It’s the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind in the bollard business: How much does it cost to paint a bollard post vs. covering the post with a bollard cover?

So, as The Original Bollard Cover Company, we’ve put together a cost comparison of painting bollard posts vs. installing Ideal Shield bollard covers. 

To make sure this cost comparison was as close to exact as possible, while also eliminating any guesswork on our part, we have interviewed maintenance professionals in various parts of the nation and developed an average cost of painting a pipe vs. using an Ideal Shield Bollard Cover (or Bumper Post Sleeve). By eliminating high estimates and low estimates we have created an average cost comparison: 

• Based on using a union painter’s estimates (which includes taxes, insurance, benefits, etc.), it would cost an average of $35.00 per post to paint at new construction sites. 
• Using Ideal Shield’s pricing, it would also cost an average of $30.00 per post to cover at your facility.  

Already sounds like covering the posts is a more cost efficient practice, right? 

Well, that’s true, and it only improves more and more as the years go on.  

Check out a five year projection of paying for painting vs. covering the bollards, based on 3,200 posts (400 stores with 8 posts each) needing normal, annual maintenance: 

• First Year:
  • Painting: $112,000
  • Ideal Shield: $96,000
    • Difference: $16,000 (paint)

• Second Year:
  • Painting: $112,000
  • Ideal Shield: $0
    • Difference: $112,000 (paint)

• Third Year:
  • Painting: $112,000
  • Ideal Shield: $0
    • Difference: $112,000 (Paint)  
• Fourth Year:
  • Painting: $112,000
  • Ideal Shield: $0.00
    • Difference: $112,000 (Paint)  
• Fifth Year:
  • Painting: $112,000
  • Ideal Shield: $0.00
    • Difference: $112,000 (Paint) 

This cost comparison represents a five year approximate savings of $464,000 on 3,200 posts, the same length as the Ideal Shield “no fade” guarantee.  

How about a more realistic number of bollards and stores for a mom and pop shop? 

Here’s a five-year projection of paying for painting vs. covering the bollards, based on 16 posts (2 stores with 8 posts each) needing normal, annual maintenance:

• First Year
  • Painting: $560.00
  • Ideal Shield: $480.00
    • Difference: $80.00 (Paint)
• Second Year
  • Painting: $560.00
  • Ideal Shield: $0.00
    • Difference: $560 (Paint)  
• Third Year
  • Painting: $560.00
  • Ideal Shield: $0.00
    • Difference: $560 (Paint)  
• Fourth Year
  • Painting: $560.00
  • Ideal Shield: $0.00
    • Difference: $560 (Paint)  
• Fifth Year
  • Painting: $560.00
  • Ideal Shield: $0.00
    • Difference: $560 (Paint) 

This cost comparison represents a five-year approximate savings of $2,320 on 16 posts. And that doesn’t even include the saving on the one thing everyone wishes they had more of: Time. 

Though a conservative breakdown of the cost savings, it’s not hard to see that there is a significant amount of savings out there when you’re in the market for maintaining bollard posts. 

Whether your businesses (or bollard posts) are only going to be around for one year or twenty years, the bollard cover is the smarter, cheaper, more efficient route to take. 

So, if you’re interested in saving a lot of money over the lifetime of your bollard posts, contact Ideal Shield today at (866) 825-8659.

Our knowledgeable, experienced sales team will work with you to make sure your facility, business, residence, warehouse, or where ever your bollard posts may be, will be paint-free, maintenance-free, and look fantastic for years to come.