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Fibermesh Concrete

L+10

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Aug 27, 2006
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Wicomico Church, VA
Anybody familiar with Fibermesh concrete and its use as a pole garage floor without use of reinforcing steel ?

I'm trying to get enough info., experience, and opinions to make a decision on whether to specify rebar and if so how to space it.

Plan at this point is for a 4 inch gravel base, vapor barrier and 4 inch concrete slab - 36' x 28'

Thanks :)
 
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carguy123

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DFW
I used fibermesh concrete in my house. As I understand it you still need rebar. The fibermesh is just supposed to help control all those little movements and cracks.

I believe you use the rebar identically to a foundation w/o the mesh.
 

markzrt1

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Oct 6, 2007
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MN
For my 20x20 slab they did rebar around the perimeter and used fiber concrete.
 
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L+10

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Wicomico Church, VA
After posting this I found a thread with two contributors that believed that fibermesh concrete was ok by itself for slabs and garage floors, both intended to use it but both of them intended to augment it with 6" x 6" mesh!

Of course since this is a pole building, none of the concrete is structural as far as the external walls are concerned. But it does support the weight of the vehicles and I've got long term plans to add a four post lift in one of the three bays.

I hate to waste $$ if the rebar/mesh isn't needed or just to go the the safe side with rebar/mesh because there's no way to make an informed decision
 

kvom

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*******, GA
My driveway and current garage were both poured w/o rebar, and both have cracks. My new shop slab will have both rebar and fiber.
 

kbs2244

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Nov 11, 2006
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I don't do concrete. I hire it out.
But all the fiber floors I have seen done without rebar have cracked in ways that they would not have with rebar.
My personal opnion is that it is snake oil.
 

Kevin54

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Urbana, Ohio
Fiber mesh ain't all it's cracked up to be. The theory behind it is that the 'glass fibers help to bond it together so it does not crack. IT WILL CRACK!!! It does HELP, but it DOES NOT prevent it from cracking. Neither doe the wire mesh, nor does rebar. What does keep or help prevent it from cracking is a combination of everything. Your base material is the largest factor. If it will not move, then the concrete has little chance of moving. Secondly is the consistancy or PSI of the concrete mix. But if you do not have a solid base and it settles, then wire mesh, fiber mesh, or rebar only helps to control what the concrete does. Rebar over everything will help two slabs from creating a step when it does crack. Wire mesh will stretch. Fiber mesh will break.
 
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carguy123

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DFW
The fiber mesh doesn't keep it from cracking at all, it controls the cracking and usually will keep it to small hairline cracks instead of big old gaping cracks. it is more to keep it looking purtier than just plain old concrete.

Once again, it is NOT a substitute for rebar
 

PurdueSD

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Indiana
I agree with the fibermesh=snakeoil sentiment. I put Rebar and reinforced wire mesh in mine. Concrete will generally aways crate from shrinkage/ expansion more than anything. Control joints are meant to control where the crete cracks. The rebar will keep the slab from heaving (uneveness) at the cracks. Welded wire mesh is kind of like fiber (some dont think it is necessary) but i felt better about spending a couple hundred bucks because i would rather not have problems later. I chose not to do fiber and so far (about a year) i have no problems with my slab. Mine is probably overkill, but i sleep better at night...
 

Old Moparz

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Newburgh, NY 12550
I also have a pole building & have the fiber reinforcement, as well as the 6x6 wire fabric (mesh) in my concrete floor. The only rebar I used was at the front of the building where the floor slab meets the exterior apron. I researched what I could, & asked opinions from concrete contractors & a couple of engineers I know before I decided to use the fiber in it, & guess what?

I got mixed opinions just like on this forum. For every person that says it's the greatest thing to use, there is someone else that says it's total **** & that it's a waste of money. For the small increase in price, I thought it was a good idea to use both the fiber & the mesh to try to avoid any serious cracks later on.

My 24' x 36' x 6" thick floor is set on a well compacted, crushed stone subbase, has a vapor barrier, has the weight of 5 cars, two 4 post lifts, & has been in place since 1997. There is only one hairline crack that has been there since about 1999, & that was before the lifts were installed when only 3 cars were inside.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to cracking, like the mix from the concrete plant, the compaction of the subgrade, the amount of crushed stone under the floor, the temperature & weather, the curing time, how long the driver of the truck sat & had coffee on the way to the pour, & other things. Anytime you can use an additional method to avoid cracking, it makes sense to use it.
 

kutza

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Nov 24, 2006
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Location
Yorktown VA
We poured 4k psi fibercrete, and did the rebar in the footers and some points on the floor, and mesh wire in the floor.
I believe the fibercrete helps in making a stonger bond with the concrete, and the mesh will alway help hold in major stress area.
 

ar2stp48

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Feb 20, 2008
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503
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Magnolia, Arkansas
I think that is your smartest choice. I have the fiber mix in garage, shop, and a large storage area. All of it has wire but no rebar and I have had no trouble out of any of the three slabs. One area is home to another of my hobbies--service and repair of old, large, and very heavy safes.
 

Benchloader

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Mar 5, 2006
Messages
116
Location
Louisiana
Have that fiber mesh concrete. Was informed it was the bestest thing ever. The builder used rebar only in the house foundation which is still solid after 17 + years.

Everywhere else the fiber only concrete has big bad cracks. They poured it directly on the clay(got no dirt), no sand or anything for a stablizer. Driveway began cracking 2 weeks after it was poured. It don't really freeze here in Louisiana either, gets a mite frosty once in a great while is all.

I know of concrete as old as I am (50+) that was poured with rebar and still solid, Michigan where it do freeze, & no cracks at all

fwiw
 
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