# Bulk salt in steel pole barn?



## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

Hello, 
I am building a new salt storage bin this season on a different property. Would like to locate the salt bin in the inside corner of an existing 66x126 building. The building is typical wooden "pole type" construction w/ steel siding. My question is: if I just come to the inside of the barn poles and build a 2x8 tongue & groove wall for the salt to rest against, will the salt still 'corrode' my steel siding, even with the 6" air gap between the salt wall & the outside siding? I do NOT want to damage this building, it is not that old & is a very nice structure. I also really don't want to build a separate structure for my salt as the loader will be in the first building already. But if the majority of your opinions are that I will damage my siding, I do have the space for a separate salt building,( this would make my township assessor quit pleased!), just not has handy. Opinions Please! Also, what effects, if any, would this 'open' salt have to the other equipment stored in this shed?
Thanks in advance,
Eric


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## paponte (Oct 28, 2003)

I would have to say it will rust anything in there along with it.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

The problem we have found storing salt in a pole barn is not with the shed but with all the other equipment that gets coated with a salt dust. Your idea of wood is good but you have to be carefull with the loader. My buddy put mafia block inside on the 2 inside corners and it works really well. You could coat the walls with FF before you put the boards or blocks up for extra protection. JMO


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

Fluid film is a great idea JD 

i would think that everything would be fine if you FF and wood lined the building i personaly don't think it would have an affect on the equip in the building, make sure you use stainless steel fasteners to attach the wood to the building, 

we built our salt bin a seperate structure out of poured concrete, but i spent about $10k on it. i would not have done that if i had a building at that location already

i don't think there will be a prob with the salt attacking other equip and here is why, last year we had no choice and put salt in one of our equip sheds, and today there is NO evidence of it ever being there,

i have a friend that is a large turf farmer and we live on the MO river and when he buys fertilizer he sends his trucks to get it but only when the river is up enough to float the barge up it, he may have to take several thousand ton's of nitrate at once so he puts it in his truck building and he has done this for several years, the nitrate sets in the same building as 15 new pete's and milion's of dollars worth of other turf equip. i know salt and nitrate are differ but...... FF what you are worried about


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## yard5864 (Nov 8, 2007)

I did one with a friend of mine in his pole barn. We first painted the steel with a rust preventer paint then put up 1/2" plywood, then roofing tar paper, then the tounge n' groove. The tar paper acts as a moisture barrier, and the plywood was just to hold up the tar paper. 

FF is an awesome idea, wish I would have thought of that.


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## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

Hello again,
Thanks for the replies so far. I actually did not think of FF'ing the walls first, i was thinking paint. Do you think the FF would be a better barrier than paint? Would it eventually dry out? This bin will be used for a long time once constructed. Had a friend suggest having the walls that are concerned 'spray-foam' insulated as a protective barrier. What is your opinions of this, don't need the insulating factor, but it would certainly 'seal' up the steal sheeting & wood building structure. Would you asphalt the floor before or after the 2x8 walls are built? Thanks again, just want to do this once & do it right.
Eric


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

Still think that there will be an issue with the salt dust getting onto everything around the bin.


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

heather lawn spray;438083 said:


> Still think that there will be an issue with the salt dust getting onto everything around the bin.


dust? i thought salt attracted moisture?


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

yea . . .

and when you crush a pebble of rock salt under the wheels of a loader or an edge of a bucket you get [email protected]#$ floating around and landing on steel, when that attracts water Bodda Boom Bodda Bing you get iron oxide in 10 to 20 years


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

heather lawn spray;438122 said:


> yea . . .
> 
> and when you crush a pebble of rock salt under the wheels of a loader or an edge of a bucket you get [email protected]#$ floating around and landing on steel, when that attracts water Bodda Boom Bodda Bing you get iron oxide in 10 to 20 years


oh well now i see

so this pixie dust or salt dust is corrosive after 10-20 years from now huh. How old are the state salt bins by you all because around here they are made of steel and wood and have been here longer than 20 yrs.

I wonder why the concrete pad in front of my salt bin is always damp is it the dust?  also the walls in the salt bin has a kind of "water line" mark about 2" higher than the salt is that the "dust" too?LOL

THERE IS NO DUST even while loading the salters at night with headlights on the loader i have never seen dust in the air

HEATHER LAWN SPRAY: have you ever stored salt in a steel building (i have) or several loads of fertilizer i can show you 2 buildings one of which is mine that has no damage but the salt did'nt touch the steel only wood, i don't want to start a fight i just wondered how credible your opinions are

and even if it rots away the steel it is still cheaper than a stand-alone structure!


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

I'm talkin' Equipment not buildings Does your equipment sleep with the salt?
Noted only one year (previous post)


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

heather lawn spray;438180 said:


> I'm talkin' Equipment not buildings Does your equipment sleep with the salt?


YEP! every year except this one

but what happened to the dust? does it only attack mahine steel and not buildings?


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

heather lawn spray;438180 said:


> I'm talkin' Equipment not buildings Does your equipment sleep with the salt?
> Noted only one year (previous post)


HMMM! notice the differ in the 2 quotes?

yes in previous years we stored the salt indoors and outdoors (under tarp). but mostely outside, so i can answer yes to the Q' above, last year was the longest durration of storing salt indoors with other equip. (over 1 year) but salt has always been kept inside to some degree maybe not very much but at least some (bulk)


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## rblake (Nov 17, 2007)

my first salt bin was inside  a metal pole barn. used tongue and groove pine for the first 2-3 feet. then used 1/2 plywood up to the top. Sprayed the backside of the metal siding with a spray product used for car undercoating. No damage after 5 years. hope that helps.


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## nms0219 (Jan 20, 2007)

if your that worried about corrosion why dont you get the inside of the building line-xed or rhino lined, the stuff they spray truck beds with. I know it can be done because my uncle had his shop floor sprayed.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

powerjoke;438190 said:


> HMMM! notice the differ in the 2 quotes?
> 
> yes in previous years we stored the salt indoors and outdoors (under tarp). but mostely outside, so i can answer yes to the Q' above, last year was the longest durration of storing salt indoors with other equip. (over 1 year) but salt has always been kept inside to some degree maybe not very much but at least some (bulk)


I think it depends on how much salt your using/storm and how much quantity is stored in the barn. By the time you pay for the spray foam and lumber and the other materials, it might be better just to build something on its own like PJ did.


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## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

*JD Dave*

In my situation in the past, I have been using about 2-3 ton per storm on average, and 20-30 ton for the season. I have picked up about 25% more work for this season, so I expect the usage to change a bit also. With that said obviously what I don't get used up, will spend the summer in the 'in the barn' salt bin. So to answer your question, there could be anywhere from 20 ton to 5 ton in the barn year around. If this is still bothersome to you, ( or others) I would like to discuss further. I also store my ag equipment in this building, & I don not want to corrode it! Is the 'dust' that great of a concern? I guess it is dusty when I have to spread back onto my current pile. Would treating the salt w/ magic help keep the dust down? I was thinking of treating my salt this season anyway. I was really trying to avoid building a separate structure, but if I must I must. Is there a link to your structure PJ? Thanks to all again,
Eric


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

BOSS 444;438753 said:


> In my situation in the past, I have been using about 2-3 ton per storm on average, and 20-30 ton for the season. I have picked up about 25% more work for this season, so I expect the usage to change a bit also. With that said obviously what I don't get used up, will spend the summer in the 'in the barn' salt bin. So to answer your question, there could be anywhere from 20 ton to 5 ton in the barn year around. If this is still bothersome to you, ( or others) I would like to discuss further. I also store my ag equipment in this building, & I don not want to corrode it! Is the 'dust' that great of a concern? I guess it is dusty when I have to spread back onto my current pile. Would treating the salt w/ magic help keep the dust down? I was thinking of treating my salt this season anyway. I was really trying to avoid building a separate structure, but if I must I must. Is there a link to your structure PJ? Thanks to all again,
> Eric


I don't think your going to make that much dust with 20-30 ton, we are using more then that /storm. You have the building so try it out this year and see what you think. It's getting late to do something else anyway. I think Magic Salt would have less dust but your not going to hurt anything trying it this year with either salt. Good Luck with what ever you do.


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

i'll try to link it, but if it don't work just click on my website in my signature and go to winter projects? i think

http://www.crossroadskennelsllc.com/stunzwinter.htm

let me know if the link works


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## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

PJ, the link worked fine, thanks. What are the dimensions of your salt bin? What will it hold? It looks bomb proof. How many times will you fill it in a season? 
Dave, that much work would be nice, ice melting in my local area has just started to pick-up. In the last several years, it has worked its way from, "only when absolutely necessary", to, "well, its pretty nice having a wet black parking lot when we get to work" People are becoming accustom to the convenience of a melted lot. How much salt do you keep on hand and, & how many times do you have to 're-fill'.
Thanks to both for the insight.
Eric


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## heather lawn spray (Mar 11, 2003)

BOSS 444;439670 said:


> PJ, the link worked fine, thanks. What are the dimensions of your salt bin? What will it hold? It looks bomb proof. How many times will you fill it in a season?
> Dave, that much work would be nice, ice melting in my local area has just started to pick-up. In the last several years, it has worked its way from, "only when absolutely necessary", to, "well, its pretty nice having a wet black parking lot when we get to work" People are becoming accustom to the convenience of a melted lot. How much salt do you keep on hand and, & how many times do you have to 're-fill'.
> Thanks to both for the insight.
> Eric


Eric,

had to smile

for years around here the best done lots were 'wet black when they got to work'

environmentally things are turning around 'less is better'

every fad goes in cycles 

Ross


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

the size is 10'X20' with 8' side's it'll hold about 40 ton and this year i bought 80 so i will reload one more time,? maybe none if we don't get away from this 60degree freakin weather LOL 

i had a foundation company that we dig for build it but they screwed up a litle i told them 10X20 and they made the OUTSIDE 10X20 with 8" walls so my loader has about 3" to clear, you chould be able to call any foundation company in your area and they will give you a "per foot" price but just make sure you put pileaster's (sp?) so you dont shove the wall off the footing

the biggest prob is loading the bin, idealy the truck will back half way in and hike the bed and shoot most of it towards the back and take the loader and clean the pad up.....but since it's only about 8'6" wide it takes a heck of a driver to even get any where inside the bin,

so to solve this i am extending the pad a little and putting wing walls on the bin so the salt wont spill off the pad while dumping ?

sorry for the long post


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

powerjoke;439379 said:


> i'll try to link it, but if it don't work just click on my website in my signature and go to winter projects? i think
> 
> http://www.crossroadskennelsllc.com/stunzwinter.htm
> 
> let me know if the link works


Very nice looking bin. Very!


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

heather lawn spray;438083 said:


> Still think that there will be an issue with the salt dust getting onto everything around the bin.




Yea, you should've seen the dust flying around today while loading the in it was almost a DNR Clean Air Act problem LOL

BOSS 444 & IMAGE : this is what i was talking about it being too narrow he trailer has no room for error, and this is why i think wing walls would help the problem


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Here's what both of mine look like. I was too cheap to put up poured walls. They are 30 x30 with 6 ft walls.


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

WOW these are some nice salt bins! (my life must suck when im complementing peoples salt bins). JD how much can yours hold.We just built a 24x20 with mafia blocks and after using it for a couple of weeks i cannot belive i didnt do this 10years ago. Im already wanting it bigger cos it only hold 50 tons and we are using 20 -25 tons a night.

On another note(sorry to bring this back up)I talked to a guy about 4 years back who had 40' shipping containers taken to his mall sites and they would fill it with salt and leave just enough space at the door to pull a bobcat in. He though it would help having salt onsite and keep the machine from the elements and being stolen. Well i dont realy know how the salt works or doesnt work but the machine rusted up real good after the first season and the floor fell out of the shipping container.


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## powerjoke (Nov 13, 2004)

Superior L & L;455207 said:


> WOW these are some nice salt bins! (my life must suck when im complementing peoples salt bins). JD how much can yours hold.We just built a 24x20 with mafia blocks and after using it for a couple of weeks i cannot belive i didnt do this 10years ago. Im already wanting it bigger cos it only hold 50 tons and we are using 20 -25 tons a night.
> 
> On another note(sorry to bring this back up)I talked to a guy about 4 years back who had 40' shipping containers taken to his mall sites and they would fill it with salt and leave just enough space at the door to pull a bobcat in. He though it would help having salt onsite and keep the machine from the elements and being stolen. Well i dont realy know how the salt works or doesnt work but the machine rusted up real good after the first season and the floor fell out of the shipping container.


LOL shoud've Fluid Film'd it

i wonder if they make containers out of ALUM. ?


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## tom5301 (Jan 30, 2007)

JD How much did your dome cost and how big is it just the canopy part


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## Fin (Dec 3, 2005)

in my opionion the salt dust, over time will affect everything that shares the same environment. It might be cheaper and less hassle to set up a "mafia block" structure with one of those Dome style structures over top. It would be portable and temporary and most importantly just frustrate the tax man.


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## 92XT (Nov 30, 2007)

we use concrete Z-block.Sort of a road median size structure that interlocks when stacking them.Clean look , movable . Local build.mat.yards have or can order. 100 a pc. Dave has it pictured. Sorry


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