My driveway salt spreading trick saved me 2 hours in last week's ice storm

I used to just toss salt by hand from a bucket and it left bare spots everywhere. Then I picked up a handheld spreader at a garage sale for $5 and tried it during that freeze last week in Pittsburgh. It gets the salt even across the whole surface with no clumps, and I finished the whole driveway in 15 minutes instead of fighting with a bucket for over an hour. Has anyone else switched to a spreader and found it actually makes a difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

logan52523d ago

So now you just get to your driveway twice as fast to stare at the empty space where your car isn't.

barbara_grant423d ago

Read somewhere that some people mix sand with their salt to get better traction and save money. Heard it works good on ice and doesn't hurt the concrete as much. Might be worth trying with that spreader of yours, sounds like a solid setup. I just use a big cup and walk back and forth, takes me forever.

the_drew23d ago

That bit about "doesn't hurt the concrete as much" is actually the key thing people miss. @barbara_grant4, sand gives you traction without the chemical reaction that eats away at your driveway and sidewalks. Straight salt melts ice but then that brine seeps into the concrete pores and causes spalling when it freezes again. The sand just sits on top and gives you grip without all that damage. Your big cup method would actually work fine with this mix too since you can just toss it out evenly without worrying about the spreader.