Installation Of Street Furniture

Equipment For Installing Street Furniture

Street Furniture covers items such as litter bins, signs, bollards, lights, tree and flower planters, notice boards, cycle parking stands, and also furniture including outdoor seating and tables.  

Most items of street furniture require installing for health and safety reasons as well as security. The large product range of street furniture dictates different installation methods and processes to carry out the relevant installation correctly.

A large quantity of street furniture products are fixed by means of fasteners into concrete or stone bases. Several fixing methods come under this category, notably steel retaining bolts and anchors, as well as resin adhesives and aggregates such as concrete. Another popular method of fixing steel bollards and railings is by way of welding, using carried out on site by use of a portable engine driven welder.

These types of fixings require preparation and groundwork to be undertaken first. This could be by way of excavating and laying a concrete base, or simply drilling into stone work or masonry ready to accept the suitable fixings. Seating and tables in particular need security fixings to prevent theft. Special anti tamper bolts can be used which are drill resistant as well as employing a ball bearing or sealing cap, preventing sockets or allen keys to be inserted, and successful removal.  

If the substrate is strong enough resin fixing or anchor bolts will usually suffice for a wide range of applications. However concrete is often the best solution to adequately securing street furniture.

For small jobs this can be mixed on site manually with a mixing board or even a bucket. Larger jobs may require a compact concrete mixer, or concrete to be purchased and delivered direct to site by an outside supplier of aggregates.

Street lighting will require a power supply to be routed except if powered by solar or wind power. The installation of power cables may require a site survey to establish existing cable runs, as well as other utility services.

If stone work or asphalt needs to be cut to expose such services, the tool  of choice is often the petrol driven stihl saw. This self contained piece of equipment is versatile and efficient in cutting through most types of masonry.

A different compound / type of blade is needed depending on the material to be cut, ie: one type of blade for concrete, a different one for sandstone and breeze blocks etc. Latest developments in this market include universal blades which claim they can cut several types of materials with certain restrictions.

One restriction is normally blade service life. A diamond blade designed for cutting hard materials will normally wear out at a faster pace when used on soft brickwork for example. When cutting soft building blocks and slabs a dust suppression kit should be fitted to the saw. This is usually a cold water supply provided by either a hose connected to a water bowser or mains supply, or alternatively a water bottle which can be pressurised to provide a constant stream of water which can be directed to the cutting area. Most stone cutting saws have a standard hose fitting to allow a water / dust suppression kit to be easily fitted.

Street furniture in the form of signage can require a wide selection of equipment and tools to carry out installation work. Construction, electrical, and access equipment are all commonly used when fitting signs.

If the need arises to work at several feet above ground level then an option would be to use an item of powered access equipment. Different types of powered access equipment are available to suit different site conditions and terrains.