[Rod]

Methanol can be used as a co-solvent for chromatography, also one should take care, because it can dissolve silica gel. According to the citation below, a mixture of solvents should contain not more than 10% MeOH.
(http://chem.chem.rochester.edu/~nvd/chromatographynotes.html)

[asya]

Yes, it is true. But when you are forced to use more then 10% MeOH, it is better to take i-PrOH instead of MeOH.
By the way, in many cases i-PrOH is better than MeOH

[none]

if you have to go to a particularly high % methanol or ammonium hydroxide you can often prevent eluting large amounts of silica gel by loading a plug of celite (1/2 to 1/3 volume of Si-gel) at the bottom of the column.

[Rod]

[mtburk]

This never happens if you use columns with frits on the bottom.