GritBins And Salt Spreaders

This depends on the area you need to treat and how often you can refill it. As a rough guide, a 200-litre bin suits a small car park or a handful of paths, while 400-600 litre capacities are better for larger yards, estate roads or commercial sites. If you're gritting a wide area, it's often more practical to fit two smaller bins at either end rather than one oversized bin in the middle.

Yes, our grit bins are moulded from high-density polyethylene, which resists cracking, fading and warping even after years left outdoors. The material won't corrode or rust like metal bins can, and the lids are designed to keep rain and snow out so the grit inside stays dry and free-flowing. This UV stability also means the colour won't noticeably fade over time.

Many of our grit bins feature lockable lids, either with a built-in lock or a fitting point for a padlock. This is worth considering for bins in public or shared areas, such as housing estates or commercial car parks, where grit can otherwise disappear quickly. If security isn't a concern, a simple hinged lid without a lock is fine for private gardens or yards.

Smaller bins are generally stable enough to sit freely, but larger or lightweight empty bins can be prone to shifting or tipping in high winds. Most of our bins have fixing points in the base so they can be bolted to a hard-standing or concrete pad if needed. This is particularly worth doing for bins sited near roads, paths or in exposed, windy locations.

A grit bin is simply a storage container — you still need to distribute the grit or salt by hand, usually with a shovel or scoop. A salt spreader, whether a wheeled push model or a handheld broadcast spreader, is designed to spread grit or salt evenly over paths, car parks or roads far more quickly and consistently. For larger areas or frequent use, pairing a bin with a spreader saves considerable time compared with manual spreading.

Rock salt and grit can be stored together in the same bin without issue, and many councils supply a pre-mixed grit-salt blend for exactly this reason. Kept dry in a well-sealed bin, both will store indefinitely without losing effectiveness, as it's moisture ingress and caking — not age — that causes problems. This is why a bin with a tight-fitting, weatherproof lid is essential rather than an open container or sacks left outside.