Perma-Zyme is a powerful enzyme soil stabilizer. Enzymes are proteins that speed up, slow down, or alter chemical reactions. The enzymes in Perma-Zyme chemically react with soil particles to bind them together into a hard, concrete-like surface. 

Perma-Zyme is safe to use around people, pets, and property. It’s 100% natural, and organic, making it eco-friendly. It’s also non-toxic, non-hazardous, and non-corrosive. That said, do not ingest Perma-Zyme. These enzymes won’t help your digestion, but they will help your soil!

Learn more about what Perma-Zyme is, and see how we make it with green manufacturing.

All projects require one gallon of Perma-Zyme per 160 cubic yards of soil. To help put that into perspective, here’s how much you need to treat areas that are common sizes:

• - One gallon treats a typical driveway.
• - One pail (five gallons) treats one acre of soil.
• - Three pails (15 gallons) treats one mile of two-lane road.

Perma-Zyme is versatile and works with a variety of soils. The soil should contain about 15-80% cohesive fines, which is usually clay. If your soil doesn’t have enough clay, limestone or decomposed granite will also work. 

You can check your soil’s clay content with a simple hand test. First, wet a handful of soil to optimum moisture. (It should be wet enough not to crumble, but not so wet that it’s muddy. Aim for the consistency of Play-Doh.) Roll the soil between your palms to form a long ribbon. If the soil stretches into an elongated shape, it likely has enough clay to work well with Perma-Zyme. If it stays round or breaks, it may have too little clay; you likely need to import limestone or decomposed granite to make your soil compatible. 

It’s also good to have a variety of particle sizes in your soil, as coarse materials help increase the treated area’s shear strength and load-bearing capacity.

Application is a simple, one-time process. The basic steps are: 

1. Rip up the soil. 
2. Apply water, and Perma-Zyme to the soil’s surface to achieve optimum moisture content.
3. Mix the soil and shape the treated area’s surface.
4. Compact the soil in six-inch lifts. This works the particles close together for a strong, lasting bond.
5. Allow 72 hours for the soil to fully cure.

For more detailed information, watch our training videos.

You can apply Perma-Zyme with traditional heavy equipment, or you can substitute equipment you have on hand. Here’s what we typically recommend:

• - 1-3 water trucks OR a water buffalo or feed truck 
• - 1-2 motor graders OR a tractor with grader and ripper attachments
• - Padfoot compactor OR wheelpacking with a full feed truck or front end loader
• - Smooth wheel compactor (no good substitute)
• - Optional: asphalt reclaimer OR jackhammer for recycling existing asphalt

Learn more about how to use this equipment during application and how to make these substitutions.

There is no set dilution rate for Perma-Zyme. You always need one gallon per 160 cubic yards of soil. However, the amount of water you need varies from application to application. 

When applying Perma-Zyme, your soil must reach optimum moisture so it can compact fully. Optimum moisture is when the soil is wet enough to stick to itself, but not so wet that it’s muddy or can’t hold its shape. You can determine your soil’s optimum moisture with a simple hand test. (Learn how in our blog, What Is Optimum Moisture Content?)

Optimum moisture varies by location, conditions, and soil type. You’ll need more water to reach optimum moisture in a hot, dry climate than in a cool, humid one. Since water usage changes from one project to the next, so does the dilution rate.

You can apply Perma-Zyme in as little as one day, or you can apply it over two days. In the latter instance, you would rip up and pre-soak the soil one day to expedite construction the next day. 

Perma-Zyme’s lifespan depends on many factors, including traffic, weather, drainage, and paving. Unpaved surfaces like gravel driveways typically last 10 years or more, while paved areas can last over 20 years.

With our Extra Mile Guarantee, U.S.-based customers can get a full refund on up to three pails of Perma-Zyme over the life of their treated projects, whether that’s one month, one year, or 10 years after application!