Winter Salt Safe For Concrete

Concrete especially concrete less than a year old does not respond well to rock salt getting dumped all over it.

Winter salt safe for concrete.

Sand can be used to increase traction when needed. After the first winter if you choose to take the risk to use de icing salts or chemicals you should apply a sealer to your concrete in the fall. Concrete is somewhat porous and can be prone to small fissures. Because sodium chloride will begin to freeze at 25 degrees fahrenheit the water will re freeze in the cracks on especially cold days or nights.

Some of this liquid will find its way into pores or fissures. Exterior concrete should contain air entrainment. However there is no such thing as safe for concrete de icing salts or chemicals. The truth is most ice melts react with concrete to some degree but some ice melts will react less with the concrete.

Snow damage on concrete. When rock salt is applied to concrete any existing snow or ice will melt. Thus quality concrete walkways and drives can handle that. While water that freezes thaws then refreezes on concrete is not ideal it is natural.

The problem is that salts react with the calcium silicate hydrates in the cement of the concrete. This is a chemical admixture added to the concrete during production to improve freeze thaw durability.