Sand for Icy Drive

[mike paulson]

First off I don't use any salt. I've seen way too much equipment turn to garbage by salt use over the years.. So I've used sand called traction/tube sand and general purpose sand which is convenient because it's bagged and easy to keep dry. But the stuff you get today is like friggin dust which turns into a brown slurry and does squat for traction and at 4.50 a bag it adds up. So I've order crushed bluestone by the yard, but the stuff freezes even when covered and under a roof??? What are you guys using for traction on icy roads either bagged or by the yard. I use my bucket loader with an adjustable steel gate I made to spread sand on ice.

 

[Thomas]

I use what they call driveway grit like they use in sanders...no salt,Yep any moisture it freezes like a rock they why I get day I use it...$15 for BIG heaping pickup load.

 

[ruffdog]

I buy the 70lb tubes of sand for weight in the truck. When the bags get old, I put the sand in pails for use on the drive. Some brands are more like powder than others.

 

[George2615]

A friend of mine heats his garage with a coal stove. I get 5 gallon pails of ash from his stove and spread it around on top of ice. Makes for great traction for me. I would imagine ash from a wood stove would work also.

 

[ruffdog]

A friend of mine heats his garage with a coal stove. I get 5 gallon pails of ash from his stove and spread it around on top of ice. Makes for great traction for me. I would imagine ash from a wood stove would work also.

I can imagine that ashes would be tracked into the garage/house, would it not? I'm sure ashes make the ice dark so the sun can melt it easier though.

 

[JerryK]

I put wood ashes across my drive in sideways bands. Help a little with traction, but mainly to help the drive recover when it gets warm in the Spring. A lot of it is cast out into the yard when snowblowing [ good for lawn when spread ]. The ash makes dirty ice which heats up faster in the Spring sun to help the drive ice/snow cover to melt. I keep several bags of 50 pounds bags of play sand in 5 gal buckets for walking between the barn/house if it gets icy. Does not take much and a bag will last several winters. The sand never freezes up like finer stuff.

 

[Dave M7040]

You need to use the "sharp" sand masons use.

Its grains are much more structured and angular than the powdery sand for children's sand boxes.

Brick and masonry sand is also a superior alternative to standard sand in ice-slip control, as the grains don’t clump and create better surface abrasion

Dave M7040

 

[George2615]

I can imagine that ashes would be tracked into the garage/house, would it not? I'm sure ashes make the ice dark so the sun can melt it easier though.

Yes they will get tracked in. We usually remove our shoes upon entering the house. I don't care if it gets tracked into the garage. Garage is home to the tractor in winter and doesn't get swept out till dry season.

 

[shooterdon]

I spread the ashes from my insert. They are free, it gives a use for them and they work better than nothing.

 

[jbrumberg]

I try to spread the wood stove ashes away from Wifey's assumed perimeter around the house and driveway and with some chipping it kind of works out. Wood ashes are dirty on a good day.