# Salt per ton



## Boss4557 (Sep 27, 2018)

how much do you guys charge per ton of salt applied? I am just looking for numbers I am around $375 here in central Ohio.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Good Lord! That seems crazy high to me.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

wow, twice the cost is a good start.....bulk salt 100, spread 200


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Depends what your buying it for...$375 a ton would buy a lot of replacement spinners...


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

I've heard higher prices...wish I could price that high.


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## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

Mark Oomkes said:


> I've heard higher prices...wish I could price that high.


From who?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Ajlawn1 said:


> From who?


The guy on first...


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Boss4557 said:


> how much do you guys charge per ton of salt applied? I am just looking for numbers I am around $375 here in central Ohio.


 That's high for this neck of the woods, which means nothing. If your getting $375.00 good for you.

Our cost was $77.00 per ton delivered, 1 ton spread I think was billed $180.00.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

There’s a difference in salt too, some guys think there’s no issue with the “salt” from Egypt or Morocco or where ever it comes from and get in cheaper than American salt that’s mined. 
Me personally, I’d rather pay the extra price for American mined salt because in my experience I’ve had way less clumping/ clogging issues. I would hope most contractors see the correlation in higher material costs = higher per ton billed or per grain billed or
W/e floats your boat.


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## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

BossPlow2010 said:


> There's a difference in salt too, some guys think there's no issue with the "salt" from Egypt or Morocco or where ever it comes from and get in cheaper than American salt that's mined.
> Me personally, I'd rather pay the extra price for American mined salt because in my experience I've had way less clumping/ clogging issues. I would hope most contractors see the correlation in higher material costs = higher per ton billed or per grain billed or
> W/e floats your boat.


That Egyptian / Moroccan salt def. clumps up more and has more sand and moisture in it then the cleaner and drier Detroit / Windsor salt.


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## KFX450RXC (Sep 6, 2014)

Funny how different things are. You northern guys obviously get far more work than we do here in NC. We may get 3-4 snow/ice events per winter or we may not get a single flake the entire season.

But when we do, we generally use ice melt instead of salt. We also charge at least $1.00 per pound. Some guys I know charge $1.20 / lb. and the customers don't even flinch.

Per ton, that comes to $2000-$2500.


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## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

KFX450RXC said:


> Funny how different things are. You northern guys obviously get far more work than we do here in NC. We may get 3-4 snow/ice events per winter or we may not get a single flake the entire season.
> 
> But when we do, we generally use ice melt instead of salt. We also charge at least $1.00 per pound. Some guys I know charge $1.20 / lb. and the customers don't even flinch.
> 
> Per ton, that comes to $2000-$2500.


Man I'd charge that too if I had to rip open and hand bomb 50 bags of ice melt per night.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

KFX450RXC said:


> we generally use ice melt instead of salt.


Salt doesn't melt ice?

Just learned something today.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Fourteen Contracting Inc. said:


> Man I'd charge that too if I had to rip open and hand bomb 50 bags of ice melt per night.


I would charge 10 times that just for staying sober an entire winter for 3-4 events...


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## KFX450RXC (Sep 6, 2014)

Mr.Markus said:


> I would charge 10 times that just for staying sober an entire winter for 3-4 events...





Fourteen Contracting Inc. said:


> Man I'd charge that too if I had to rip open and hand bomb 50 bags of ice melt per night.


True. Nothing like getting out at every stop with a razor and dumping 8-10 bags at a time. But it gets the job done.

I usually leave the house with 60-65 bags plus the spreader. The F350 is extremely loaded down but I do what I have to do.


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

3-4 events- That was last week. We’ve salted over 7 times from those storms. 

I sell by the application not the ton. But if I did the maf you’d spill ur coffefee.


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## KFX450RXC (Sep 6, 2014)

cjames808 said:


> 3-4 events- That was last week. We've salted over 7 times from those storms.
> 
> I sell by the application not the ton. But if I did the maf you'd spill ur coffefee.


That's NC for you. Supposed to be around 60 every day this week. We could get multiple storms this winter or we may not see a flake for a few years. That's why we charge so much. I have over $3000 worth of ice melt in my barn left from last season. One good storm and I'll use most of that on my properties. Or I may not get to use it for a few years.


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## plow4beer (Nov 16, 2016)

Mr.Markus said:


> I would charge 10 times that just for staying sober


some things just aren't worth any amount of money


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## plow4beer (Nov 16, 2016)

Boss4557 said:


> how much do you guys charge per ton of salt applied? I am just looking for numbers I am around $375 here in central Ohio.


On larger jobs, the pricing seems to be in the 2-3 x's the cost of the material round here(maybe a little more in some cases).....although all of my smaller "per app" accounts are mulch more than that, when broken down per ton.


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

Ice melt isn’t salt in Carolina?


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

Mudly said:


> Ice melt isn't salt in Carolina?


sounds like he is using the high price stuff people only use on sidewalks up north......$15 a bag


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## KFX450RXC (Sep 6, 2014)

Yes and no. We use those bags of ice melter with Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, and a corrosion inhibitor.

But a 50 lb. bag can run anywhere from $9.50-$10.50 a bag for a pallet.


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## KYsnow (Sep 22, 2012)

KFX450RXC said:


> True. Nothing like getting out at every stop with a razor and dumping 8-10 bags at a time. But it gets the job done.
> 
> I usually leave the house with 60-65 bags plus the spreader. The F350 is extremely loaded down but I do what I have to do.


Why are you only loading 60 bags (3000 lbs) in a 1 ton truck


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

KYsnow said:


> Why are you only loading 60 bags (3000 lbs) in a 1 ton truck


Most one ton trucks can't safely or legally carry more then that.


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## prezek (Dec 16, 2010)

KYsnow said:


> Why are you only loading 60 bags (3000 lbs) in a 1 ton truck


With a plow, spreader and 3000lbs of salt, I'm guessing he is at or above legal weight.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

I Noah guy that used to load 4 tonnes on a wonton...and I know the GVWR was far less than the wontons of today. 

Pretty sure he wouldn't do that again.


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

Mark Oomkes said:


> I Noah guy that used to load 4 tonnes on a wonton...and I know the GVWR was far less than the wontons of today.
> 
> Pretty sure he wouldn't do that again.


Geeze


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Mudly said:


> Geeze


This was almost 30 years ago...DOT never looked at lawn and snow jockeys.


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

Mark Oomkes said:


> This was almost 30 years ago...DOT never looked at lawn and snow jockeys.


I've done stupid things ime. I may have him beat but have a ticket to prove it unfortunately


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## rippinryno (Nov 14, 2019)

ice melt and table salt (rock salt) differ greatly. I figured some folks would know that being this is a plowsite. 

I understand what the OP was saying about using ice melt vs bulk rock salt. Around here a pallet of ice melt is about $350

I can get a bulk load of rock salt for $150, still not as cheap as some of you guys, but i'm also not buying much.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

rippinryno said:


> ice melt and table salt (rock salt) differ greatly. I figured some folks would know that being this is a plowsite.
> 
> I understand what the OP was saying about using ice melt vs bulk rock salt. Around here a pallet of ice melt is about $350
> 
> I can get a bulk load of rock salt for $150, still not as cheap as some of you guys, but i'm also not buying much.


It's not difficult. Ice melt can be rock salt and rock salt can be ice melt.

Using proper terminology helps eliminate misunderstandings as well as makes a contractor appear more professional. I'm also a words mean things kinda guy. I believe in absolutes.

So is the OP using calcium chloride? CMA? Urea? Sodium chloride? Mag chloride? Potassium acetate? Sodium acetate? Hot water? Magic? IceBan? Caliber? Accelerate? Apex? Beet juice? Potassium chloride? A mixture of a bunch of them?

I'm probably missing some, but those are all "ice melters" and all vary in cost. Being specific would solve a lot of these questions.


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## rippinryno (Nov 14, 2019)

By definition, salt melts ice, so yes you can call it ice melt if you want. Since this is a forum full of plow and salt guys, i think we are a little further down the road than that. 

The reason ice melt is not called rock salt is due to the chemical makeup. 

You can call either one whatever you would like, but as I said before, they vary in composition. There are ice melt products that are not sodium chloride.


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## BIG (Aug 23, 2014)




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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

Ice melt is a brand


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

rippinryno said:


> There are ice melt products that are not sodium chloride.


I know...that's what I said. I even listed a crapload of them.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

rippinryno said:


> By definition, salt melts ice, so yes you can call it ice melt if you want. Since this is a forum full of plow and salt guys, i think we are a little further down the road than that.
> 
> The reason ice melt is not called rock salt is due to the chemical makeup.
> 
> You can call either one whatever you would like, but as I said before, they vary in composition. There are ice melt products that are not sodium chloride.


Salt does not melt ice, never has never will.


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## rippinryno (Nov 14, 2019)

leolkfrm said:


> wow, twice the cost is a good start.....bulk salt 100, spread 200





Mudly said:


> Ice melt is a brand


INcorrect.

It is actually a term commonly used for alternatives to sodium chloride, halite, or rock salt.

some of them may have salt in them along with other stuff.

or if you're really plain, you might say that salt is ice melt, because of course, it melts ice. but again we should know the difference being in a plow group. ice melt, tends to refer to salt alternatives. it's more expensive. There are also properties that no longer allow sodium chloride application, due to the damage it has on concrete vs more expensive ice melt options.



BossPlow2010 said:


> Salt does not melt ice, never has never will.


it absolutely melts snow. By lowering the freezing point and a consequence of doing that is...guess what....melting ice. so, yeah salt melts snow/ice.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

rippinryno said:


> it absolutely melts snow. By lowering the freezing point and a consequence of doing that is...guess what....melting ice. so, yeah salt melts snow/ice.


 then why doesn't it ( rock, halite salt) work at temps below , lets say 15f


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Mudly said:


> Ice melt is a brand


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Salt does not melt ice, never has never will.





rippinryno said:


> it absolutely melts snow. By lowering the freezing point and a consequence of doing that is...guess what....melting ice. so, yeah salt melts snow/ice.


So much for being a forum for professionals. BossPlow is correct. As is Hydro.

Salt does not melt ice or snow. Neither do any of the other products I listed that come in a granular form.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

rippinryno said:


> it absolutely melts snow. By lowering the freezing point and a consequence of doing that is...guess what....melting ice. so, yeah salt melts snow/ice.


It absolutely positively does not melt snow or ice.
And for the record we have had success with rock salt (treated with Prussian blue) well below 0°F, that aside, salt does not melt ice or snow or anything for that matter, and freezing rain is a pain in the dick to deal with...


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## rippinryno (Nov 14, 2019)

*Salt* Lowers the Freezing Point
In a nutshell, *salt* is a great *ice* melter because it causes "freezing point depression." This means that *salt* helps in lowering the freezing point and, consequently, the *melting* point of water (the main component of snow and *ice*).

ice is water, when the freezing point of ice goes down, it turns into water. when ice turns into water it's called melting. well done sir.


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## Hydromaster (Jun 11, 2018)

rippinryno said:


> *Salt* Lowers the Freezing Point
> In a nutshell, *salt* is a great *ice* melter because it causes "freezing point depression." This means that *salt* helps in lowering the freezing point and, consequently, the *melting* point of water (the main component of snow and *ice*).
> 
> ice is water, when the freezing point of ice goes down, it turns into water. when ice turns into water it's called melting. well done sir.


FLI

Salt alone can't melt ice. It must first be combined with water first.

that is why it becomes ineffective at lower temps.


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## BIG (Aug 23, 2014)

Is salt brine considered salt or ice melt?

What if you mix in some Cal?


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## Mudly (Feb 6, 2019)

Daily entertainment love it.


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## KFX450RXC (Sep 6, 2014)

KYsnow said:


> Why are you only loading 60 bags (3000 lbs) in a 1 ton truck


My truck has a Knapheide service body with an 8' bed. 60-65 bags is all I can fit while still having a place for my walk behind spreaders. The snow plow shovels go in the back seat.


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## naturescaretaker (Dec 6, 2019)

Mudly said:


> Daily entertainment love it.


Finally something we can all agree on


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