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Street lighting columns
Lamp post: what it is, what it consists of and what types exist
Lamp post, street light pole and lighting column are names for the same product: a pole that lifts a luminaire to the required height. In designs and catalogues it is listed as a lighting pole. Below: its parts, the series, the material and what to put in an enquiry.
A lamp post is the everyday name for a lighting pole: a steel shaft that lifts a luminaire to the required height and is either fixed to the foundation by a flange on anchor bolts or set directly in the ground. In designs and catalogues it is designated by series and height, for example PMO-6.
Contents
Lamp post and lighting pole: is it the same thing
Yes. «Lamp post» is the everyday name; «lighting pole» is the one under which the product appears in a design, a specification and a price list. All such products are collected in the Lighting Poles section.
The luminaire (the lamp itself) is not part of that name: it is a separate item. A catalogue pole is designated by series and height, for example PMO-6 or DMO-10. Floodlight masts, needed above 12 m, are a different product.
What a lighting pole consists of
The shaft carries the main load, and the other parts are attached to it or to the foundation:
- the shaft: a column bent from steel sheet and welded with a longitudinal seam;
- a flange at the bottom, which fixes the shaft to the foundation on anchor bolts;
- the anchor cage: a template plate with anchor bolts, set in the foundation before the pole is erected;
- an electrical hatch near the bottom above ground, where a protective circuit breaker can be fitted;
- a bracket that holds the luminaire, with one arm or several;
- a place for an earthing bolt.
The pole designation (for example PMO-6) describes the shaft only. The bracket, the anchor cage and the hatch are written into the enquiry as separate items, so brackets are not included in the pole price. Bracket types and designations are covered in Brackets, crossarms and heads.
Types of lamp post
Lighting poles are divided by purpose, shaft shape, fixing method and material. The series designation reflects purpose and shape.
| Series | Shape | Height, m | Where used |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMO | polygonal | 3–10 | parks, squares, courtyards |
| PKO | tapered round | 3–10 | parks, squares, courtyards |
| UMO | polygonal | 5–12 | streets, courtyards, alleys, boulevards, pedestrian zones |
| UKO | tapered round | 3–12 | streets, courtyards, alleys, boulevards, pedestrian zones |
| DMO | polygonal | 7–12 | highways and trunk roads |
For parks there are also lightweight polygonal PLO poles, 3–8 m high. The mass of each height is in Height and mass of lighting poles.
Shaft shape, fixing and designations
The difference between a polygonal and a tapered shaft lies in manufacture, appearance and wind design: the profiles are compared in Polygonal or tapered poles.
Fixing is either by flange (onto a ready foundation) or direct (the shaft is concreted into a pit). The first is easier to unbolt and replace; the second needs no separate foundation. Details are in Flanged or direct-embedded lighting poles. We make poles for both methods.
If a specification names OGK or NFG, the article Lighting pole designations helps to find the equivalent among our series.
What lamp posts are made of and how they are protected from corrosion
We make steel poles. The shaft and flanges are made of S245 or S345 steel, the grade being fixed by the design. We do not make reinforced concrete posts; they are compared with steel in Steel or reinforced concrete lighting poles.
The steel is protected by hot-dip galvanising to DSTU EN ISO 1461:2024. The bath at our plant measures 13,000 × 1,600 × 3,200 mm. A paint coating can be applied over the zinc at the customer’s request, but it adds to the cost.
The most vulnerable part of a galvanised pole is the bottom near the ground and the flange, where moisture collects. That is why the zone near the ground is worth inspecting.
How to choose a lamp post
Start with the height. It is set by the width of the strip to be lit, the type of luminaire and the required illuminance levels. Raising the luminaire widens the lit strip but lowers the illuminance under it. Spacing between posts depends on height as well. Rules and a worked example are in How to choose the height of a lighting pole, with a calculator.
The second factor is wind. Diameter and wall thickness are chosen for the wind region and the load of luminaires and brackets. A pole designed for one region may fail the check in another.
The final height and spacing are confirmed by a lighting calculation for your luminaire. Cost depends on height, wall thickness and what is supplied with the pole; what exactly is counted is described in How much a lighting pole costs.
What to send for selection
A site plan with road and path widths, the construction region and the luminaire data are enough: type, mass, number per pole. If there is no luminaire yet, tell us what area is to be lit and we will propose a height and spacing.
State in the enquiry:
- the pole designation or height, and the quantity;
- the fixing method: onto a foundation or into the ground;
- brackets and their arms;
- whether an anchor cage is needed;
- whether paint over the zinc is needed.
Erection is carried out by a licensed construction partner company; prices on the site exclude delivery and erection.
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Questions about lamp posts
Are a lamp post and a lighting pole different things?
No. It is one product; designs and catalogues simply call it a lighting pole. A street light pole is the same thing.
How much does a lamp post cost?
The price depends on height, wall thickness (chosen for the wind region) and what is supplied. Brackets, delivery and erection are not included and are charged separately. Price ranges by series are in the article on lighting pole cost.
What height is needed for a courtyard, a street, a road?
Roughly: courtyards and paths 3–4 m, parks and squares 5–6 m, local streets 7–8 m, trunk roads 11–12 m. A lighting calculation for your luminaire confirms the exact height.
Is the bracket included in the post price?
No. Brackets, including decorative ones, are charged separately. The same applies to the anchor cage: it is ordered as a separate item for the height and load.
How does a steel post differ from a concrete one?
Steel is lighter, quicker to erect and does not chip on impact, and the zinc coating can be repaired locally. A comparison by criteria is in a separate article.
Who installs the posts?
Erection is carried out by a licensed construction partner company. We can arrange delivery if needed, and it is charged separately.
What do PMO, UMO, DMO, OGK and NFG mean?
The designation conveys the purpose (park, street, road) and the shaft shape. OGK and NFG are other manufacturers’ designations from old standard designs; the equivalents among our series are explained in the article on designations.
Related products: Street lighting columns
More on this topic: Street Lighting Norms: Categories A, B, C under DBN V.2.5-28:2018 · Flanged or Direct-buried Lighting Poles: Which to Choose · Steel or Concrete Lighting Poles: Comparison · Lighting Pole Marking: PMO, UMO, DMO, OGK, NFG — Finding an Equivalent · Lighting Column Dimensions and Tolerances under EN 40-2: Heights, Brackets, Hatches, Flanges · Working drawings for outdoor lighting: plan, schedule of poles and floodlight masts, details
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