Does salt damage concrete sidewalks?
De-icers can speed up surface scaling on concrete, mostly by adding freeze-thaw cycles, and the risk is highest on concrete less than a year old. The concrete industry's guidance is not to use de-icing salts in the first year after concrete is placed, and never to use ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate on concrete at all.
Well-built, air-entrained concrete that has cured properly handles normal de-icer use much better than new or poorly finished slabs. If you poured new walks this year, tell your contractor before the season. Clean sand for traction is the usual answer on those surfaces for the first winter.
Sealing concrete and using only as much material as the conditions need both reduce the damage.
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From JRW Services LLC, commercial snow and ice management across Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Morris and Warren counties, NJ. All answers
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