Fiber/Mesh/Rebar

[LuckyRugger]

My barn is currently getting built, and I'm trying to plan the floor. I'm putting 1/2" Pex in my floor over top of 2" of Dow 25PSI foam and 6Mil Poly. My buddy that is going to help me pour my floor said we should use a 6 sack mix with fiber instead of wire mesh. I'm pouring a 5" thick pad for the floor in my barn. I do plan on coating the floor, either epoxy or sealing it and paint.

Any advise would be helpful.

 

[fflintstone]

I am pouring a barn floor in Michigan too. I am trying to decide the same question.
For my floor the cost of the mesh is only slightly less than the addition of the fiber.
Here in mid Michigan the fiber ads about $7 a yard. Since your friend is helping you, and he wants fiber, I would go with fiber. I don’t have the funds for pex or insulation. I don’t want the extra time or effort of cutting and laying the mesh, so I am going with fiber.

 

[51rider]

From what I have read from this forum, fibres will react when acid etching the floor. You will have to allow to grind and or shot etch ready for the epoxy if you go down this route.

Personally I'd go for the mesh rather than the fibres, especially if you do end up putting down an epoxy floor.

 

[FatFenderBowTie]

I just asked the same thing to two different concrete suppliers locally, they both said the fibers (if you are talking about the toothpick style plastic that mixes in to the concrete) is great if you are planning to cover the floor (carpet, tile, hardwood, etc), but if you are planning on using the finished surface exposed, it tends to be rough.

 

[Chestrockwell]

I have fiber in my floor and there is no sign of it at all on the surface. It was definitely visible when the concrete was wet. I have no intention of coating the floor so I haven't tried etching it.

From investigating fiber for my floor I found that it varies in size and length between suppliers.

 

[Bruce4310TX]

If your using the fiber to replace the mesh for strength the fiber serves no purpose other than helping to minimize surface cracking as the crete cures. It provides NO strength to the concrete once it is cured. Use the mesh do some research.

 

[egdede]

If your using the fiber to replace the mesh for strength the fiber serves no purpose other than helping to minimize surface cracking as the crete cures. It provides NO strength to the concrete once it is cured. Use the mesh do some research.

Not true +2

 

[Bruce4310TX]

Not true +2

Fiber was designed to help eliminate shrinkage cracks which it does a good job of, but since it has such a low specific gravity it tends too float near the top of a slab when its poured hence the fuzzy look on most slabs. It does not give enough strength to replace mesh or steel. works good for what it was designed to do its not the Magic replacement that some contractors and concrete plants want you to believe. ITS better to use air-entrained 3500 psi min or even higher psi and put on top of a properly prepared base. All crete shrinks and cracks no matter what you do to prevent it.Poured over a 1000 slabs used everything out there stick with the basics it works.

 

[egdede]

Well, I certainly haven't poured a 1000 slabs, and only disputed the claim that fibers provide "no" strength. I agree it is no substitute for mesh.

 

[Hmrhead]

Just a heads up. If using fiber in the concrete and you are going to coat the slab after curing. After doing the acid wash to etch the concrete and lower the pH you will need to burn off the exposed fibers with a small torch. You would think they would aid in anti slip but they are not strong enough and compress when rolling heavy objects over them causing the coating to fail.

 

[LuckyRugger]

Thanks for the comments, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with wire mesh instead of the fiber for my floor in my pole barn. Since I'm putting pex tubing in the floor, I want to make sure the floor doesn't seperate after it cracks.

 

[popcorn-guy]

In my locale fiber is considered for compression strength, not necessarily for cracking. I wonder if anyone actually knows its' properties, other than making money for the mfg's.

 

[popcorn-guy]

In my locale fiber is considered for compression strength, not necessarily for cracking. I wonder if anyone actually knows its' properties, other than making money for the mfg's.