One bonus of the magnesium chloride product, however, is that it works better with concrete surfaces and has been proven to be less damaging over time. This is, of course, the highest-cost option, however, when it comes to de-icing products.
Magnesium chloride is a great choice! While magnesium chloride is more expensive than sodium chloride and calcium chloride, it is less likely to damage your concrete or your lawn. This type of salt only works in temperatures down to 0° F, which is better than sodium chloride but not quite as good as calcium chloride.
If further protected with an effective sealer like Saltguard, Saltguard WB, or Saltguard VOC you can easily prevent salt damage to concrete.
EcoGrit contains no corrosive ingredients that can cause salt damage to concrete that results in it splintering or cracking. It is eco-friendly too, meaning that any EcoGrit granules dissolved in melting water will not harm the surrounding environment or local wildlife.
When the acidic properties of the salt seep through the concrete, it can attack the bonds that hold the concrete together. This causes your concrete to deteriorate faster and cause cracks, voids, and trip hazards. In addition, salt can leave a residue and discolor the surface of your concrete.
Sodium chloride (commonly known as rock salt or table salt) is the safest de-icer for use on concrete.
You should NOT use salt on a concrete driveway.
Salt can and will eat away at the surface of your concrete and asphalt.
Magnesium chloride is consistently ranked as one of the best and safest ice melts for concrete on the market. Unlike some other ice melts, you can safely use magnesium chloride in heavily vegetated areas. It also has other benefits: Non-corrosive.
Use sodium chloride after the first winter
If sand won't suffice during your concrete's second winter, then using ordinary sodium chloride (table salt) is the next best option if you are still focused on protecting your concrete.
Concrete Sealer X-1 will protect concrete against salt damage due to the damaging effects of freeze/thaw cycles. These occur when salt is spread on icy roads and then tracked up your driveway.
Chemical Attacks
Not even non-porous surfaces are safe. Salts (both sulfates like epsom salt and chlorides like table salt) can react chemically with many minerals found in masonry and cement.
Magnesium Chloride
This option is also considered one of the best and safest products for concrete. It's not effective at as low a temperature as calcium chloride, but it isn't considered corrosive and can be safely used around plants and landscaping.
As with other chloride-based ice melters, over exposure to calcium chloride can harm lawns and other plants if deicer is over-applied or large quantities are directly applied to grass or other vegetation. However, magnesium chloride is considered to be safer for vegetation, plants, people, and pets.
Rock salt is not only poisonous for your pets and plants but also highly corrosive. Its harmful chlorides cause health risks to children and pets—salt damages concrete driveways, patios, and sidewalks indirectly. Salt corrodes concrete beneath the surface, resulting in discolored, cracked, and crumbling concrete.
We can Verify: You can absolutely use table salt instead of specifically-branded ice melt salt. Table salt, rock salt, and salt made for ice are the same. The only difference is the size of salt flakes.
As the number of freeze/thaw cycles increases, it can contribute to damage. Independent testing of commonly used deicers has shown that calcium chloride is the least harmful to concrete (excluding Sodium Acetate and Calcium Magnesium Acetate) after 500 freeze/thaw cycles.
Calcium Chloride is the Best Ice Melt for Concrete
It has a much lower risk of intensifying the freeze-thaw cycle like rock salt since it can work at much lower temperatures. That lower practical working temperatures prevent ice melt from refreezing and exerting pressure on concrete, causing spalling.
Whereas rock salt melts ice, sand does not. Sand, because it is an abrasive material, is applied to icy roads to provide traction. It can capably create traction on ice at any temperature, whereas rock salt is not effective in extreme cold. But sand is only effective if it is on the surface of the ice.
The most common substance used for deicing roads and highways is Sodium Chloride (NaCl) or table salt known as rock salt when spread on the road because of its much larger granules.
When the water is trapped in the concrete's pores, it freezes causing concrete to expand. Once the warmer temperatures come around it will leave cracks on the surface. If you're looking for a salt finish concrete texture or design for your concrete floors, you can use salt to create this effect.
1-Salt is a moderate acid that lowers the concrete's pH. The acidic reaction eats away at the concrete paste and aggregate, diminishing the concrete's structure and strength. It also expands the pore size, allowing more water and chemicals to enter the concrete, perhaps exacerbating freeze-thaw damage.