Lime Spreaders for Sale: Types, Costs and How to Choose

Lime spreaders for sale fall into four main types: pull-type spinner spreaders, truck-mounted spinner beds, wet-lime or “litter” spreaders with wide beaters, and small three-point or tow-behind units for pasture and hobby farms. Before you buy one, check the cost of hiring the job out: a 2025 Maryland and Delaware survey found an average of $43.41 per ton for lime delivered and spread, according to the University of Maryland custom work charges survey.

This buyer guide compares spreader types, explains what to check on a used machine, shows dated custom rates from extension surveys, and gives you a calculator to see how many tons you must spread each year before owning a spreader beats paying a contractor. It focuses on the machine and the job. For where to source the liming material itself, see our separate guide to ag lime near you.

Lime spreaders for sale: the main types compared

Lime is heavy, dusty and often damp. A spreader built for fertilizer can handle pelleted lime, but bulk ground limestone needs a machine made for it. The table sums up the four types you will see in listings.

1. Pull-type spinner spreaders

Best for: farms of a few hundred acres that want control over timing.

A pull-type unit has a V-shaped hopper, a drag chain or belt floor and twin spinners at the back. The tractor supplies hydraulic power for the floor and spinners. Many newer units add a rate controller that ties floor speed to ground speed, so the rate stays steady when you slow down at headlands. Buy one with a stainless steel or poly hopper, because lime and fertilizer salts rust mild steel fast.

Pros: lower cost than a truck, can also spread fertilizer, you choose the day. Cons: large tractors needed for big units, and you still need a loader and a stockpile site.

2. Truck-mounted spinner beds

Best for: co-ops, custom applicators and very large farms.

Truck beds carry more per load and travel fast between farms. Floatation tyres reduce rutting, but a loaded truck is still heavy. Most farmers meet this machine through a contractor rather than owning one. If you see a used truck spreader for sale, price the truck and the bed separately: an old chassis with a good stainless bed may still need a new engine or tyres.

Pros: speed, capacity, GPS rate control on many units. Cons: highest purchase and insurance cost, road rules on weight, and you need enough acres to keep it busy.

3. Wide-beater and litter spreaders

Best for: wet lime by-products, sugar-beet factory lime, and farms that also spread poultry litter or compost.

Vertical or horizontal beaters break up sticky material that would bridge in a spinner hopper. The spread pattern is often less even than a good spinner, so drive at a set bout width and check the pattern with trays. Note that lime by-products vary a lot in strength and moisture, so test each load source before you set the rate.

Pros: handles awkward materials, often doubles as a manure spreader. Cons: wider pattern errors, more wear parts.

4. Three-point, tow-behind and ATV units

Best for: pastures, hay ground, orchards, vineyards and small acreages.

These small spreaders work best with pelleted or granular lime. The Clemson Extension guide to changing soil pH notes that granular and pelleted lime is less likely to clog fertilizer spreaders. Pelleted lime costs more per ton than bulk ground limestone, so small units make most sense when the area is small.

Pros: low price, easy to tow with a compact tractor or ATV. Cons: small hoppers and narrow spreads mean many trips on large fields.

What lime spreaders and custom spreading cost

New and used spreader prices change by brand, size, region and options, so we do not quote a single figure. Dealer and auction listings are asking or sale prices on a given day, not a market average. The most reliable public numbers are custom rates from extension surveys. They tell you what a contractor charges, which is the price your own machine must beat.

Chart

Custom lime rate, delivered and spread

Survey average, $ per ton including lime and application, Maryland and Delaware

The Maryland and Delaware survey asks contractors for the charge per ton for lime including the material and spreading. In the 2025 survey, answers ran from $8.50 to $75.00 per ton, with a median of $48.70 and an average of $43.41. The survey authors say these are averages of responses, not official rates. In Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin preliminary 2025 custom rate survey reported an average of $22.33 per ton for lime application only, from 11 responses, and $18.91 per acre where the job was priced by the acre.

The two figures measure different things. The Maryland number includes the lime. The Wisconsin number covers the spreading service. Do not compare them as like for like. Ask any contractor which basis they quote.

How custom lime rates have moved

The Maryland survey has run every two years. Its average for lime delivered and spread fell from 2017 to 2021 and then rose sharply in 2023. The 2025 average is lower than 2023 but still near the 2017 level. Use the trend to sense-check quotes, not to forecast them.

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Range of 2025 custom lime rates

$ per ton, lowest and highest survey answers; bases differ

How to choose a lime spreader

Start with the job, not the machine. Work out how many tons of lime you spread in a normal year and how many days you have to do it. Then use these checks.

• Tons per year. Few tons favour a contractor. Many tons spread over a short window favour owning, if you have the labour and tractor time.
• Material. Dry ground limestone, pelleted lime and wet by-products need different floors and spinners.
• Power. Check tractor horsepower and hydraulic flow against the spreader’s needs.
• Rate control. A ground-speed controller keeps the rate steady. GPS variable-rate control is worth it only if you have zone soil maps.
• Hopper material. Stainless steel or poly lasts longer against lime dust and fertilizer salts.
• Ground pressure. Flotation tyres reduce compaction on soft spring fields.
• Dealer support. Chains, spinners and bearings wear. Pick a brand with parts near you.

Checking a used lime spreader

Used spreaders are common because lime eats metal. When you inspect one, look at:

1. The floor chain or belt: stretched links, worn sprockets and a sagging belt mean a rebuild.
2. The hopper: rust-through at the seams of mild-steel bodies.
3. The spinners and fins: bent or worn fins ruin the pattern.
4. The gearbox and hydraulic motors: leaks and noise under load.
5. Tyres and axle: cracked sidewalls and bent spindles from heavy loads.
6. The controller: ask for a demonstration and check that the cables and sensors work.

Ask the seller if the spreader was washed after each season. Lime and fertilizer left in the hopper over winter speed up corrosion.

How much lime will you spread?

Your tons per year decide if owning a spreader makes sense. That number comes from soil tests, not guesswork. Penn State Extension says soil test lime recommendations are usually given as an amount of calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) per acre, and that the actual product needed depends on its CCE, moisture and incorporation depth, in its guide to soil acidity and aglime.

Lime strength: CCE and fineness

CCE compares a material with pure calcium carbonate. Penn State lists pure calcitic limestone at 100%, dolomitic limestone at 109%, hydrated lime at 136% and burnt lime (quicklime) at 179%, while marl and slag are lower. A higher CCE means fewer tons to haul and spread for the same effect.

Fineness controls speed. Penn State says material coarser than 20 mesh reacts very slowly, and a mix with at least 95% passing 20 mesh, 60% passing 60 mesh and 50% passing 100 mesh is generally adequate. Very fine lime is dusty and drifts out of a spinner pattern on windy days, which is one reason pelleted lime suits small spreaders.

Moisture and the spread rate

Lime is sold by weight, water included. Penn State advises adjusting the rate once moisture nears 10% or more, so you put down enough actual liming material. Wet lime also bridges in hoppers, which is why wide-beater spreaders exist.

Rate limits per pass

Very high rates are best split. Penn State says there is generally little advantage in applying more than 8,000 pounds of CCE per acre in one application to farmland, and suggests separating split applications by six months or by tillage. For topdressed hay or pasture, the University of Maryland soil pH and liming rate fact sheet says yearly rates should not exceed 1,500 pounds of oxides per acre. Check your own state’s guide and get advice from a local agronomist.

Chart

Neutralising strength of liming materials

Calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), % of pure calcium carbonate

Own a spreader or hire a contractor?

The calculator below turns a soil test recommendation into tons of product, then compares owning a spreader with paying a custom rate. Enter your own numbers. The defaults are round examples set close to break-even, not benchmarks.

Ownership cost covers depreciation, interest, insurance and shelter for the year. The Manitoba Agriculture farm machinery custom and rental guide builds custom rates from the same parts: ownership cost, repairs, fuel, labour and a margin. Use its method to estimate your own figures if you do not have them.

Try the numbers for your own farm below.

Where to find lime spreaders for sale

There are four common routes. Each has trade-offs.

• Equipment dealers. New and traded-in units, often with set-up, a warranty and parts on the shelf.
• Farm auctions and online auction sites. Lower prices, but you buy as-is. Inspect in person or ask for photos of the floor, spinners and hopper seams.
• Classified listings. Prices are asking prices. Expect to negotiate and to pay for transport.
• Lime suppliers and co-ops. Some rent spreaders to customers who buy their lime, or spread it for a fee. This can be the cheapest route if you only lime every few years.

When you compare prices, note the date of each listing and whether it is a dealer ask, an auction result or a private ask. Auction results tell you what buyers really paid; asking prices tell you what sellers hope for.

Spreading lime well: a field routine

A good machine still gives poor results if it is set up badly. Follow this routine.

1. Soil test first. Purdue Extension’s soil sampling guide suggests at least one composite sample per 20 acres and resampling most fields every four years.
2. Check the label. Read the CCE, fineness and moisture of the lime you buy.
3. Set the rate. Convert the recommendation to product tons with the calculator.
4. Calibrate. Weigh what the spreader puts out over a measured distance and adjust the gate or floor speed.
5. Check the pattern. Lay collection trays across the bout width and set the driving width to match.
6. Time it. Clemson Extension says limestone works best when applied two to three months before planting, so it has time to react.
7. Keep records. Note rates and dates so the next soil test can show what changed.

Avoid spreading on frozen, very wet or windy days. Lime dust can drift onto roads and neighbours. Follow local rules on spreading near water, and check the product label.

▶ How satellite NDVI maps show crop stress across a field before you can see it. · 4:09

Variable-rate lime: soil maps, satellites and drones

Many fields have acid patches and patches that need no lime at all. Grid or zone soil sampling can map those differences. A spreader with a GPS rate controller can then apply a prescription map, putting more lime where pH is low and less where it is fine. The saving depends on how much your field varies.

Satellite crop maps do not measure soil pH. They show where crops grow well or poorly through the season. That can help you decide where to place extra soil samples, and later show if limed zones caught up. The Farmonaut Satellite + AI Farm Monitoring System gives this kind of field-level vegetation map, and developers can pull the same data into their own tools through the API developer documentation.

The original version of this page also covered agricultural drones. Spraying and spreading drones carry far less than a ground spreader, so they suit small areas, steep slopes or wet fields where a tractor cannot go. For bulk lime at field scale, ground spreaders remain the practical choice. Drones are more useful for scouting and mapping. Before you buy one, check the drone rules where you farm, such as the FAA rules in the US or the CAA rules in the UK.

Soil maps for your farm can also come from public data. In the US, the NRCS Web Soil Survey shows soil types and drainage, which affect how fast pH falls and where heavy machines will rut.

▶ Six plain steps to start precision farming, from field maps to satellite monitoring. · 4:18

Owning a spreader: costs beyond the price tag

The purchase price is only part of the bill. Before you buy, list these yearly costs.

• Depreciation and interest. The money tied up in the machine, and what it loses in value each year.
• Repairs. Chains, belts, bearings and spinner fins wear fast with abrasive lime.
• Tractor time. Fuel, tractor wear and labour for every hour you spread.
• Loading. A loader and an operator, or a conveyor, at the stockpile.
• Storage. A dry shed slows rust.
• Insurance. Include the spreader in your farm policy.

For farms with many machines, tracking hours and service across a fleet can help. Our fleet management solutions here describe one approach. Large operations that coordinate field teams may also use tools for large-scale farm management.

Why lime matters for the machine you choose

Lime raises soil pH by neutralising acidity. The University of Maryland fact sheet says most field crops do best at a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5, while legumes such as alfalfa prefer 6.6 to 7.0. Clemson Extension notes that South Carolina soils are often acidic, in the range of pH 4.5 to 6.0, but that this should not be assumed without a test.

Penn State explains that nitrogen fertilizers that supply ammonium, such as urea, and animal manures make soil more acidic over time. That is why liming is a repeat job on many farms, and why the tons you spread over several years, not one season, should drive the buying decision.

US lime production gives a sense of the wider market. The USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 estimate that about 15 million metric tons of quicklime and hydrated lime were produced in the US in 2025. Note that this covers burnt and hydrated lime used mostly in industry; ground agricultural limestone is reported separately as crushed stone.

▶ Seven simple ways to protect soil and water on the farm. · 4:34

FAQ

What is the best lime spreader for a small farm?

For pastures and small fields, a three-point or tow-behind spinner used with pelleted lime is the simplest choice. For bulk ground limestone on larger fields, hiring a contractor with a truck or large pull-type unit is often cheaper. Use the calculator to compare.

Can I spread lime with a fertilizer spreader?

Yes, if the lime is pelleted or granular. Clemson Extension notes these forms are less likely to clog spreaders. Fine bulk lime and wet lime need a machine with a drag-chain floor or beaters. Calibrate for lime, because it flows differently from fertilizer.

How much does it cost to have lime spread?

In the 2025 Maryland and Delaware survey, the average was $43.41 per ton for lime including spreading. In Wisconsin’s preliminary 2025 survey, spreading alone averaged $22.33 per ton. Rates vary widely by region and distance, so get local quotes.

How often should I lime?

Lime when a soil test says pH is below the target for your crop. Purdue suggests resampling most fields every four years, and more often for intensively managed fields such as hay or silage ground.

Is a used lime spreader worth buying?

It can be, if the floor, spinners and hopper are sound. Lime is corrosive, so check seams for rust-through and ask how the machine was cleaned and stored. Budget for a new chain or belt.

Related pages on our site: precision agriculture companies, carbon footprinting tools, product traceability, crop loan and insurance verification and our web and mobile apps.