Monkey Radio
Well-known member
I am planning on rebar 2 ft on center. My question is should I use the mesh. Are there any pro or cons? Is one stronger than the other? The slab is going to be 26x32x4 + two 4x4x6 areas for the lift.
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Rebar VS Wire mesh
- Thread starter Monkey Radio
- Start date
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Good compacted sub base and a rebar cage is great. Think about using fiber mesh also. This will help with early shrinkage cracks. Some guys don't like to use it when slicking out a floor but if you use the stealth (mirco) fibers it doesn't show. Fiber mesh really does help during the hydration of the concrete.
The 6x6x10x10 gage mesh is a pain to install correctly. Most of it lays on the bottom of the slab because the placers have to step on it when pouring. Even if hooking it and pulling it up during the pour, it's still all over the place.
The 6x6x10x10 gage mesh is a pain to install correctly. Most of it lays on the bottom of the slab because the placers have to step on it when pouring. Even if hooking it and pulling it up during the pour, it's still all over the place.
OP
Monkey Radio
Well-known member
DCS INC thank you. I am planning on using fiber mesh. The micro mesh sounds good also. Looks like I will stay with the rebar.
ConCretin
Well-known member
Fibermesh and steel reinforcing (bars or mesh) perform different functions.
Fibermesh helps prevent early age plastic shrinkage cracks long enough to saw cut some control joints but once a crack or cut occurs, fiber doesn't provide and strength.
Rebar and mesh don't do much to prevent cracks but they hold the cracks and/or sawcut joints together. Steel reinforcing doesn't do much to resist loads applied to the slab either - the subgrade does that.
You could use fiber and steel but given a choice, I'd go with steel. If you don't want to risk random cracks, you are going to have to sawcut anyway. Once the sawcuts are in, the benefits of fiber are moot. The steel reinforcing will still hold everything together.
To answer your original question regarding bars or mesh, rebar is the better choice. The extra steel section isn't necessary but the rigidity of the bars themselves will span between supports better ensuring that the reinforcing remains in the center of the slab rather than lying on the bottom.
Fibermesh helps prevent early age plastic shrinkage cracks long enough to saw cut some control joints but once a crack or cut occurs, fiber doesn't provide and strength.
Rebar and mesh don't do much to prevent cracks but they hold the cracks and/or sawcut joints together. Steel reinforcing doesn't do much to resist loads applied to the slab either - the subgrade does that.
You could use fiber and steel but given a choice, I'd go with steel. If you don't want to risk random cracks, you are going to have to sawcut anyway. Once the sawcuts are in, the benefits of fiber are moot. The steel reinforcing will still hold everything together.
To answer your original question regarding bars or mesh, rebar is the better choice. The extra steel section isn't necessary but the rigidity of the bars themselves will span between supports better ensuring that the reinforcing remains in the center of the slab rather than lying on the bottom.
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