Rock salt on my concrete driveway

[jinman]

Oh boy! With the early December ice storm, I used rock salt to melt a walking path down my driveway. Now, the surface is all pocked and chips are coming up. I am shocked to see online info that salt and concrete don't mix if the concrete is not finished with the right compound. Live and learn, I guess. My damage isn't too bad, but I sure won't do this again. Next time I'll use just sand on top of the ice. I've learned my lesson the hard way.

 

[Markcuda]

Pictures?

 

[jinman]

Pictures?

Tomorrow. . . It's too dark out there right now. I'm a-skeert of the dark.

 

[Thomas]

Pressure wash walk a.s.a.p. scuff surface good than hose off,maybe skim coat of cement might work.

We only use rock salt on tar and keep away from plants also trees.

 

[Rustyiron]

I used to plow snow at a shoping center with a concrete parking structure and the owner did not allow salt on it. We used Urea fertilizer (0-0-64). It's nitrogen. Buying a ton of that in the winter might got you a visit by the gubment these days. This was many years ago, and you'll have some mighty green grass around your walkway in springtime!

 

[dave1949]

Did I not tell you sand or stone grit is your friend?

I didn't know that about concrete types either. Makes sense though when concrete floors in garages can get pocked by dripping salt slush.

Sand also has the advantage of staying on top of the ice where it does some good. The ice melt stuff melts a BB-sized hole down into the ice and leaves the surface slippery.

 

[MossRoad]

Oh boy! With the early December ice storm, I used rock salt to melt a walking path down my driveway. Now, the surface is all pocked and chips are coming up. I am shocked to see online info that salt and concrete don't mix if the concrete is not finished with the right compound. Live and learn, I guess. My damage isn't too bad, but I sure won't do this again. Next time I'll use just sand on top of the ice. I've learned my lesson the hard way.

Whoever did the concrete should have sealed it. I know this, because we had new pre-cast concrete steps installed on our front porch. The following spring, I noticed the step were ruined. Why? Because I used ice melter on them. I called the company that installed them and they told me I should have sealed it. I told them that perhaps, when selling and installing these things, they might want to let ignorant home owners such as myself know that concrete has to be sealed. They said all contractors know that.... I reminded them that they were the contractor. Grrrr. Short answer.... tough peanuts. Not their fault. Grrrrr.....

 

[dmccarty]

Using fertilizer to melt the ice can mess up the concrete as well. At our city house, melting ice/snow would fall on the concrete driveway and walkway and refreeze. We would never have salt to remove ice since we don't often have this problem but I would use whatever fertilizer we had on hand which would eat up the top layer of concrete.

Later,
Dan

 

[jinman]

I just took a couple of photos of the worst spots on my driveway. These are both about 3'x3'. I won't be doin' anymore salt here. I can use it on my deck and steps, but not on the concrete.

 

[cqaigy2]

That's unfortunate Jim. I think someone told me that the salt makes hydrochloric acid with the water and dissolves the cement in the concrete. Anything that makes an acidic mixture will have the same effect.