How to Select and Use a Silt Fence Installer Attachment
Silt fences play an important role during a project when keeping soil in its place is a concern. These temporary structures help landscapers and contractors retain soil when the ground is disturbed and prevent it from washing away — whether that’s onto a roadway, into a body of natural water or down the sewer. By pairing a silt fence installer with a skid steer or compact track loader, operators can combine the tasks of digging the trench and installing the structure into one easy step. This tool allows crews to install thousands of feet of silt fence per hour.
“A silt fence installer attachment significantly reduces labor hours and increases efficiency on jobsites where erosion control is mandatory,” says Kevin Murphy, inside sales manager at Blue Diamond Attachments. “With regulatory requirements from various agencies including the DOT, silt fencing is required on many construction projects. Having a dedicated tool to install these barriers efficiently provides substantial time savings, allowing contractors to set up and begin work more quickly.”
When looking to purchase a silt fence installer, buyers should consider the attachment’s durability so it can withstand continuous wear and tear from challenging conditions. This includes checking out the attachment’s coulter, tooth and blade. These three parts are responsible for slicing through the ground, creating the trench and guiding the fence as an operator works. Murphy adds that investing in a quality attachment that consistently performs without maintenance issues will save significant time and frustration on the jobsite. The host machine’s size and capabilities are also important.
“Many operators have attempted to use these attachments on lighter equipment like mini skid steers, but those machines often lack sufficient downforce and traction to properly embed the silt fence,” says Murphy.
Another key buying consideration is the mounting frame configuration of the silt fence installer. Nick Almen, product specialist for Bobcat Attachments, says there are a few options for mounting frames on the company’s silt fence installer lineup. For example, Bobcat has both loader and three-point tractor mounting frames available. When looking at a silt fence installer, buyers will have choices.
“When installing [this attachment] on a skid steer or compact track loader, you should choose a loader frame as there are also rigid or side-shift mounting frames available,” he says. “Side-shift frames allow you to work closer to buildings or other obstacles which can come in handy depending on your work environment.”
Silt Fence Installer Options
Almen further details Bobcat’s offerings. He mentions that the company recently streamlined its mounting frames to help make the ordering process simpler. Now, there are four options available:
- loader mount, rigid
- loader mount, 78-in. side shift
- three-point mount, rigid
- three-point mount, 78-in. side shift
As for Blue Diamond Attachments, Murphy says the company’s side-shift mount model can install a fence up to 20 in. deep and has proven to be particularly popular among contractors working in constrained spaces.
“This design allows operators to install silt fencing closer to obstacles like guardrails or buildings, as it’s not limited to the center line of the machine,” he explains. “Instead of being restricted to where you can position the skid steer itself, you can utilize the full reach to the edge of the machine’s track. This versatility eliminates the need for manual installation in tight areas, reducing the labor requirement from multiple workers digging, placing fence and backfilling by hand.”
Murphy also notes that many customers opt for Blue Diamond Attachments’ wire unroller feature. He says, “This add-on allows operators to include wire backing with their silt fences for increased durability and performance — providing even more versatility to this essential attachment type.”
As for cost, the price of a silt fence installer attachment typically ranges from $8,000 to $11,000, depending on its mounting configuration. While this attachment is usually purchased, rental is also an option. Almen says some Bobcat dealers include them in their rental fleets, representing about 15 percent of the company’s volume for this attachment.
Operating Tips
After purchasing (or renting) a silt fence installer, an operator should first read the owner’s manual to become familiar with the attachment. It’s important to note that the installer is operated in reverse, so it’s especially crucial to be aware of your surroundings. Almen recommends operating the attachment in straight lines for best productivity, as well as paying attention to corners.
“Picking up and repositioning your machine to make square corners is generally going to give you better results, as compared to trying to curve around corners,” he says.
Murphy emphasizes the importance of keeping the silt fence installer level with the ground during operation. He says if the attachment is angled too high or too low, an operator won’t achieve proper penetration. This can potentially cause the fence to pull out because it hasn’t been seated correctly. Murphy also recommends driving back over the disturbed ground to compact the soil after installing a section of fence.
“Be aware that freshly installed fence lines create loose soil that can present trip hazards if not properly compacted,” he says. “Driving back over the installed fence line helps compact the soil, reducing both the trip hazard and the risk of the fence coming loose.”
Pam Kleineke is managing editor of Compact Equipment.
