Commercial LED Post Lights Selection
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Commercial LED Post Lights: How to Choose the Right Fixture
Post-top luminaires, bollards and column lights do the quiet, important work of making car parks, pathways and commercial frontages safe and usable after dark. Getting the selection right the first time saves you re-trenching and re-mounting later. Here is the practical order we work through.
1. Start with mounting height and spacing
Mounting height drives everything else. As a rough working guide, the spacing between poles is usually two-and-a-half to four times the mounting height, depending on the fixture's beam distribution and the light level you need. A 3 m column suits pathways and courtyards; 4–6 m columns suit driveways and small car parks. Decide the layout first, then choose a fixture that can actually cover that spacing.
2. Lumens and light distribution, not watts
Watts tell you energy use, not brightness. Compare fixtures on delivered lumens and on their distribution pattern (often described as Type II, III, IV or V). A symmetric Type V throws light in a circle and suits a fixture in the middle of an area; asymmetric types push light forward and suit perimeter or roadside mounting.
3. Colour temperature
For most Australian commercial exteriors, 4000K (neutral white) is the common choice — it reads as clean and alert without the harsh blue of higher temperatures. 3000K feels warmer and more welcoming for hospitality and residential-adjacent settings.
4. Ingress and impact ratings
Outdoors, look for an IP65 rating or better so the fixture is sealed against dust and driven rain. In areas exposed to knocks, vandalism or sporting balls, an IK08–IK10 impact rating is worth specifying.
5. Controls
A built-in photocell (dusk-to-dawn) is the simplest control and avoids lights running through daylight. For car parks, motion dimming — full output on detection, reduced output otherwise — cuts running costs without leaving areas dark.
Before you buy
Confirm the pole entry or spigot size matches the fixture, that the driver is suited to your supply, and that replacement drivers are available. If you would like a hand matching fixtures to a layout, get in touch — and you can estimate output for a space with our wattage calculator.