# How much will a 50lb bag cover?



## ChevKid03

Quick question guys. I am going to need to pick up a tailgate spreader this year and need to bid a few very small parking lots. Can someone here give me a rough idea and I mean very rough as to how much of an area a 50lb bag of salt/ice melt goes? It will be put down not light but not heavy either. Thanks for your help in advance!


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## hydro_37

Do a "search" or read all the other posts about "coverage"
It varies alot


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## ChevKid03

thanks. I was wondering what to type in the search.....


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## ScottPA

An average of 750 Sqft...Got that info from SIMA..might be a good idea to join.


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## ChevKid03

Thank you! Gonna check it out right now.


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## basher

ScottPA;859836 said:


> An average of 750 Sqft...Got that info from *SIMA..might be a good idea to join*.




That's a little heavy don't you think? That is almost 3000lbs an acre.

Consider this: 300 lbs per lane mile (10' X 5280') of salt is generally accepted as the starting point in most situations. That is over an acre of surface area

"The Park Maintenance Division of the U.S. Department of Interior considers the maximum safe application per season to be one-half pound of salt per square yard,"

*here is canada's handbook*

http://www.ec.gc.ca/nopp/roadsalt/cop/pdf/1774_EngBook_00.pdf

*Here are a couple of application tables*

http://www.clrp.cornell.edu/techassistance/CALIBRATION CHART.pdf

http://knowledge.fhwa.dot.gov/cops/hcx.nsf/All+Documents/FEAE245FF1FDD25F85256FF60045520B/$FILE/salt%20application%20rate%20chart%20-%20MnDOT.pdf

*Here is a whole bunch of info on ice melts*
http://www.usroads.com/journals/p/rmj/9712/rm971202.htm

http://www.meltsnow.com/state-of-the-salt0901.htm


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## cretebaby

basher;860161 said:


> "The Park Maintenance Division of the U.S. Department of Interior considers the maximum safe application per season to be one-half pound of salt per square yard,"


We can spread that much in one ice storm.


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## basher

cretebaby;860163 said:


> We can spread that much in one ice storm.


Yeah me too,  but look at the state road tables, they are well below the earlier posters suggested 3K lbs @acre.


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## cretebaby

basher;860167 said:


> they are well below the earlier posters suggested 3K lbs @acre.


Another fine example of bad math on plowsite.

300# per lane mile is pretty light for a parking lot though.


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## basher

cretebaby;860174 said:


> Another fine example of bad math on plowsite.
> 
> 300# per lane mile is pretty light for a parking lot though.


Note I said starting point. It's a good rate for anti ice applications on daytime active roadways where the suns heat (it helps even if you can not see it) tire heat and friction help the cause. One of the things that the dual control electric spreaders have brought to the market, the ability to change application rates while spreading. Once I start spreading my hand rarely leaves the auger (material feed) control, feed rates change from practically nothing (-100 [email protected]) at the bottom of a south face to heavy (7/[email protected]) on a tree covered north face hill.

Check the application guides I enclosed they are very informative.


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## Neige

The smart about salt program states you only need 15 - 25 grams to melt 1 sq. yard of ice. (thats .033 to .055 pounds) thats just over 250 lbs per acre.


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## basher

Neige;860208 said:


> The smart about salt program states you only need 15 - 25 grams to melt 1 sq. yard of ice. (thats .033 to .055 pounds) thats just over 250 lbs per acre.


At that rate 50lbs (the OP's question) will cover 8800 sq ft. 
an acre is approx 43,560 sq ft 
a mile of road (10' lane) is 52800sq ft


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## JohnnyRoyale

And how do you feel about that statement Paul? You going to Get Smart About Salt this year??


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## ScottPA

Hmm well I pulled that info right off SIMA site..

"50# bag will cover an average of 750sq ft"

but i just noticed thats the coverage for a walkway.


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## WeDoSnowplowing

Depends how thick the customer want it. Wal Mart normal store lot about Western Poly hopper has 8 cu. ft. capacity 
12V DC motor mounted inside a sealed housing in the hopper for corrosion protection Powder coated steel auger and agitator 
Choose fixed-mount, dual swing-away mount or Class IV receiver hitch mount 3 times filling it for a light coat.

Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar | Hurricane Center


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## Wayne Volz

*Variables in the event make the science of spreading difficult.*

This debate can and will go forever.

Recipe for success = Look at the label of the product you are spreading, add experience from your gut, look at the current conditions that you are making the application in, and there is the right answer.

Day or night, traffic flow or not, temperature, moisture content of the snow, and many more variables are all contributing factors to your rate of application. That's what makes our industry so exciting. Science is applicable and a great starting point for rates of applications, but storm variables and our own experience gets us to what we think is the right rate. Reality is how many of us are using calibrated equipment that tells us the exact amount applied to the areas being treated? Answer - Very few of us.


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## ScottPA

Wayne Volz;860583 said:


> This debate can and will go forever.
> 
> Recipe for success = Look at the label of the product you are spreading, add experience from your gut, look at the current conditions that you are making the application in, and there is the right answer.
> 
> Day or night, traffic flow or not, temperature, moisture content of the snow, and many more variables are all contributing factors to your rate of application. That's what makes our industry so exciting. Science is applicable and a great starting point for rates of applications, but storm variables and our own experience gets us to what we think is the right rate. Reality is how many of us are using calibrated equipment that tells us the exact amount applied to the areas being treated? Answer - Very few of us.


Spoken like a true entrepreneur.


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## Neige

JohnnyRoyale;860219 said:


> And how do you feel about that statement Paul? You going to Get Smart About Salt this year??


Im working on it, flew down this spring to take the course. It was interesting, I really like the idea. On an enviromental standpoint its great.


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## cretebaby

wedosnowplowing;860240 said:


> depends how thick the customer want it. Wal mart normal store lot about western poly hopper has 8 cu. Ft. Capacity
> 12v dc motor mounted inside a sealed housing in the hopper for corrosion protection powder coated steel auger and agitator
> choose fixed-mount, dual swing-away mount or class iv receiver hitch mount 3 times filling it for a light coat.
> 
> weather forecast | weather maps | weather radar | hurricane center


eh?????????????????


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## basher

Wayne Volz;860583 said:


> This debate can and will go forever.
> 
> Good that's how we learn.
> 
> Recipe for success = Look at the label of the product you are spreading, *add experience from your gut*, look at the current conditions that you are making the application in, and there is the right answer.
> 
> The OP has admitted to lacking experience and was asking for advice. If you look at the tables in the links they take a lot more in to consideration then manufacturers suggested application rates. They can save years of experance gathering.
> 
> Day or night, traffic flow or not, temperature, moisture content of the snow, and many more variables are all contributing factors to your rate of application.
> That's what makes our industry so exciting. Science is applicable and a great starting point for rates of applications, but storm variables and our own experience gets us to what we think is the right rate.
> 
> If you look at this guide http://www.clrp.cornell.edu/techassistance/CALIBRATION CHART.pdf they that all that into consideration. while experience is a great thing there are aids to shorten the learning curve and help us all do a better job with better profits.
> 
> Reality is how many of us are using calibrated equipment that tells us the exact amount applied to the areas being treated? Answer - Very few of us.


Those using commercially manufactured liquid applicators all have good calibration. Those running dual control units can quickly learn volume association and control material feed rates. I use a 5 gallon bucket to time volume/time calculations. Saltdogg spreaders are cap0able of moving as much as 2.2 cubic feet per minute meaning at full speed with the gates wide open you will discharge a yard (2000lbs) of material every 12.272 minutes. With today's digital controls, some simple math, an understanding of the equipment and a little experimentation you can do a good job of applying specific volumes. 
Even those with simple hitch mount tail gate an control application rates though load procedures. If a lot requires 250 lbs per application that's all you put in the hopper and control your spread rate to make it cover the entire area.


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## Wayne Volz

*couldn't agree with you more.*

Yes, tailgate spreaders do work very well as far as what goes in, does come out. And yes, liquid applicators are very well calibrated and accurate. And yes again, with concern to opening the gate wide open a spreader will discharge a certain volume in a given amount of time.

However, the one thing you left out as far as distribution is the fact that they are only accurate for any given constant speed. As your ground speed/driving speed changes, the actual amount of material applied per 1,000 square feet or lane mile changes as well.

So in order for any spreader to deliver a specific rate of application per thousand square feet or lane mile the equipment must recalibrate automatically as your ground speed changes. Yes, the technology is out there but not many contractors have that equipment. Many of your municipal trucks do have and utilize that technology and even some manufacturers will have it available very soon at a price point for the average contractor. As for now, most are still making the best educated guess they can make.

Being a user of dual control units myself for many years, I do understand exactly what you are talking about when it comes to accurate estimated rates. Also, using tailgate spreaders, does keep it very accurate because what goes in does come out.

If anyone is interested, Peters chemical has many simple to read and use sheets to assist contractors with "normal" application rates for many different ice melters.


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