# Indoor Salt Bin



## fairwaymowing (Oct 17, 2011)

Hey guys....scrambling to find a location for salt storage due to picking up a large account last minute and am thinking of doing it within a garage. IE: Build a 3 sided bin and store it indoors. My question is will this ruin the building/what's in the building, it's not metal, but concrete floor, other tools, etc. Bought a nice new Smith Spreader, have access to the bulk salt for pickup but can't drive cross town when I have to salt and plow. Now I just need a good location to store the salt. Any ideas appreciated, but at my location I cannot build the 'typical' salt bin.


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## ohiogreenworks (May 31, 2009)

fairwaymowing;1877069 said:


> Hey guys....scrambling to find a location for salt storage due to picking up a large account last minute and am thinking of doing it within a garage. IE: Build a 3 sided bin and store it indoors. My question is will this ruin the building/what's in the building, it's not metal, but concrete floor, other tools, etc. Bought a nice new Smith Spreader, have access to the bulk salt for pickup but can't drive cross town when I have to salt and plow. Now I just need a good location to store the salt. Any ideas appreciated, but at my location I cannot build the 'typical' salt bin.


Ours has been indoor for a a few years. Big concrete blocks like a normal bin, just indoors. Haven't had any issues with it other than taking up space in the shop.


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## fairwaymowing (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks man. That is what I have been hearing and we will be starting tomorrow. Kinda been disappointed with this site....183 views and 1 reply.


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

185 views now


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

How much salt are you wanting to store in the bin ? Last year when salt was getting in short supply and the price jumped we built a wood bin. It only holds ten yards but it was our reserve. We usually keep chemical totes full of salt and just get them filled as needed since we use tailgate spreaders. We will do this again this year and leave the bin full until the price jumps or supply gets tight. Our bin is 8x12 with 4' walls. 1.5" osb walls and floor. It is built strong enough to to drive my skid loader in it. You can't plow into the walls like a cement bin but it serves it's purpose and we never ran out of salt or paid crazy prices last year. The bin can be broken down in large pieces and stored out of the barn in the off season.


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## fairwaymowing (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks, Mangnatrac.....Was curious to how much 10 yards would take up...which is what we plan on storing.


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## RMGLawn (Jan 2, 2012)

magnatrac;1877795 said:


> How much salt are you wanting to store in the bin ? Last year when salt was getting in short supply and the price jumped we built a wood bin. It only holds ten yards but it was our reserve. We usually keep chemical totes full of salt and just get them filled as needed since we use tailgate spreaders. We will do this again this year and leave the bin full until the price jumps or supply gets tight. Our bin is 8x12 with 4' walls. 1.5" osb walls and floor. It is built strong enough to to drive my skid loader in it. You can't plow into the walls like a cement bin but it serves it's purpose and we never ran out of salt or paid crazy prices last year. The bin can be broken down in large pieces and stored out of the barn in the off season.


Do you have any pictures of this???


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

Here is the bin empty after I put it back together. The floor is made out of 12' 2x4's and they are spaced so that the tires of the skid are over them no matter how its in there . Last year when we built it it was only 3/4'' floor and walls. We had no problems but we wanted to really fill it this year with the salt supply issues so I added another 3/4" all around. Here is a pic of it empty.










This is a picture of the bin with 10 yards in it.










The bin now has more in it probably 12-13 yards . I know what we bought but when we get loaded they really heap the bucket. Doing the math on how big the bin is it's really easy to figure that we are getting a good deal. No complaints with the high salt prices ! I know this is a low budget type set up but it got us through last season with out paying high prices or running out of salt. We were going to buy a 20' shipping container this year but with winter starting so early this year in michigan we are just going to work with what we have. While the price is down we will top off our totes and save the salt in the bin . last year we ended up storing 3 yards in totes. We wrapped them in plastic and shrink wapped them. The salt kept perfectly sitting outside all summer !


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

I have 40' shipping containers at storage facility's on each side of town. Rent a outdoor parking spot drop the bad boy in the spot, have salt delivered. Holds 50 tons each. Works great, challenge is having a loader there or weres the guy thats pulling a loader behind his truck...

Overall its great having salt on each side of town, all my hoppers are 2 yarders so we refill a lot.


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

Flawless440;1880333 said:


> I have 40' shipping containers at storage facility's on each side of town. Rent a outdoor parking spot drop the bad boy in the spot, have salt delivered. Holds 50 tons each. Works great, challenge is having a loader there or weres the guy thats pulling a loader behind his truck...
> 
> Overall its great having salt on each side of town, all my hoppers are 2 yarders so we refill a lot.


Bulk or pallets in the 40 footer?


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

gc3;1880658 said:


> Bulk or pallets in the 40 footer?


50 Ton of bulk salt in each bin


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

Flawless440;1880712 said:


> 50 Ton of bulk salt in each bin


So your loading bulk into it? How do you get it 40 feet to the back..some kind of telescoping loader?


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## absolutely (Dec 9, 2010)

We have a 40' shipping container. We can stack the salt with our tractor so it is about a foot from the top. We have 70 -75 ton in there. Takes a while but beats tarps.


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

absolutely;1880931 said:


> We have a 40' shipping container. We can stack the salt with our tractor so it is about a foot from the top. We have 70 -75 ton in there. Takes a while but beats tarps.


So it's a open top container?


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

No its enclosed shipping container.. Search Ebay, you can rent them for the winter as well.
A dumptruck dumps the salt on the ground. Then we use a skid loader 1 scoop at a time drive the salt to the back of the shipping container.. Stack it 1' from the top.. Works well


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

Flawless440;1881216 said:


> No its enclosed shipping container.. Search Ebay, you can rent them for the winter as well.
> A dumptruck dumps the salt on the ground. Then we use a skid loader 1 scoop at a time drive the salt to the back of the shipping container.. Stack it 1' from the top.. Works well


How wide are they. That sounds like a tight fit width wise driving in there


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## jerpa (Feb 4, 2014)

gc3;1881246 said:


> How wide are they. That sounds like a tight fit width wise driving in there


About 7.5ft wide.


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## Snow tracker (Jan 31, 2014)

This is what they are talking about. Plenty of room for a skid steer


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

Snow tracker;1881319 said:


> This is what they are talking about. Plenty of room for a skid steer


We have a bunch of them trailers but the skids and buckets around us just seem to big to fit in. I never gave it any thought though cause around here that's not the norm. Seems like a good idea though. How many yard bucket you use to fit inside there?


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

Most containers are 8' wide with a 8'-6" height. A skid steer with a standard low profile bucket will fit just fine. Your not going to move salt with a mulch/snow bucket so clearing an 8' opening is not an issue. Even large frame skids will fit ,just less breathing room. We want to get a 20' container vs. a 40 due to the fact we can move it ourselves on a deck over trailer. I know it won't hold as much we are small time compared to a lot of guys here.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

A few years back we did a mall and would store 100 ton and 25 pallets in a unfinished unit. Worked real good and had no issues with building


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

I keep 20 -30 tons inside year round. No damage to floor or steel structure,covered walls with chipboard,nice to be able to load indoors.Beats the tarp covered pile I used to deal with.Was hoping to spread last years leftover salt tomorrow,all paid for,looks like mostly rain now,oh well


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

That's awesome I'm not the only one with a osb bin and you even have a Home Depot bucket in the pic l.o.l.


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

Looks good. So storing bulk salt in the storage containers doesn't do anything to the interior steel?


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## rrvsnow (Nov 22, 2014)

Anybody have a good suggestion for a bulk salt supplier in the midwest?I'm located in northern nd. Burned through 12 pallets of bagged salt already this winter, time to move to bulk delivery.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

gc3;1881691 said:


> Looks good. So storing bulk salt in the storage containers doesn't do anything to the interior steel?


We used one at our old shop for 2 winters, we lined the inside walls with 3/4 OSB to keep it off the walls themselves and we now use that container for storage at the new shop and you'd never know it had salt in it for 2 winters.


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

John_DeereGreen;1881933 said:


> We used one at our old shop for 2 winters, we lined the inside walls with 3/4 OSB to keep it off the walls themselves and we now use that container for storage at the new shop and you'd never know it had salt in it for 2 winters.


That's good to know, I like this idea a lot. So the only time you have to tarp the salt piles is when it's actually stored outside in the elements?


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Okay, this is the setup I just bought this year. I have a 20' container and a Case SV250. How are you getting the salt up to within 1' of the roof. I can only stack halfway up in mine before the loader arms hit the roof. I am also using my Vernig 84" snow bucket to do it with. VERYYYYY tight fit, about 3" on either side. If I had a smaller bucket, would I be able to stack higher or is it vertical lift vs radial lift that is hurting me?


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Okay, this is the setup I just bought this year. I have a 20' container and a Case SV250. How are you getting the salt up to within 1' of the roof. I can only stack halfway up in mine before the loader arms hit the roof. I am also using my Vernig 84" snow bucket to do it with. VERYYYYY tight fit, about 3" on either side. If I had a smaller bucket, would I be able to stack higher or is it vertical lift vs radial lift that is hurting me?

Oops. sorry for posting twice.


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## beanz27 (Dec 22, 2012)

rrvsnow;1881697 said:


> Anybody have a good suggestion for a bulk salt supplier in the midwest?I'm located in northern nd. Burned through 12 pallets of bagged salt already this winter, time to move to bulk delivery.


Straight salt, straight sand, or mixed sand and salt?


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

derekslawncare;1882099 said:


> Okay, this is the setup I just bought this year. I have a 20' container and a Case SV250. How are you getting the salt up to within 1' of the roof. I can only stack halfway up in mine before the loader arms hit the roof. I am also using my Vernig 84" snow bucket to do it with. VERYYYYY tight fit, about 3" on either side. If I had a smaller bucket, would I be able to stack higher or is it vertical lift vs radial lift that is hurting me?
> 
> Oops. sorry for posting twice.


Just a thought,you don't have to "stack it"to the ceiling height. You stack as high as is possible with your machine and then with a full bucket push from the bottom and push forward,the salt will reach the ceiling without lifting arms up to the point that your hitting roof. Just work your way out backwards pushing pile tight as you retreat.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

leigh;1882221 said:


> Just a thought,you don't have to "stack it"to the ceiling height. You stack as high as is possible with your machine and then with a full bucket push from the bottom and push forward,the salt will reach the ceiling without lifting arms up to the point that your hitting roof. Just work your way out backwards pushing pile tight as you retreat.


This is how we did it. Takes time, but it beats tarps!


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Okay, I will have to try that after I use some up. Brand new to the skid steer thing and haven't had much seat time. I ordered 25 tons, and because I wasn't able to get it high enough I was out of the container before I had all my material inside, so I bought some 2x12 planks and "dammed up" the opening so I could then finish loading my material without it spilling out on the ground. Thanks for the tutorial.


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

http://http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=132164&highlight=check+salt+barn

Heres a link to a salt barn we built years ago.. Held up for a few seasons


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Here my indoor storage.. works real well holds about 30-35ton. In the summer i stack the equipment thr for the off season.. concrete hwy barrier works awesome! Gonna add a few sheets of ply to the top and could probably hold another 5-6ton...


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## rrvsnow (Nov 22, 2014)

beanz27;1882207 said:


> Straight salt, straight sand, or mixed sand and salt?


Straight salt.


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## beanz27 (Dec 22, 2012)

rrvsnow;1884754 said:


> Straight salt.


That's a good question. I'd try looking around St. Cloud area and have it trucked up here. I know Mike, the owner of Fert-Lawn gets his mixed sand trucked in from Canada, he might know where to get some. Did I see a tailgate spreader on that flatbed van you guys have? That's gotta be a long night...


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## rrvsnow (Nov 22, 2014)

beanz27;1885593 said:


> That's a good question. I'd try looking around St. Cloud area and have it trucked up here. I know Mike, the owner of Fert-Lawn gets his mixed sand trucked in from Canada, he might know where to get some. Did I see a tailgate spreader on that flatbed van you guys have? That's gotta be a long night...


We get all our mixed sand from Mike, he was gonna do some looking for us when we talked to him Wednesday. Also found a supplier by bemidgi? area we left a message with on Wednesday too. 
Flatbed works good with that tailgate spreader, but now that we are salting more, it's becoming too slow and cumbersome, especially last Sunday/Monday during that ice event. We have an extra vbox spreader that I'm gonna set up this week to salt with. Setup we have now on flatbed is good, just takes a few hours to get the salt taste out of your mouth after being at the "gym" for a few hours lugging salt bags.


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## beanz27 (Dec 22, 2012)

rrvsnow;1885711 said:


> We get all our mixed sand from Mike, he was gonna do some looking for us when we talked to him Wednesday. Also found a supplier by bemidgi? area we left a message with on Wednesday too.
> Flatbed works good with that tailgate spreader, but now that we are salting more, it's becoming too slow and cumbersome, especially last Sunday/Monday during that ice event. We have an extra vbox spreader that I'm gonna set up this week to salt with. Setup we have now on flatbed is good, just takes a few hours to get the salt taste out of your mouth after being at the "gym" for a few hours lugging salt bags.


Exactly why I will put a vbox on my truck to begin with lol. I'm not really excited about getting up early to toss bags around, rather let equipment load me.


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## Clcare (Nov 20, 2014)

How long has anyone been able to get a steel container to last? Without any plywood. I would like to get at least five years out of one. Is this a pipe dream?


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Clcare;1941777 said:


> How long has anyone been able to get a steel container to last? Without any plywood. I would like to get at least five years out of one. Is this a pipe dream?


I just got mine Oct-2014, so I haven't had mine long. In the process of buying a new place with outbuildings already on it. One of them is a 2-stall horse thing that will become my salt bin. I guess I will know then after I empty my can out how bad it got eaten up. I ran out of time getting it all put in place, so the salt went straight in w/o lining the sides with wood first. We'll see.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

derekslawncare;1942140 said:


> I just got mine Oct-2014, so I haven't had mine long. In the process of buying a new place with outbuildings already on it. One of them is a 2-stall horse thing that will become my salt bin. I guess I will know then after I empty my can out how bad it got eaten up. I ran out of time getting it all put in place, so the salt went straight in w/o lining the sides with wood first. We'll see.


I stored salt in a Maersk sea container for 5 yrs or so,no issues.These things must be made overseas,if you look at the info plate they coat these things with some exotic coatings.Theyre built for harsh salty conditions.Keep the paint intact and they'll outlast you


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

leigh;1942160 said:


> I stored salt in a Maersk sea container for 5 yrs or so,no issues.These things must be made overseas,if you look at the info plate they coat these things with some exotic coatings.Theyre built for harsh salty conditions.Keep the paint intact and they'll outlast you


Hopefully you are right. Once I get into my new place and can get mine emptied out, I will be trying to sell it. It would be nice to still have something left to sell.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Clcare;1941777 said:


> How long has anyone been able to get a steel container to last? Without any plywood. I would like to get at least five years out of one. Is this a pipe dream?


I think you'll be fine, just wash it out at the end of the season and make sure it's painted really well.


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## JimMarshall (Jan 25, 2013)

I've got a big bin built inside with concrete blocks. It works well.


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## Brooks L (Jul 28, 2013)

*Salt loading Question*

Any advise would be welcomed.
I am the Facility Director of a large church in the Kansas City area. We have 5 plow trucks and a Bobcat to help clear our 9 acres of parking lot and 38K FT of sidewalks. Volunteers come in to drive the trucks.

We use a Hiniker V spreader and buy salt (70 tons) bulk, storing it in an outside open (covering with tarps) salt containment.

QUESTIONS In the past, we have tried to avoid loading our spreader until we were ready to spread. I was talking to a commercial guy, and he said they load their trucks the night before and park them inside a headed garage. I had the impression that the salt would "set up hard" if we did that, he said he has no trouble keeping his salt loose.

Do others do this also? We keep our trucks inside if snow is forcasted and it would sure be easier for us to preload our salt in the spreader.

Any advise?


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

I ALWAYS preload my salt the day before the storm. I too have been told/warned against doing that as it may FREEZE up. My salt is stored in a shipping container and loaded before hand, so it goes into my spreader dry. I then tarp my spreader, so it stays dry. I think as long as you do that, it won't freeze.


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

Brooks L;1965396 said:


> Any advise would be welcomed.
> I am the Facility Director of a large church in the Kansas City area. We have 5 plow trucks and a Bobcat to help clear our 9 acres of parking lot and 38K FT of sidewalks. Volunteers come in to drive the trucks.
> 
> We use a Hiniker V spreader and buy salt (70 tons) bulk, storing it in an outside open (covering with tarps) salt containment.
> ...


Preloaded in a Heated garage is ok.....

I don't care what anybody says....I would Never preload and leave outside Tarped..Not Tarped...whatever...You are just asking for issues.....

What do I know.....I have only spread in excess of 700- 800 Tons so far this winter..


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Defcon 5;1965413 said:


> Preloaded in a Heated garage is ok.....
> 
> I don't care what anybody says....I would Never preload and leave outside Tarped..Not Tarped...whatever...You are just asking for issues.....
> 
> What do I know.....I have only spread in excess of 700- 800 Tons so far this winter..


Preloaded 24+ hrs in advance, NEVER parked inside, (sits in my driveway) on my 3rd winter running bulk salt and NEVER one problem with frozen load. If it was going to do it, it would definitely have happened last winter. One of the coldest, snowiest since I've lived in KC. If you keep it dry, it CAN'T freeze. It's the moisture in the load that ices up.


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## Defcon 5 (Mar 20, 2014)

derekslawncare;1965436 said:


> Preloaded 24+ hrs in advance, NEVER parked inside, (sits in my driveway) on my 3rd winter running bulk salt and NEVER one problem with frozen load. If it was going to do it, it would definitely have happened last winter. One of the coldest, snowiest since I've lived in KC. If you keep it dry, it CAN'T freeze. It's the moisture in the load that ices up.


I have been in this Business for 30+ years.....I know all aboot moisture and salt....I will say again....I would NEVER preload and leave outside....

You do whats best for you........


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Will do, thanks.


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

If you keep it loaded & covered in a heated garage, what's the average temperature you like to keep it at?


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## Brooks L (Jul 28, 2013)

Ok, thanks for the quick replies. 
We always get our trucks inside before the snows so our volunteers don't have to clean off the trucks. 
Our salt bin is outside covered with heavy tarps. We load with out bobcat
. 
So it looks like if we load up about 2 tons in our spreader, and then parked INSIDE our heated garage, we should be ok for maybe up to 24 hours ? 

Derek, we are First Baptist Raytown.
Thank you


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Brooks L;1965464 said:


> Ok, thanks for the quick replies.
> We always get our trucks inside before the snows so our volunteers don't have to clean off the trucks.
> Our salt bin is outside covered with heavy tarps. We load with out bobcat
> .
> ...


Cool. Eagle Heights Baptist Church on N. Brighton is one of my customers. As a matter of fact, that is currently where my salt container "lives" until my wife and I get our new place in Liberty, where I will then have land to expand on.


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## Mustang (Feb 20, 2004)

For those that store their salt in shipping containers- do you ever have any issues with salt freezing to any extent in the containers? Sometimes our salt is somewhat wet when we get it. If we put it into a container like that and it gets cold enough could we have any issues with the outer edges of the stored salt possibly freezing?


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## Derek'sDumpstersInc (Jul 13, 2014)

Mustang;1966231 said:


> For those that store their salt in shipping containers- do you ever have any issues with salt freezing to any extent in the containers? Sometimes our salt is somewhat wet when we get it. If we put it into a container like that and it gets cold enough could we have any issues with the outer edges of the stored salt possibly freezing?


This is my first year working with salt in a container. I specifically ordered my delivery for a day that was forecasted no rain so I could get it loaded dry. I don't know who your vendor is, but it should be dry when it comes out of their truck. I don't know that I would accept a wet load as it will have dissolved in their truck somewhat and also be heavier as well. Since you are buying by the ton, you are paying for water weight. Also, lots of people have complained about their salt freezing in their spreaders and so yes, I would think that wet salt going into a container would be asking for trouble. I wouldn't do it. I think I would try to leave it out of the container and rotate the pile every couple hours with my loader in the sun to try to dry it out before it went into the container (if your weather would allow). Again though, since you are paying by weight, I would have a REAL issue accepting a wet load in the first place. This is also another reason I preload before the storm, I don't want to be tracking water/snow into my container on my skid tires. I paid extra for a good container with no damage and good door seals so that I new my investment would stay dry inside. Kinda defeats the purpose if you are tracking snow into it or have the doors wide open with rain and snow blowing into it.


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