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Winter 2021-22 salt

14K views 102 replies 27 participants last post by  Kvston 
#1 ·
Been watching the trucks go by here and turn toward the county road commission steadily for a week now. I would assume they are taking salt to them. We had our first salt quote come in this week also. Seems to be inline with last years, at least it didnt go stupid like some other pricing did.
 
#3 ·
About the same here too.
 
#13 ·
Local concrete guy told me today not to put any rock salt on any of the local concrete….
He said that he salted some of his own concrete before and it left “pot marks” and that he had to fix the concrete …..
I’m in the panhandle of texas. It doesn’t get too cold here for too long. His remarks threw me off a little, kinda got me to questioning everything. Rookie here; this will be my first season dealing with ice/ salt. Any ideas?!
 
#21 ·
Local concrete guy told me today not to put any rock salt on any of the local concrete….
He said that he salted some of his own concrete before and it left "pot marks" and that he had to fix the concrete …..
I'm in the panhandle of texas. It doesn't get too cold here for too long. His remarks threw me off a little, kinda got me to questioning everything. Rookie here; this will be my first season dealing with ice/ salt. Any ideas?!
aren't roads made from "local" concrete?
@Defcon 5
 
#14 ·
#15 ·
Is he a contractor or redi-mix supplier?

If contractor, how long has he been around?
 
#20 ·
Ask him what he recommends?

Is the concrete air entrained?
 
#34 ·
@jomama45 could provide some input as well.
 
#35 ·

If you want the summary...sodium chloride does not physically or chemically harm concrete. Mag chloride is the worst, followed by calcium chloride as depending on the makeup, can chemically harm concrete.

Then to throw some for a loop...calcium is used in concrete in cold temps to speed curing.

Anyways, if I've said it once, I've said it 100 times. Properly formulated and properly installed concrete will not be damaged by salt. This is an indisputable fact. The problem comes in with either crappy redi-mix companies and/or crappy contractors who either don't order the correct product or screw up the installation. Even then, sodium chloride does cause spalling, freeze/thaw cycles cause spalling.

100's if not 1000's of miles of curbs, roads and bridges are built every year using concrete. Municipalities do not wait a year before applying sodium chloride to these roads and bridges. We have applied sodium chloride to 1 month old concrete parking lots, sidewalks, curbs, without any damage.

So @LubbockRoots , you need to more research. Ask the contractor why it will damage it? What does he recommend? Talk to some redi-mix companies and ask what they recommend? If you were further north the answers would be simple.
 
#38 ·
Looks like this ones under control, no need for my drunken antics…btw, lone star seement is pretty big, and I’m pretty sure they own/bought out at least 1 of the larger suppliers in this area years ago…I don’t use them though, they suck…I only use “local” seement, in which hungry salt doesn’t like. My salt bin seement floor has held up quite well btw
 
#39 ·
Redi mix guys are giving me a hard time. Over all I’m hearing just don’t do it followed by laughs…. I’m not buying concrete so they done care…
a buddy works for DOT and he said the stuff they use is called Melt Down 20. He also said it’s extremely corrosive.
I have a quote for Sodium Chloride at $4.00 a bag. Site One just quoted me 9k for a truckload of Excalibur ice melt…
 
#41 ·
Redi mix guys are giving me a hard time. Over all I'm hearing just don't do it followed by laughs…. I'm not buying concrete so they done care…
a buddy works for DOT and he said the stuff they use is called Melt Down 20. He also said it's extremely corrosive.
I have a quote for Sodium Chloride at $4.00 a bag. Site One just quoted me 9k for a truckload of Excalibur ice melt…
If you can avoid site one for salt, you should, they're overpriced around here, so they're probably overpriced there.

Salt can be very corrosive, when it's mixed with water.
but salt in itself isn't corrosive. NaCl combined with H2O
 
#40 ·
Looks like Melt Down 20 is mag with some sand. They also claim it's low corrosive. What a crock.

Xcaliber is potassium chloride (basically worthless), sodium chloride and calcium chloride.
 
#44 ·
Just got someone to talk to me. Locally we have 5%-8% air entrained concrete for commercial lots. He is recommending selling a dencifier. Overall I was told commercial engineered parking lots should be fine. Residential (which I’m not doing) he said most contractors will cut costs to save a buck and pour the wrong material for the application….
Does that help at all?!?
 
#46 ·
Just got someone to talk to me. Locally we have 5%-8% air entrained concrete for commercial lots. He is recommending selling a dencifier. Overall I was told commercial engineered parking lots should be fine. Residential (which I'm not doing) he said most contractors will cut costs to save a buck and pour the wrong material for the application….
Does that help at all?!?
I'll be honest, I have no idea what amount of air entrainment there is in the North.

What is a "dencifier"?

My guess is salt away using sodium chloride.

But, it wouldn't be a bad idea to add a damage disclaimer to your contract.
 
#48 ·
Customer agrees that contractor is not responsible for any damage caused to plantings, turf, concrete or paved surfaces due to application of deicing agents. (includes turf burn, concrete spalling and pavement potholes)
 
#53 ·
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