# Calcium flake vs. Calcium pellet



## kpmsnow (Sep 18, 2009)

Just curious what the general consensus is regarding Calcium flakes vs. pellets. I have always been a fan of the pellets but I have other company's that all the buy from me or use is flakes. When I asked them why they preferred the flakes all i got out of them was "cus that what they've always used". No one seemed to have a real answer


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## snow game (Sep 28, 2008)

A saleman told me that the flakes won't travel as far as the pellets when they are thrown or dropped from a spreader.


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## SnowMelt2006 (Nov 27, 2006)

How about the real reason:

Flakes are cheaper.

Majority:

Imported Cal Flakes = 77-78%
Dowflake Xtra = 83-87%

Imported Cal Pellets = 80% or 94% (very rarely does anyone import 94% because of it's cost)
Peladow = 90-92%


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

A salesman told me that "Flakes are flatter than pellets, thus they melt more"


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## kpmsnow (Sep 18, 2009)

See I don't necessarily know if I buy that salesman's way of thinking. Pellets have a smaller contact area with the ice, yes. But, by having a smaller contact area that actually allows the pellet to bore its way thru the ice faster. Kinda a which would be easier to push thru a piece of cardboard thing, a needle or a cheese wheel. Thus by its ability to bore thru faster the chemical reaction will happen faster and causing more ice to melt in a shorter period of time. I guess I'd like to see a legitimate controlled experiment comparing calcium pellets with flakes, both having the same calcium percentages and applied at an equal rates.


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## SDeVoe (Mar 26, 2009)

From my experience, pellets seem to work much better than flakes. I have always used pellets, but ran short last year in a storm, so I ran to Home Depot, and all they had was flakes. It seems to take more flakes per area to get the same results as what I am used to from pellets. I also would like to see an a controlled experiment, but I will continue buying pellets, even though they do cost more. The $1.50 difference per bag is definitely worth the cost. Hope that helped.


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