# salt price



## stealthplowing (Dec 21, 2015)

I have been running solar salt from car-gill this year getting it by the pallet for $3.75 a bag. It comes 63-40lb bags a pallet. everybody says a de icing salt or rock salt is a lot cheaper. But everything else i find around here and on line is $6-$12 a bag. the solar salt seems to be working great. I have a Boss vbx8000 and it flows really nice in that. Anybody else run solar salt "water softener" salt?? I talked to Car-gill and they said that it can be used as a de icing salt... just wondering about the above thanks for any input!!


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## MC94XR7 (Nov 24, 2015)

I'm 'scibing to this thread


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

Our rock salt is 6$ 50lb bag here in nj


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## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

*salt*

My 50# bag cost went up from $6.97 to $8.97 this year. That's $100 on a pallet of 50. I raised my price $3/ bag. Around here most of the softener salt is big pellets


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## artisanoutdoors (Nov 8, 2015)

I actually tried some solar salt yesterday for the first time. It works but compared to the ice melt I usually use it is so slow melting. I guess a small benefit to that is it does stay on the ground for a long time. I will be sticking with my thawmaster most likely.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

stealthplowing;2085259 said:


> I have been running solar salt from car-gill this year getting it by the pallet for $3.75 a bag. It comes 63-40lb bags a pallet. everybody says a de icing salt or rock salt is a lot cheaper. But everything else i find around here and on line is $6-$12 a bag. the solar salt seems to be working great. I have a Boss vbx8000 and it flows really nice in that. Anybody else run solar salt "water softener" salt?? I talked to Car-gill and they said that it can be used as a de icing salt... just wondering about the above thanks for any input!!


I knew a guy who bought up the entire stock at a Lowes a few years ago during a "salt shortage" and he said it worked fine and he ran it through a Fisher 1000. Around here regular Morton rock salt is going for around $6.00 / 50lb bag.


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## First Responder (Aug 16, 2012)

We also ran solar salt during the salt shortage few seasons back, as for melting it works just the same as regular rock salt. Depending on temps we would mix some CaCl with the solar salt to make it more effective.


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## spiviter (Oct 31, 2004)

I use solar salt all the time. Better quality then bulk salt put in bags and called ice melt.... I like the smaller crystals ( faster to brine ) and when its too cold I mix 20% calcium with it. I never buy blends.


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## stealthplowing (Dec 21, 2015)

Thanks for the info everybody!!!!


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

stealthplowing;2087032 said:


> Thanks for the info everybody!!!!


So you're pouring bagged salt into a V box? That sounds like it would take forever and be back breaking.


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## stealthplowing (Dec 21, 2015)

yes i am for rite now. i just got into doing the de icing and i don't have an area i can store bulk salt yet. After a slow winter this winter im not sure next year i will either. been slow goin


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

Dang man vbx8000 with bags...
How much salt you putting down in a day/night?


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## stealthplowing (Dec 21, 2015)

To do a days worth is about a hopper full on average. some days i will go through two hoppers worth. can be a pain but all i can do for starters rite now. Was hoping next summer to get a salt bin made but not making a lot of extra money this winter with it being slow.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Is there a place you can buy bulk by the ton? Even with the small amount it has to be cheaper than bags. Plus think about the time you would save from just driving up compared to loading bags. I complain when I have to load 40 for my sidewalk crew!


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## stealthplowing (Dec 21, 2015)

Not around here. There are only three of us with spreaders in the area. thats why i bought mine. was tired of having somebody else do it. only one of em has bulk salt but he wont part with any of it. And the other one only spreads sand.


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## JackofallTrade$ (Jan 27, 2016)

I'm a newbie/lurker but here's my 2 cents. 
I should've taken a picture of the salt sitting on the ice tonight. White solar salt only melts down to 18 degrees. So it's ok but realize it's slower and ineffective in cold situations. 
Water softner salt is the cheap stuff everyone uses so it works. I live where Morton makes a majority of their solar salt so I can get it for $17/ton but I opted for more expensive "Ice Slicer" since its more like an expensive ice melt and melts down to 0 degrees. Also its red so its a little easier to see which is nice. It's $55/ ton. There's a more inconsistent roads salt they sell for $35/ ton. 
Way cheaper than the bags I had been using but it was a 6 hour drive round trip to get this kind specifically.

Its my first year salting a lot and so I'm using snowex push spreaders that hold 150 lbs each. Big bin of the ice slicer in the truck and some buckets get the job done. I wish I had a loader of some kind, but shoveling it out of the back of my dump trailer into the bin in the truck will have to do for now. Lots cheaper than bags like I did the first half the season, about as difficult as wrestling bags.


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## JustJeff (Sep 9, 2009)

JackofallTrade$;2104242 said:


> I'm a newbie/lurker but here's my 2 cents.
> I should've taken a picture of the salt sitting on the ice tonight. White solar salt only melts down to 18 degrees. So it's ok but realize it's slower and ineffective in cold situations.
> Water softner salt is the cheap stuff everyone uses so it works. I live where Morton makes a majority of their solar salt so I can get it for $17/ton but I opted for more expensive "Ice Slicer" since its more like an expensive ice melt and melts down to 0 degrees. Also its red so its a little easier to see which is nice. It's $55/ ton. There's a more inconsistent roads salt they sell for $35/ ton.
> Way cheaper than the bags I had been using but it was a 6 hour drive round trip to get this kind specifically.
> ...


Wait a minute.....You're telling me that you can get salt for 17.00 dollars a ton???? Where exactly do you live?


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## JackofallTrade$ (Jan 27, 2016)

Harleyjeff;2104251 said:


> Wait a minute.....You're telling me that you can get salt for 17.00 dollars a ton???? Where exactly do you live?


Just outside of SALT LAKE City, UT Haha

So much bounty out here in God's country  funny thing is customers still complain about the price.
So I actually ended up getting some different more expensive salt that appears to be better that I started a new thread on since I'm interested what people think.


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## mr.lawn works (Sep 16, 2010)

JackofallTrade$;2104255 said:


> Just outside of SALT LAKE City, UT Haha
> 
> So much bounty out here in God's country  funny thing is customers still complain about the price.
> So I actually ended up getting some different more expensive salt that appears to be better that I started a new thread on since I'm interested what people think.


What's is the thread?


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## JackofallTrade$ (Jan 27, 2016)

mr.lawn works;2105168 said:


> What's is the thread?


http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?p=2104245#post2104245


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## bel-nor (Dec 10, 2009)

Stealth, just stepping up one level to bulk, maybe stored in a old unused garage (concrete floor) near by, and loading with pickle buckets or small tractor will really help. Just a though keeps price down a little less man power.


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## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

*update*



jonniesmooth;2085418 said:


> My 50# bag cost went up from $6.97 to $8.97 this year. That's $100 on a pallet of 50. I raised my price $3/ bag. Around here most of the softener salt is big pellets


My original post was for Home Depot, who switched suppliers this year. The new salt is coated and orange tinted.

My other source in town, has the same product as last year and for $4.99/50# bag.

They are apples to apples the same except for tint. Yesterday I bought a pallet of the old stuff.


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