LED Bollard & Pathway Light Buying Guide: Mounting Height, Cutoff, and the Specs That Keep a Walkway Safe

The Park That Bought Glare

A landscape contractor lit a riverside path with a row of cheap bollards. At dusk they looked inviting. After dark, every one of them was a small blinding bulb at eye level, and joggers complained they couldn't see the path for the lights.

The fixtures weren't broken. They had symmetric optics with no cutoff, so half the light went up into people's faces instead of down onto the ground. A full-cutoff spec, checked before the order, would have turned the same budget into a walkway people actually wanted to use after sunset.

Height Sets Everything

Bollard height is the first decision because it drives the light source position, the spacing, and the glare. Most bollards run 600 to 1000 millimeters, and the source should sit at or below eye level so the beam works the ground, not the pedestrian.

Height and Spacing by Application

Application	Bollard height	Spacing	Priority
Narrow path (1.2 m)	600 mm	900–1200 mm	Even coverage
Plaza / forecourt	900 mm	1200–1500 mm	Cutoff, glare
Stairs / crossing	600–900 mm	600–900 mm	No dark gaps
Parking / loading	1000 mm	1500–2000 mm	IK impact

The spacing rule of thumb is one to one and a half times the mounting height, but a rule of thumb is no substitute for the photometric file. Pull the IES or LDT and check the actual beam spread, especially on stairs and crossings where a dark gap wider than a stride is a liability.

Full-Cutoff Is Not Optional

Here's the spec that separates a real walkway light from a decorative bulb on a stick: cutoff. A full-cutoff fixture emits no light above 90 degrees from vertical, so everything lands on the ground.

It matters three ways. It stops glare in pedestrians' eyes. It keeps the site dark-sky compliant where local codes demand it. And it wastes nothing lighting the night sky. Look for an asymmetric optic that pushes light forward across the path. A symmetric optic pools light at the base and leaves the middle of the walkway dark, which is exactly backwards.

IP and IK: The Two Ratings That Decide Lifespan

Bollards live at ankle height in the weather, so two ratings decide whether they make it past the first year.

IP65 minimum. IP66 or IP67 where the fixture sits low and may meet pooled water or irrigation spray. The driver needs its own sealed compartment.
IK08 or IK09. Bollards get kicked, bumped by mowers, and hit by carts. IK10 in parking and loading zones.
Marine finish for coastal installs. Salt attacks aluminum fast and dulls the lens.

We've seen cheap bollards die not from the LED but from a cracked lens letting water reach the board. A strong IK rating plus a sealed driver compartment is the difference between a fixture that lasts and one that fills with condensation by spring.

Light Quality on the Ground

Walkway light is about even, glare-free illumination, not raw lumens. Spec CCT and CRI to the setting: warm 2700K to 3000K suits parks, hotels, and residential paths, while 4000K suits commercial and municipal sites where visibility and camera coverage matter.

Keep CRI 80 or higher for pedestrian comfort and accurate color underfoot. And match the CCT across the whole scheme, because a warm bollard next to a cool floodlight looks broken, not designed.

Common Questions from Buyers

What height should a bollard light be?

Most bollards run 600 to 1000 millimeters tall, and the light source should sit at or below eye level so the beam shines down and across the path instead of into a pedestrian's eyes. Pick the height to match the width of the walkway: a 600 mm bollard suits a 1.2 meter path, while a 900 mm bollard covers a wider plaza. Height also sets spacing, since the fixture should throw light roughly one and a half times its own height.

What is a full-cutoff bollard and why does it matter?

A full-cutoff fixture sends zero light above 90 degrees from vertical, so all the light lands on the ground where it's useful and none escapes upward. It matters for three reasons: it stops glare in pedestrians' eyes, it keeps the site dark-sky compliant where local codes require it, and it wastes no energy lighting the night sky. Look for a fixture with an asymmetric optic that pushes light forward across the path rather than a symmetric one that pools light at the base.

What IP and IK ratings does a pathway light need?

IP65 minimum for a bollard that gets rained on, and IP66 or IP67 where it sits low and may meet pooled water or irrigation spray. For impact resistance, spec IK08 or IK09, because bollards get kicked, bumped by lawn mowers, and hit by carts. IK10 is worth it in parking areas and loading zones. A fixture with a strong IK rating and a sealed driver compartment will survive the kind of abuse that quietly kills cheap pathway lights.

How far apart should bollard lights be spaced?

As a starting rule, space bollards one to one and a half times their mounting height. A 900 mm bollard goes every 900 to 1400 mm on a path where you want continuous coverage. For safety-critical walkways, stairs, and crossings, tighten the spacing so light pools overlap and no dark gap is wider than a stride. Always check the fixture's photometric file, the IES or LDT, to verify the actual beam spread instead of trusting a rule of thumb.

Compare bollard heights, cutoff optics, IP and IK ratings, and photometric files across verified outdoor lighting suppliers on Compare2Best so the path you light stays safe after dark and dry through winter.

This article is produced by the Compare2Best knowledge team and reviewed by landscape lighting specialists. Updated September 2026. Height, spacing, and cutoff depend on the site, local codes, and pedestrian use; confirm final specs with your lighting designer and electrical engineer. Nothing here is engineering or legal advice.