Does Salt Damage Concrete?

Salting your driveway is an unfortunate part of winter, which most people dread. However, more and more people are conscious of how salt isn’t necessarily great for the surface of a driveway. So, does salt damage concrete?

Salt can damage concrete, on and beneath the surface, by causing expansion. This expansion can create excessive pressure, and cracks may form on and inside the surfece of your driveway. You can avoid such problems if you seal your driveway and only use 12 ounces of salt at a time at most. It’s best to apply salt before it snows.

Otherwise, the first batch of snow will melt and create an ice layer, while more snow piles on top of it. Follow along as we explore everything you must know about how salt affects driveways.

Does Salt Damage Driveways?

Salt can damage your driveway, whether it’s made of asphalt, gravel, or concrete. The damage is most obvious on the surface, but salt can damage the material of a driveway deep within the concrete. Salt can seep into a porous driveway and get stuck within it, then eventually expand.

This expansion may not be apparent at first, since you can’t see it happening in real time. As the salt expands, it can cause cracks to form deep within the concrete. You will eventually notice cracks on the surface, but the damage beneath may be even worse.

This doesn’t necessarily mean using salt is a death sentence for your driveway. Obviously, you may need to treat your driveway with salt throughout the winter, however, it’s worth exploring alternatives, like distilled white vinegar or coffee grounds.

How To Prevent Salt Damage On Concrete

You can prevent salt damage on concrete if you understand how damaging it is. Once you understand that, you can avoid common mistakes, like dumping pounds of concrete on your driveway. Some of the ways to prevent salt-related damage on your driveway include:

Shovel The Surface

Some people don’t scatter salt on their driveways until they see a layer of snow on the surface. This may seem like a good idea, but it can make your problem much worse. By melting the snow, you create a fresh layer of water on your driveway, which will freeze.

Since water is already there, the salt may carry itself and the water into your concrete driveway. This can cause the water and salt to expand beneath the surface and damage your driveway. Instead, you should shovel your driveway and remove the snow before applying salt.

Otherwise, you’ll have a base of ice, which will be topped with snow, and eventually, more ice. Ideally, it’s best to salt your driveway before it starts snowing, so no ice layer forms on top of the concrete.

Seal Your Driveway

The best way to prevent salt damage on concrete is to seal the surface. Today, you can find concrete sealers that are specifically meant to prevent salt damage. For example, Saltguard WB and Siloxa-Tek 8500 can protect your concrete driveway from salt damage.

Such sealers can help stop salt from seeping into your driveway, which can reduce most of the damage. They can also prevent concrete stains from forming on your driveway’s surface. This is invaluable, as concrete stains are difficult to remove without resurfacing a driveway.

Look for hydrophobic driveway sealers, as they yield the best results. They repel water, which would otherwise carry salt into your driveway surface and damage it from within.

Use Salt In Moderation

Nobody can blame you for putting salt on your driveway, as it’s the most widely recognized ice-melting method. However, taking the “less is more” approach can help prevent lots of unnecessary damage to your concrete driveway. You only need to use 12 ounces of salt to treat the average driveway, which measures 20 feet.

Scatter the salt as evenly as possible, so your driveway is covered with a thin layer. Piling the salt too deep in certain areas increases the chance of damaging the surface. Doing so can also result in small ice patches forming sporadically.

However, you should only cover your whole driveway if you need to. For example, you don’t need to cover your whole driveway if it’s huge and has enough room for many cars, but you only have one car. In that case, only spread enough salt to give your car room to leave your home as needed.

Repair Your Driveway

Salt is already damaging, but you can worsen the problem if your driveway is already damaged. The salt can penetrate your driveway’s surface more easily if it’s already cracked. You must fill the gaps in with a filler that’s compatible with your driveway’s material.

For example, if you have an asphalt driveway, you must use an asphalt filler. This ensures that the filler will take and protect your driveway from salt, snow, and ice. You may even need to resurface your driveway if the damage is severe.

Consider A Salt Alternative

Some people understandably don’t want to risk putting salt on their driveways. You aren’t out of luck if you’re one of those people, as alternatives like coffee grounds are quite effective. Coffee grounds contain nitrogen, which can prevent water from freezing.

Alfalfa meal is another viable salt alternative, as it is gritty enough to provide traction and melt ice. That said, you must carefully clean your driveway after putting any salt alternative on it. After all, coffee grounds and alfalfa meal are quite messy.

You don’t have to put any powder on your driveway if you use a heated mat. Heated mats cost roughly $1,400, and you can plug them in anywhere near your driveway. Otherwise, you can install a heated driveway system, but that can cost $3,000 to $25,000.

What Salt Doesn’t Damage Driveways?

Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) is one of the few types of salt that doesn’t damage driveways. Not only is it biodegradable, but it’s also safe for pets and doesn’t create big messes. However, it isn’t always strong enough to melt ice when temperatures plummet below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Magnesium chloride and calcium chloride are also good options, as they aren’t too harmful. No matter which type of salt you use, you’re going to create a mess. You must still thoroughly sweep your driveway after the snow passes, or else your driveway and tires will stay messy.

Summing It Up

Salt can damage any concrete surface due to the internal pressure and expansion. That’s because concrete is porous, so salt and water can go beneath the surface and expand. You can minimize this damage by sealing your driveway and using salt in moderation. Otherwise, you can use salt alternatives, like coffee grounds, to prevent damage.

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