Rebar, Wire Mesh or Fiber in a Concrete Slab
Concrete Foothill Rialto compares rebar, wire mesh and fiber in a concrete slab, three ways of holding concrete together that do different jobs and that contractors argue about.
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The slab as it starts
Illustration
The planned slab (illustration)
Illustration
What reinforcement does
Concrete is strong when it is squeezed and weak when it is pulled. Reinforcement picks up the pulling. It does not stop a crack from starting; it holds the two sides together once one does, so a crack stays tight instead of opening and one side does not drop below the other.
Three kinds
| Type | What it is | Good at | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebar | Round steel bars in a grid | Holding cracks tight under heavy loads | Must sit at mid-depth on chairs |
| Wire mesh | A sheet of thin wires | Light slabs, patios, walks | Often left lying on the base, where it does little |
| Fiber | Short strands mixed into the concrete | Small shrinkage cracks | Does not replace rebar under heavy loads |
Position matters
Reinforcement does its job in the middle of the slab. Rebar or mesh that sits on the base, or that is pushed down by workers' boots during the pour, is too low to help much. Small supports called chairs hold it at height. A quote that says "rebar on chairs at mid-depth" tells you more than one that says only "reinforced".
What it costs
One cost guide gives about $0.75 to $1.50 per square foot for a rebar grid, and on the calculator the rebar grid adds about $1 to $1.50 per square foot to a four-inch slab. Wire mesh and fiber are cheaper. On a 480-square-foot driveway the difference is a few hundred dollars, which is small next to the cost of a failed slab.
Questions for the quote
- What reinforcement goes in: rebar, mesh or fiber?
- What size and spacing?
- Does it sit on chairs at mid-depth?
- Is it tied or lapped at the joints?
- What does the contractor do to keep it from being pushed down during the pour?
Where this leads
- Service page: Concrete Patios — Planning a Rialto patio slab, from the slope to the finish, and what it typically costs.
- Local page: Concrete in Renaissance
- All services and typical prices: Concrete in Rialto
- More illustrated guides: Concrete Guides
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