Table Salt on Ice - Path is corroding

potsy11

Hi

Last winter during the ICE season the path outside my house was badly frozen.

Having taken advice from a friend I put a load of table salt down on the ice. Sure enough the ice melted and stayed away. However, ever since the path has slowly started to corrode. Its a concrete path. I have washed it down a few times and the amount of grit that comes up is frightening.

The path is no longer smooth and I am worried that its going to get worse and worse,.

Is there anything that I can do to stop it?

Thanks

Leo Demidov

Have you tried vinegar?

Goodne

I have the very same problem. Why would vinegar help?

shoelaceface

i think it was sarcasm!! salt and vinegar :P

Sam Kade

Only cure is to dig it up and put down a new path. You must have went a bit heavy using the salt during the frost.

slimjimmc

Despite looking solid, concrete has minute pores and cracks that absorb water. When this water freezes it expands and breaks up the concrete even more. Using salt melts this ice (even though temps are well below zero) and allows the meltwater penetrate the deeper into the damaged concrete. Eventually this will freeze again causing more damage and so the cycle continues.
If a snow / ice layer is left alone it's unlikely to melt until warmer weather and therefore the concrete doesn't suffer this freze-melt-refreeze cycle.
Weak concrete is most vulnerable whereas strong concrete has better resistance (street footpaths don't tend do break up like this).

I suspect the concrete in your path isn't strong enough. Cement is basically a glue used to bond particles of aggregate together, therefore losing so much grit would make me think that not enough cement was used in the concrete otherwise the grit would be well bonded and not loosen so easily.

I'm no expert but I would have to agree with Sam and say the only real cure is a new path.

looksee

If you are using a power hose that will take off the surface as well if there is any weakness in the concrete.

potsy11

Not using any power hose ont he surface. i'd be afraid to. The section of path is used by members of the public accessing their own properties and also my property.

I am worried now that if it becomes too bad and someone trips and falls then I could be in toruble....Yikes....

Would a skim over the top of it sort it out or is it a case of digging the whole lot up?

looksee

I think the damage to the concrete would be more likely attributed to the cold weather than the salt. If concrete is properly made to resist salt damage and frost it should not break up.

GreeBo

My own driveway is the same, there is far more grit coming up than I put down!

I just brush it away and put it down as a bad concrete job.

Would a plasticizer/sealer work?

millenniumlady

looksee wrote: »

I think the damage to the concrete would be more likely attributed to the cold weather than the salt.

Totally agree!

If the path is used by neighbours maybe it wouldn't be unreasonable for ye to get together to finance the necessary repairs?

emanresu

potsy11 wrote: »

... The section of path is used by members of the public accessing their own properties and also my property...?/QUOTE]

Is it your path or a public path?
If it's your path, why do people use it to access other properties?
If it's a public path, you can't repair it; the council have to do it.