What Can You Put on an Icy Aggregate Driveway?

Rock Salt

• Rock salt is an inexpensive method most homeowners can afford, and it's sold in bulk at many home improvement centers and retail and hardware stores, making it available in most neighborhoods. In order for the salt to make the biggest difference and melt away ice naturally in the shortest time, be sure to shovel snow away before apply generous amounts of the salt to the ice (bonus tip: rubbing the shovel’s edge with car wax will prevent snow buildup on the shovel and make clearing snow easier). Once scattering the salt, allow it to rest in order for it to melt the ice. It will still melt the ice if it’s covered with snow after you apply it.

Chloride Chemicals

• Chemical agents are another option should rock salt not be desired. Three common types of chloride chemical deicing products are calcium, magnesium and potassium, with magnesium chloride being the preferred choice for home and property owners who want to cause as little damage as possible to lawns or plants near the driveway, underneath the snow. Magnesium releases the least amount of chloride of these options, and works especially well in zero to below-zero temperatures.

Heat

• Not chemically invasive but rather time consuming, applying direct heat to the iced area will melt the ice but may in some cases burn the driveway underneath, so caution must be exercised. Handheld propane torches are one such method of applying heat; simply follow the instructions to ignite the burner, and make several passes with the flame over large ice deposits to melt the ice completely, or enough to loosen the ice for removal with your hands or shovel. To prevent burning, never hold the torch directly over an area very long, since these torches burn very hot.

Hammering

• When all else isn’t readily available, some old-fashioned elbow grease will have to do. Hammering away at large ice sheets may serve to either bust up the ice for removal, or be enough to create divots that will add traction for walking and driving. This should be done only for large ice deposits on the driveway, since hammering over thin sheets may crack or dislodge some of the aggregate underneath the ice.