
Post
Assign to a post; put into a post;
The newspaper posted him in Timbuktu
Post
Assign to a station
Post
Display, as of records in sports games
Post
Enter on a public list
Post
Transfer (entries) from one account book to another
Post
Ride Western style and bob up and down in the saddle in in rhythm with a horse's trotting gait
Post
Mark with a stake;
Stake out the path
Post
Put up;
Post a sign
Post a warning at the dump
Post
Cause to be directed or transmitted to another place;
Send me your latest results
I'll mail you the paper when it's written
Post
Mark or expose as infamous;
She was branded a loose woman
Common Curiosities
What distinguishes a bollard from a regular post?
Bollards are specifically designed for control and security, particularly to restrict vehicle access and protect pedestrian areas, while posts have a broader range of applications including support and marking.
What is the primary purpose of a post?
The primary purpose of a post is to provide support, marking, or structural stability in various contexts, including construction and landscaping.
How do bollards enhance pedestrian safety?
Bollards enhance pedestrian safety by creating physical barriers that prevent vehicles from entering pedestrian zones, thereby reducing the risk of accidents.
Are there regulations governing the use of bollards?
Yes, there are often local or national regulations and standards that dictate the placement, strength, and design of bollards, especially in public areas.
How do bollards contribute to traffic management?
Bollards guide vehicular traffic, prevent entry into restricted areas, and help manage pedestrian and vehicle interactions, improving safety and flow.
How are bollards installed?
Bollards are installed by securing them into the ground, often with concrete, to ensure they can withstand impacts and fulfill their protective role.
How do bollards prevent vehicle intrusions?
Bollards create a physical barrier that vehicles cannot pass through, effectively preventing unauthorized or accidental vehicle entry into restricted areas.
Are all posts made of wood?
No, posts can be made from a variety of materials including wood, metal, concrete, and plastic, depending on their intended use and required durability.
Can bollards be moved or are they permanently fixed?
Bollards can be fixed, removable, or retractable, depending on the need for permanent or temporary access control.
Can bollards be used for purposes other than security?
Yes, bollards can also serve as aesthetic elements in urban design, guide pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and incorporate features like lighting.
Do posts serve a decorative purpose?
Yes, in addition to their functional roles, posts can also be decorative, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the spaces they occupy.
Can posts be used for signage?
Yes, posts are commonly used to support signs for directions, information, or advertising.
What types of posts are used in construction?
In construction, posts can include support columns, beams, and utility poles, made from materials suited to the building's design and structural needs.
What factors are considered in the design of a bollard?
Factors include material strength, impact resistance, visibility, aesthetic compatibility with the surrounding environment, and functionality for specific security or traffic control needs.
What impact do bollards have on urban planning?
Bollards play a significant role in urban planning by enhancing pedestrian safety, controlling traffic flow, and contributing to the overall design and functionality of public spaces.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
