Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/43031
72 • OCTOBER 2011 • WORLD FENCE NEWS You can make your saw-cut appli- cations more professional looking and attractive with the BD Loops "sand trick." Many installers have had cus- tomers who installed an expensive decorative driveway and needed loops for their gate system. The customer is understandably frustrated at the prospect of saw-cut tattoos in their stamped concrete, but there is really little choice when it comes to protect- ing the gate system. You can help alleviate a bit of their frustration by using this sand trick to help camouflage the saw-cut tattoo. This sand technique is ideal for situations where you are forced to cut into prettier surfaces such as stamped concrete, stamped asphalt, fresh con- crete, pavers, or any application where the driveway appearance is important to the customer. Many installers understandably focus on getting the system working properly and don't emphasize the cos- metic appearance of their work. Since loop sealant is not readily available in Make saw-cut loops disappear with the "sand trick" BY BRIAN DICKSON, GENERAL MANAGER, BD LOOPS a wide assortment of colors, you will never be able to easily match sealant to the surface of colored stamped con- crete or other decorative surfaces. Many customers, especially homeowners, care a great deal about how their driveway looks after the work is done, and would not be thrilled at the idea of using black, gray, or white loop sealant in their decorative driveway. Installers who are sensitive to the desires of their customers can go above and beyond by using the sand technique. This trick will make your work stand out, and will help your customer feel satisfied with the look of their driveway. Customers will appreciate the care you've taken to improve the appearance of the cut-in loops and will be more likely to refer friends and family to your business. The best part of the sand trick is not how simple it is, but that by doing it you'll be able to allow traffic to drive over the loops sooner, as the sand will create a barrier between the drying sealant and car tires. (These pictures seen were made possible by Integrity Access Manage- ment Corporation; thank you Chris Benavides for your hospitality and al- lowing us to take part in your instal- lation!) You will need craft sand(s) that matches the color of your application (and we recom- mend that you keep regular white and black sand handy for mixing), and a paint roller that has been covered with artist tape or any other type of tape. Step 1: Analyze the appearance of the driveway; in the paver application above we looked at the different bricks and identified that there were three dif- ferent types of bricks: faded pink, faded purple, and faded dark blue. The color of the bricks is incon- sistent – they contain light and dark patches and lots of light colored specks throughout. We decided to go with red and black craft sand mixed with white play sand (available at big box stores) to imitate the light pink bricks. Step 2: Mix the sand in the con- tainer, then test your mixture by sprin- kling a bit on the driveway to see how closely it matches. Make any changes needed to the mixture and then set it aside. Be sure to let the play sand dry before mixing, play sand usually comes in a bag with some moisture that tends to make the sand look darker until it evaporates. Step 3: Seal the saw-cut groove(s). It is important to not overfill the saw-cut groove with sealant. Step 4: Sprinkle the sand mixture over the sealant using a cup. Use the paint roller to push the sand around as needed and press it into the groove. See the pic- tures at left to com- pare the before and after results. Brian Dickson is the general man- ager of BD Loops, a manufacturer of preformed direct burial and saw-cut inductance loops for the gate, door, and parking indus- try. BD Loops products are available through 180 distributors nationally. The company is a member of the following associa- tions: AFA, IDA, NOMMA, IMSA, and IPI. Visit BD Loops at www.bdloops.com and use the distrib- utor locator tool to find a distributor near you. Call the company at 714- 890-1604 or e-mail BD- Loops@aol.com. FENCETECH'12: Speakers and seminars FENCETECH/DECKTECH'12 chair Mark Davis, CFP, has an- nounced that the keynote speaker at the combined AFA Annual Meeting Awards and Chapter Breakfast on Wednesday, January 25 will be Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman. Known as "The Wingman," Many items in stock - caps, finials, rings, wall mounts, column bases ….. Custom made parts Short volume runs In-house tool & die shop Phone: 301-334-9100 Fax: 301-334-7846 www.cpalmerdiecastinginc.com Waldman is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller "Never Fly Solo." He overcame claustrophobia and a fear of heights to become a highly deco- rated combat fighter pilot with over 65 missions in Iraq and Serbia. If you are interested in exhibit- ing or attending FENCETECH/DECKTECH'12, contact Maria Prior at mariap@cm- services.com or Moira Fisher at moiraf@cmservices.com or call 800- 822-4342. Visit www.FENCETECH.com for updates on the show.