Can I bolt Armco barriers to Tarmac?

Armco Crash Barrier Full Product Photo

It’s a question which we’re often asked, so we thought we would give our opinion when it comes to bolting Armco barriers to Tarmac.

As with many things, there is of course the possibility that you could do it this way, but is it the safest?

At Armco Direct the safety of you and your equipment has always been our number one priority and it’s for this reason that our barriers are created to offer maximum protection to people, buildings, or anything else which needs safeguarding from harm.

This commitment to safety includes the way that they’re installed and it’s why we would suggest the safest material to hold them in place and offer maximum protection.

When you’re looking to install Armco barriers, you want them to be as sturdy, hard wearing and long lasting as they can possibly be, so this is why, when you ask can I bolt Armco barriers to Tarmac, our recommendation would normally be no.

Why you shouldn’t bolt to Tarmac

Tarmac, while it can be more aesthetically appealing than concrete, is not the best option when you are bolting into the ground, due to its weak nature which means it can tear up and become damaged easily, as well as the fact that it can get even weaker when the weather heats up.

You want to be sure that your safety barrier is going to be as sturdy as it can be to resist all kinds of heavy impact. And, when we’re talking about the impact that a vehicle moving at high speed and weighing several tons can make, for instance, it’s going to need to have some solid grounding.

Always Bolt into concrete

When installing Armco barriers we would suggest that you always bolt into concrete. If you must use tarmac, then dig down into the ground, fill the hole with concrete, leaving a gap of a couple of inches at the top and then cover over with Tarmac once it’s set.

You can set the bolts into concrete while it’s wet or use thunder bolts if it has dried. This way, with a good firm base you will know that you have the strongest fixing and some real solidity below ground.

Contact us with your Armco requirements today

If you would like to find out more about installing our galvanised steel safety barriers for the maximum protection of buildings or passers-by, you can contact us with your Armco requirements today and talk to a member of our professional team. For further information, you can read our blog, about Armco barriers.