Is Ice Melt A Safe Option To Use On Your Wooden Deck?

Those having wooden decks or steps are already aware of how treacherous they are when covered in ice. A frozen hardwood deck is, in most situations, even riskier than an icy driveway or path. With winter now in full swing, you’ll want to stock up on ice melt materials. When compared to more salt-free ice melt solutions on the market, traditional ice melt falls short.

Why Do You Need Ice Melt For Your Wooden Deck?

Wood is far more naturally porous as a decking material than equivalent alternatives such as plastic composites or concrete. As water seeps into the wood during the day, it expands overnight as temperatures drop, causing it to fracture, splinter, and buckle. 

The damage is increased with each freeze-thaw cycle as the wood becomes progressively more porous, rendering any sealant you’ve applied useless. As a result, keeping your deck clear of ice throughout the winter is critical to protecting your investment. 

Even a single winter storm can dump enough snow to put elevated decks’ load-bearing capacity in jeopardy. Under the weight of enough snow and ice, a badly maintained deck left unattended over the winter might easily collapse. Another reason to keep your wood deck free of ice and snow is for accessibility.

How Ice Melt Works?

During winter storms or heavy snowfall, ice melt products keep decks from becoming slippery. Ice melts operate by releasing heat into the ice and snow to melt it and prevent it from creating ice crystals! Using any ice melt without first learning about it could end up doing more harm than good to your composite deck. You need to be aware of rock salt, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride dangers also.

Getting The Safe Ice Melt For Your Wooden Deck

Rock salt is the most common option for deicing wood decks, but it has several drawbacks. For starters, metal bolts and supports are virtually usually used to secure hardwood decks. As a result, using a salt-based deicer will cause rust and corrosion of such parts. 

Rock salt dries out wood, interfering with its expansion and corroding the deck. Salt is never advised as a safe ice melt for wood decks due to its effect on the wood. 

The rock salt substance’s jagged edges can cause deep, ugly scratches on the wood’s surface. Other chloride-based ice melts, such as magnesium chloride and calcium chloride, are also available on the market. Magnesium chloride hazards include property and pet damage. Other chlorides are also hazardous.

The best ice melt for your wooden deck is Safe Paw, which is salt-free and eco-friendly ice melt having carbonyl diamide and glycol as main ingredients. It will neither damage your surface nor leave behind a mess. It removes snow from your wooden decks and adds traction also. Unlike salt-based ice melts, it is safe for pets and plants.

Conclusion

With the arrival of harsh winter temperatures, now is the best time to stock up on ice melting products for your wood deck. However, you’ll need to invest in a product that’s both good at melting ice and safe to use on wooden surfaces. As a result, now is the time to upgrade to a more effective, wood-safe, salt-free ice melt. While ensuring everyone’s safety and magnesium chloride dangers were informed to all. Make sure you eat, sleep and study.

Other Ice Melt Products

Gaia Enterprises Inc. delivers 100% pet-safe and environmentally friendly winter products. Safe Paw, our flagship product, is the #1 selling pet-safe ice melt that does not harm pets, safe if ingested, and safe on all types of concrete.