Welcome to Kingfisher. By clicking “Allow Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and help us personalise our marketing and advertising to suit your requirements. View Privacy Policy.
Rock Salt & Gritting Salt
You're sure to find a de-icer to suit your needs in our range of rock salt. Whether you're looking for bulk quantities such as our 1000kg of Brown De-icing Rock Salt or smaller quantities for domestic use, like our Winter Wizard De-Icer & Hand Held Salt Spreader we've got the de-icing solution for you, here.
What is rock salt?
Rock salt, or Halite, is a mineral derived from sodium chloride. Its chemical formula is NaCl, which is the same as common salt and table salt. It grows in crystal shapes that look like tiny cubes and is usually clear or white. However, it can take on different colours depending on what's mixed in with it.
The salt deposits which rock salt is mined from come from lakes and seas that have dried up, and they can be incredibly deep, sometimes reaching hundreds of meters below the surface.
White or Brown Rock Salt?
White salt is quite clean, as it leaves no residue behind. It typically melts snow and ice faster than brown salt.
Brown salt provides great traction under feet and vehicles, and is cheaper than white salt. However, it leaves sand, dirt and other residue behind which can be treaded into buildings.
Does rock salt kill weeds?
Some gardeners choose to use salt as an environmentally friendly weed killer, as it is a natural option and doesn't harm people or pets. Salt can quickly get rid of weeds and prevent them from growing back, and it's a low-cost and less risky option for herbicides. The great thing is that you can even use salt near crops without worrying about chemicals getting contaminating them.
However, you need to be cautious when using salt on weeds because it can make the soil infertile for years. In history, “salting the earth” was the tactic of destroying farmland by ruining the soil's PH balance by sewing it with salt, which is why some gardeners are against using salt in their gardens. Salt doesn't discriminate, it can kill both the weeds you want to remove and the plants you want to keep.
In short, salt can kill weeds, but you need to be careful to avoid ruining your soil or surrounding plants. Diluting your salt into a spray with a two parts water to one part salt and applying carefully to weeds should help to mitigate accidents.
Where to buy rock salt?
With suppliers across the UK, there is no better place to source rock salt than right here. Our products come directly from the quarry they are mined in, minimising the cost and delivery time. We also supply salt spreaders, grit bins, and other winter accessories.