11/11/2025
Yearly blunt post warning!!! We have some winter like conditions here now so it seems like a good time to remind everyone about not using de-icers or salt on your concrete. I could go on and on telling you the science behind it and why it's so harmful and blah blah blah. It never fails though that people will still use it and then act totally surprised when the concrete fails. Here it is....
Salt/ de-icers of any kind will f**k your concrete up beyond repair!!! Not a little but a lot.
I don't care if the person at the hardware store said it's safe to use, it's not.
Pet safe is great for your pet but still bad for your concrete.
Even the smallest amout is still harmful.
Dont use salt or de-icers where the run off from it melting will get on the concrete, its just like putting it on there directly.
No salt or de-icers of any kind are good for your concrete.
Any product that causes a false freeze thaw cycle is harmful.
You will have spent thousands of dollars and destroyed it in minutes. It's the equivalent of taking a handful of sand and throwing it in your cars engine. Keep it shoveled it will probably melt.
If ice builds up throw sand or cat litter on it if it's slippery.
For the more technical people. Concrete is designed with air pockets in it to be able to withstand the freezing of absorbed water. The problem with salt and de-icers is that when used the absorption rate is increased by up 10% more than its designed to handle. Think of putting a 3/4 full plastic bottle of pop in the freezer. It freezes and expands but the bottle is unharmed. Now completely fill that same bottle and freeze it and see what happens. Your bottle is blown apart just like the surface of your concrete would be if you used salt. Plus salt and de-icers are corrosive also adding to the weakening of the surface.
Please I beg you listen to these warnings.
