How Three Calcium Chloride Ice Melt Products Compare

Preparation for Dust Suppressant Application

There are many benefits to treating unpaved roads, construction sites, quarries, etc. with a dust suppressant. They help to keep these areas safe for people, animals, and vehicles. By preparing the roadway surface properly, you help to maximize how effective your dust suppression process will be. Make sure that any unstable ground is properly repaired ahead of time. Despite magnesium and calcium products acting as stabilizers, they won’t be as effective in poor road conditions.

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You should also ensure that all surfaces have been properly drained before using these products. This helps to avoid the ground from softening and potentially developing a pothole. Ideally, the gravel will have a large percentage of fine material to improve the binding process.

How to Make Liquid Calcium Chloride for Dust Control

To make the liquid mixture, measure 42 ounces of anhydrous calcium chloride(in,vi,ar) pellets into a plastic bowl and transfer them to an empty 1-gallon jug with a funnel. Then, fill the plastic container roughly halfway with tap water, being careful not to spill the contents in the process. Swirl the container in a circular motion until the pellets have fully dissolved, a process that could take several minutes. Fill the gallon container to full capacity and tightly put on the cap and turn the jug over three times to fully mix the contents. Make sure to clearly label the containers. 

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How Do You Apply Calcium Chloride for Dust Control?

You can add calcium chloride to the surface of a road during or after blading and shaping at any time throughout the year. For best results, apply the calcium chloride in the spring when the road still has some moisture from the rains. In terms of maintenance, you should add new aggregate and fines while blending and shaping the road surface into the proper crown. In most cases, a straight-line crown of 0.5 inches per foot is the most satisfactory. Make sure that the borrow ditches are shaped for good drainage as standing water could result in potholes or road base failures. 

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You can use ordinary lime drill spreaders, tailgate spreaders, or basic disc spreaders when applying the flakes or pellets. If you’re using liquid calcium chloride, you should use tanker trucks with spray bars. Whatever the equipment that you use, make sure that you clean it afterwards to prevent residue from accumulating. 

In terms of how much calcium chloride to distribute, most manufacturers recommend application rates from 1-1.5 pounds of flake per square yard for newly treated roads or 0.5 to 1 pound per square yard for roads that were previously treated. 

How Long Does Calcium Chloride Last for Dust Control?

If you’re putting in the work to treat roads with calcium chloride, you want to know what it will last. In most cases, the majority of customers find that one application will last throughout the year. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind. If you have applied calcium chloride to high-traffic areas, it could take two or more applications annually. When there are more vehicles on the road, it crushes the base and can cause more dust.

Weather is another factor to consider when it comes to the longevity of using calcium chloride for dust control. In the summer, there is likely less rain which can result in the efficacy of the calcium chloride diminishing over time. When it rains, this can help reactivate the solution. When you properly prepare the road for the application, it can help reinvigorate your calcium chloride and settle the dust for longer. 

Calcium Chloride vs Magnesium Chloride for Dust Control

You might be wondering about calcium chloride vs. magnesium chloride for dust control. Similar to calcium chloride, magnesium chloride helps to attract moisture and resists evaporation to help control the dust on roads that are unpaved. One distinction is that at temperatures above 71 degrees Fahrenheit and humidities below 31 percent, magnesium chloride starts to lose its capabilities where calcium chloride remains effective. The price between products is about equal, however, you’ll only need to use half the amount of calcium chloride compared with magnesium chloride.

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