Ice Melt?

bofa

bofa

New member
Looking to you guys for some info on melting ice from the walkways and driveway. The front of our house is north-facing the area is pretty hilly so the quick thaw/freeze cycles leave some awesome ice coverage. It doesn't really bother me but I don't need someone suing me.

What are my best options? Any home-mixtures? I've tried ice melt granules in the past and it disintegrated the top layer of the concrete plus tracks into the garage and house. Salt seemed about as bad and I worry about it getting into the sod. I've read some homemade mixtures with rubbing alcohol and dawn may work but read mixed results (maybe need a higher alcohol content?).

Eco/pet friendly preferred. Thanks.
 
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I just use Salt. Properly rated, poured, and finished concrete should be able to hold up to Salt without spalling, for many years.

Low strength concrete, say below about 4000 psi, that is poorly finished by workers spraying water to help them work the concrete, is very susceptible to ice melt damage. Especially if it doesn't have enough time to cure before freezing temps arrive.

There are also coatings that can greatly decrease salt water being absorbed by the concrete.
 
I have shitty concrete. Salt tears it up. I use this.

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Be careful, the nearly instant and dramatic temperature change caused by the torch, can break concrete too.
 
The problem with the "properly rated, poured" etc approach is that you really don't know until you try it, right?
 
look for stuff called mag flakes, or nedmag. pet friendly and won't ruin your driveway
 

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Fire... lots of fire, you can never go wrong by incinerating everything...

Did I mention fire yet? :love:

I was in Bend, Oregon a little while ago and my understanding is that they use ground up Lava Rock (please correct me if I am wrong, this is what the locals told me), while Portland seems to use Magnesium Chloride spray in their streets.
 
Ground up lava is great for traction, and Bend has oodles of the stuff. I don't think it melts the ice though, except maybe by absorbing more heat from the sun than the surrounding snow?
 
Pet safe ice melt seems to work well for me at home. Doesn't do anything to the grass, and works quickly.

(Coming from my dad, who is the head of grounds at a local college for 20 years)...If you are worried about the concrete, you can get beet juice and put it in a garden sprayer. We use that at work, have for the last 5 or so years. Its safe for new concrete, as even properly constructed concrete will still break down with salt if used the first couple years.

If you have thick ice, there's not a whole lot you can do to to get it all at once, except for fire. You'll have to spread the ice melt, wait a bit, and spread a little more. And a little goes a long way, most people pile on the ice melt or salt, but you only need one granule for about 2 sq inches.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I'll check Tractor Supply for the NedMag since they are close by.


I think you are right about the lava rock for traction (like kitty litter) but even if the lava rock attracts more sun, that part of the driveway just doesn't get any during the winter. The area near the highest part of the yard had about 2" thick of ice that I chipped away with a garden hoe. I don't think I'll be able to avoid that though. Finding something for the majority of the concrete will definitely help.

I do like the idea of having a valid reason to buy a blow torch. :flamethrwoer2:
 
KidVermicious said:
Ground up lava is great for traction, and Bend has oodles of the stuff. I don't think it melts the ice though, except maybe by absorbing more heat from the sun than the surrounding snow?
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You mean it doesn't melt the snow just by being... you know... LAVA!?

...

even if it is cold lava... :madgrin:
 
bofa said:
Thanks for the tips guys. I'll check Tractor Supply for the NedMag since they are close by.


I think you are right about the lava rock for traction (like kitty litter) but even if the lava rock attracts more sun, that part of the driveway just doesn't get any during the winter. The area near the highest part of the yard had about 2" thick of ice that I chipped away with a garden hoe. I don't think I'll be able to avoid that though. Finding something for the majority of the concrete will definitely help.

I do like the idea of having a valid reason to buy a blow torch. :flamethrwoer2:
Click to expand...

Did you ever end up trying the NedMag? Just wanted to hear the experience.
 
amalik said:
Did you ever end up trying the NedMag? Just wanted to hear the experience.
Click to expand...

I tried Lowes, Home Depot, and Tractor supply and no one had it. I ended up getting some Prestone Ice Melt while I was in the store but have been afraid to use it after reading the reviews online. I'm not sure where else to try.. maybe Ace?
 
bofa said:
I tried Lowes, Home Depot, and Tractor supply and no one had it. I ended up getting some Prestone Ice Melt while I was in the store but have been afraid to use it after reading the reviews online. I'm not sure where else to try.. maybe Ace?
Click to expand...

No idea, friend.

I'm in castle rock as well, but moving North to Denver soon.
 
bofa said:
I tried Lowes, Home Depot, and Tractor supply and no one had it. I ended up getting some Prestone Ice Melt while I was in the store but have been afraid to use it after reading the reviews online. I'm not sure where else to try.. maybe Ace?
Click to expand...

hmm thats odd. ace might, i was talking to my distributor the other day and apparently it isn't as widely used as i had anticipated. only other possible place would be a pet store or independent farm supply store
 
wnelax04sr5 said:
hmm thats odd. ace might, i was talking to my distributor the other day and apparently it isn't as widely used as i had anticipated. only other possible place would be a pet store or independent farm supply store
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Yeah their site doesn't list any deliveries to CO at all for some reason. There are a few farm supply stores out here that I can try.
 
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