Wheel stops are essential for any parking area. These slightly raised obstructions remind drivers against inadvisable actions that may cause harm or damage to their vehicles, people, or physical structures. This is why both commercial and residential parking areas need properly installed wheel stops in Perth.
Any location with a high volume of vehicles that need to park will benefit from installing wheel stops. Whether concrete, rubber, plastic, or steel, wheel stops are easy to install because they only need to be fixed directly on the surface without any specialised tools or fixings. Upon delivery to your location, they will come with fixing instructions and a manufacturer’s warranty.
What to Look For in a Wheel Stop
The ideal wheel stop is waterproof, resistant to oil and heat, and would maintain its colour over time. Colours can be important because they would help warn drivers. For this reason, many wheel stops come with reflective colours or markings for higher visibility at night or in low-light conditions.
In the past, concrete was considered the best material for wheel stops, but there are now different alternatives with their pros and cons: rubber, plastic, and steel.
We’ll take a deeper look into the different types of materials for wheel stops.
Concrete Wheel Stops in Perth
Among the four, concrete is the least expensive option. While it’s not harmful to the environment, there are new ways to recycle concrete these days, mostly made from new materials. Concrete is standard among older wheel stops because of its durability.
Concrete wheel stops are often used for indoor and outdoor heavy-duty applications, commonly found in warehouses and industrial settings. As they are made of heavy material, it needs two or more people to transport and install them.
Additionally, standard to smaller vehicles may get damaged if they forcefully contact a concrete wheel stop. Exposure to the elements can weather the material, chip or break into harmful jagged pieces when crushed.
If you want to comply with the recognised Australian Standards, they are generally built to be higher than stated. You can have smaller concrete wheel stops, but they may be more brittle.
Steel Wheel Stops in Perth
Steel is favoured for bigger and heavier vehicles such as vans and trucks. They are typically installed into concrete surfaces to protect curbing and infrastructure from impact.
Made from hot-dip, galvanised steel, they can easily be bolted to the ground. As they can be manufactured to be industry or purpose-specific, they are often found in warehouses and industrial settings.
However, recently, they have fallen out of favour due to the rise of plastic and rubber wheel stops.
Plastic Wheel Stops in Perth
One of the most popular materials, plastic or specifically polyethylene, wheel stops are solid and durable. They are available in various colours and designs, creating an attractive, clean look that will not chip or crack.
It’s one of the more expensive materials, but many plastic wheel stops are made of recycled material these days. It’s not heavy, so it’s easy for a single worker to install, and the durable material requires little maintenance. However, when used outdoors, it may melt due to extreme heat.
Rubber Wheel Stops in Perth
Rubber is also one of the most popular materials. While cheaper than plastic ones, they are slightly more expensive than concrete. Made of 100% recycled rubber, they are environmentally friendly.
Rubber wheel stops comply with Australian Standards AS 2890.1:2004. They are fitted with reflective panels to improve visibility, and like plastic, it is light and easy to transport and install.
They are highly durable and will not chip, crack, or break, and they also cause little to no damage to a vehicle in case it makes contact with force. This makes rubber wheel stops excellent for any application, from standard parking to heavy-duty work.
If you need help deciding the suitable material, contact our experts!