# salt storage



## Monroe74 (Oct 13, 2005)

I live in a development i have .5 acres of land and on it I have my house and a pole building to store my landscaping equipment ( no more room with out making neighbor's mad). My problem is I'm thinking about using bulk salt. How do you guys store your salt? what special precautions do I need to take with bulk? does it still flow after it get wet in a v-box during storm? or do i need other things to help keep it dry? Can you buy bulk one truck load at a time at a supplier or do you need to order it a ahead of time. This season alone I've used 6 skids of salt 50lbs bags 49 on a skid i'm tired of opening bags please help.


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## carl b (Dec 28, 2006)

i've gone through 15-20 skids this year.. so i'm changing next year too, but around here the salt suppliers stay open if they see a Storm.. they also gave me their home #.. i 'l be getting it one truck at a time...


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

If you're going to use bulk salt, you will need to plan for a completely seperate place to store it. Untreated salt will destroy anything in or around it - metal, wood and concrete. Prevent any runoff. Look into your state statutes and local ordinances regarding salt storage. There will usually be limits on where and how much you can have on hand at any one time. Here, we have to be concerned with well contamination and runoff to streams and lakes. Salt contains a high amount of moisture so it will clump (freeze). If you keep it in your Vbox, prepare to chip it out. Keep it dry? Buy it bagged - bulk is not dry. Salt naturally absorbs moisture from the air - and anything else. That's why your hands crack when you handle salt - it's pulling the moisture out of your skin.


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## LHK2 (Jan 22, 2007)

We use concrete 2x4x6 blocks and made a bin, and then put a coverall dome cover on it. We use to use a heavy tarp, but it sucks to fold back evertime you need to get into it and then fold it back. You also need a loader of some kind to load. I wouldn't recomend you bring bulk salt into a resi area. As he said in Maine, states and cities have regs on storage of salt and runoff. Although, you can throw down as much salt as you want on a parking lot and let it run off into the sewers. Go figure.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

We load bulk into "supersacks" then we can stack the sacks for storage. Try saying that 5times fast when you've    the moisture is contained, and they can be forklifted into a truck. we use a 3/4 yard bucket @ bag. weighs about a1500lbs. you can fit more in a bag each bag can hold about a yard, but we've found 3/4s about the right weight to carry in a pick-up.


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## mrplowdude (Apr 16, 2005)

Heres how we store our bulk salt. It costs about $1000 to set up bin as seen in pic. As for the V box issue. I bought a fit cover for mine that will fit a 4'x8' spreader opening. It keeps your load dry no matter what the weather conditions. So you won't have the clumping issue. They make different sizes and cost around $100.


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## LHK2 (Jan 22, 2007)

Even with a cover on the salt, it will stay dry from the elements, but when the humidity in the air goes up, the salt starts soaking it up. Then if you have a v-box spreader, you have to clear all the salt out of it otherwise it hardens like a rock and you will be chipping it to get the spreader to work. Also when the temps get cold like 10 or under, you have to use it quick or it freezes to the sides if the spreader.


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## MStine315 (Feb 5, 2005)

Like CRB said, is there a supplier nearby? I think I would pay a little more and let someone else store it for that amount of salt. Around here the suppliers are paying somewhere around $40 a yard (2,500 lbs. +/-) and we're paying around $60 a yard. This might help you do a cost analysis first to see if it's feasible to put in your own bin, vs. buying it bulk as needed.


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## Monroe74 (Oct 13, 2005)

As of right now I haven't found a supplier that will stay open 24 hours when a storm is coming most of the guys around here store their own salt. how/who did you contact to get a supplier like that?


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## Monroe74 (Oct 13, 2005)

basher;379890 said:


> We load bulk into "supersacks" then we can stack the sacks for storage. Try saying that 5times fast when you've    the moisture is contained, and they can be forklifted into a truck. we use a 3/4 yard bucket @ bag. weighs about a1500lbs. you can fit more in a bag each bag can hold about a yard, but we've found 3/4s about the right weight to carry in a pick-up.


what is a supersack? do you have pics?


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## vanwhyjr (Sep 14, 2004)

hey Monroe, where in Pa are you located?


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## rjfetz1 (Dec 2, 2006)

You guys are lucky - here in Avon, CT. I load up as needed and pay $85/100 per ton But I have no choice - no where to store it.


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## cowboysfan (Nov 26, 2006)

mrplowdude;379938 said:


> Heres how we store our bulk salt. It costs about $1000 to set up bin as seen in pic. As for the V box issue. I bought a fit cover for mine that will fit a 4'x8' spreader opening. It keeps your load dry no matter what the weather conditions. So you won't have the clumping issue. They make different sizes and cost around $100.


How do u have it secured down?


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## columbiaplower (Feb 16, 2000)

I have a buddy who uses sea containers, can drive a bobcat right inside......works well.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

columbiaplower;382545 said:


> I have a buddy who uses sea containers, can drive a bobcat right inside......works well.


We tried that one time. it was a pain to load the container and the ramp in and out was a constant problem. Worked well for keeping the material contained and dry. Am considering another attempt. do you have pics of what he did for an entrance ramp?


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## Monroe74 (Oct 13, 2005)

I live in York conty, PA


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## emeraldgreen (Sep 17, 2004)

Plowdude,
How much salt can you store in your set-up? I have just been awarded a Wal-Mart bid for next season, and will be going to bulk.
Thanks,
Bob


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## mrplowdude (Apr 16, 2005)

Mines 20' long and I can hold about 30-35 tons. My friend has the same thing only 24' long and can hold over 40. I tied it down to the blocks with really big zip ties and 6 rachets. You can see one orange one in the pic above.


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## Dakotakid (Dec 14, 2007)

*Nice storage*

What are the dimensions of your storage , number of blocks wide and deep, where did you get the arch cover.


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## kandklandscape0 (Sep 9, 2007)

for our box spreader we just cut out of our pond liner a cover, works just fine prob around $50???


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## snowconcepts (Dec 29, 2004)

Here is a picture of our salt bin


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## WingPlow (Jun 18, 2007)

instead of going to all the trouble of building a shed and complying with the local laws, why not try and find someone in your area who already stores salt in bulk and see if you can go in with them on a delivery, this way you got your salt with none of the hassles


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Here's a pic of ours, it's 30 x 30 and holds around 140-150 tonne. We save about $30/tonne using bulk, so it pays for itself very quickly.


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## Metro Lawn (Nov 20, 2003)

Heres an idea. We use old shipping containers to store it on job sites. It stays dry and secure. We get them for under $1000 and have been using them for 5 years with no issues, not even rust through. They can be painted to match a garage, pole barn, ect.


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

snowconcepts;456122 said:


> Here is a picture of our salt bin


Did you buy or make that roof ? It looks great and looks homemade. Can you give me some info


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## snowconcepts (Dec 29, 2004)

It actually is a green house kit. We have a greenhouse supply company in town and the guy that owns it makes up these kits I think I have around $1000 or so in it. The beams are for a curtain that is going up sometime this winter.


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## Lynden-Jeff (May 21, 2006)

Metro Lawn;456153 said:


> Heres an idea. We use old shipping containers to store it on job sites. It stays dry and secure. We get them for under $1000 and have been using them for 5 years with no issues, not even rust through. They can be painted to match a garage, pole barn, ect.


How do you load them and how full can you get them?

Cheers
Jeff


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## WMHLC (Jul 31, 2005)

We use them too, we load them with a skid steer, and they can hold about 54 tons.



Lynden-Jeff;475376 said:


> How do you load them and how full can you get them?
> 
> Cheers
> Jeff


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