Is rock salt the right deicer for your driveway? Will it hurt the blacktop? Find out this and more!

As winter clouds loom over the rooftops in Maryland, you might be wondering how to prepare for snow, aside from the holiday shopping. Every few years, you can expect it to snow heavier than in other years. The question of the hour is, “Is salt bad for asphalt driveways?” You may hear different things, but you can find the truth below.

Is Salt Bad for Asphalt Driveways?

Salt does not harm asphalt. You might read online that it chemically degrades the asphalt and causes it to crumble, but that is more so the case with concrete, not asphalt. Concrete is more porous than asphalt, so the salt is able to get under the surface easier. Asphalt’s composition of bitumen, gravel, and sand makes salt damage irrelevant to it as long as the asphalt is in good condition.

Water and lack of maintenance are the real threats to asphalt driveways. Without crack filling and sealing, water can seep into the cracks and make them wider during the freeze-thaw cycle. Rock salt will only aggravate the damage more, as it is a contaminant.

What Is Rock Salt, and How Does It De-ice Your Driveway?

Now that we have established that rock salt is indeed safe to use on your asphalt driveway, it’s best to know what it is, exactly, and how it works.

Rock salt (halite) is an unrefined version of table salt. It is the same sodium chloride we consume, except that it has other elements in it, like lead, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and arsenic.

All deicers do not actually melt ice or snow, but they do keep snow or rain from icing your driveway over by lowering their freezing point. When salt mixes with water, the freezing point falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Best Practices for Using Rock Salt on Asphalt

• Apply the rock salt before it starts snowing or having freezing rain
• Apply the rock salt evenly in a thin layer

Alternatives to Rock Salt

Rock salt does come with its downsides. Salt is bad for landscaping, causing soil to become infertile. It also corrodes the metal undersides of vehicles. Alternatives to rock salt include the following:

• Magnesium Chloride
• Calcium Chloride
• Potassium Chloride
• Potassium Acetate
• Cat Litter
• Sand

Receive Asphalt Paving Services with Tri-State Paving

Call Tri-State Paving. We’re a seasoned asphalt pavement company based in Maryland and have the experience and knowledge to help you turn your backyard into the perfect retreat quickly and affordably. Our experts will work with you to find a design and layout for the outdoor kitchen and dining area that you’re sure to love for years and years to come.

Our area numbers are:

West Chester: 610.563.9456

Oxford: 610.932.3566

Delaware: 302.757.4100

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