Welded wire mesh was once the go-to material for forming concrete slabs and reinforcements, but some builders have recently opted for the fiber variety. Though developers may cut costs by opting for synthetic mesh, there are a few things to consider before making the switch.
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Read on to learn about the potential drawbacks of fiber cloth and why traditional welded steel mesh may be the best choice.
What to Consider Before Using Fiber Mesh
One of the main reasons mesh is used for concrete slabs is to prevent surface cracking. Though fiber cuts down on the number of breaks, it doesn't eliminate them entirely. Not only that, but when cracks appear, fiber mesh often lacks the strength to stop them from spreading.
So, while synthetic mesh may be more affordable upfront, builders could end up paying more for repairs down the road. Homebuyers and commercial real estate investors are often on the lookout for flaws, and cracks on a new build can stick out like a sore thumb.
Another thing to consider is that fiber mesh doesn't do as good a job preventing differential settlement. Seeing as a level foundation is vital, and fixing it isn't always a simple process, this is a major concern.
Welded Wire Mesh for Concrete Reinforcing
Created by heating intersecting metal wires with an electric current, welded wire mesh boasts impressive rigidity. It's also resistant to abrasion, rust, corrosion, and extreme temperatures.
These characteristics make welded stainless steel cloth ideal for concrete reinforcing, a process that relies on exceptional strength and inflexibility. The durable alloy also helps ensure foundational evenness.
Do Concrete Slabs Really Need Welded Wire Mesh?
There's no one-size-fits-all way to construct houses and buildings. The choice of materials often depends on various factors, like availability, budgeting, and whether substantial settling is common in the area.
All that said, welded reinforcement concrete mesh remains the gold standard for construction. The heavy-duty product is incredibly sturdy, resilient, long-lasting, and versatile.
Minor cracks and slight foundational settling are often to be expected, even with new builds. Still, too many imperfections can signify poor workmanship and lead to prospective buyers feeling dubious about the structural integrity.
Ensuring Crack-Free Concrete
Choosing welded metal mesh over fiber is the best defense against cracks in concrete slabs. However, as with all structural projects, the material can't do its job if it's not installed correctly. Proper installation ensures the maximum level of strength is applied, which keeps breaks at a minimum.
For more insight into this topic, see our Guide to Wire Mesh for Construction & Building.
Metal Wire Mesh Products for Construction & Building
As one of the top wire mesh suppliers in the world, TWP Inc. is a premier resource for critical construction and building materials. When you shop our inventory, you'll find T-304 and T-316 welded stainless steel mesh with various gauges, opening sizes, and mesh counts.
We also offer expert in-house services, including laser cutting, disc stamping and sizing, roll slitting, and ultrasonic cleaning. If you don't see the specification you're looking for, we're happy to accommodate custom orders. Request a free quote to get started!
For more news and insight into how metal cloth is used in your industry, connect with TWP Inc. on LinkedIn.
So, you have a concrete slab you want to build, and you’re not sure of the size of steel mesh you need to make sure it remains solid for years to come.
It’s a fair assumption that you’re a seasoned DIYer or home builder, and you’re not prepared to fork out for a civil engineer to tell you what rebar mesh size you need. Fair enough – but we must state here that it’s probably a good idea to get professional advice from a qualified engineer if you’re building anything more than a concrete slab base for your small garden shed, just so that you’re not having to repair or replace in 12 months’ time.
So, what size steel mesh for concrete slab?
Getting down to it, you have a range of mesh sizes available for this.
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You’ve got your D49 ‘wrapping’ concrete mesh, which is primarily for screed reinforcement due to its lightweight (100mm x 100mm aperture) construction.
There’s A142 rebar mesh, which is the lightest gauge ‘A’ spec concrete reinforcement mesh you can get, with 6mm steel rebar and 200mm x 200mm apertures.
(Check prices and order A142 Mesh here)
There's the slighter larger diameter A193 reinforcing mesh, which uses 7mm bar steel.
(Check prices and order A193 Mesh here)
And then you’ve got A252 and A393 rebar mesh. Both of these higher spec meshes are for medium usage, in single or double layers (using rebar spacers), for things like driveways and extensions (coupled with rebar cages for footings in some circumstances).
(Check prices and order A252 Mesh here, and order A393 here)
Depending on what you’re building the slab for, you’re going to want to go for different size steel reinforcement mesh. By size, we mean steel rebar diameter, as you can work out the area yourself (we can cut rebar mesh fabric to size for you if required). You may not even need steel reinforcement at all – for very light loadings (such as pathways), properly mixed concrete may well be enough.
For small garden sheds with very light loadings on a concrete slab base, the chances are that you probably don’t need concrete reinforcing mesh at all, if you build it properly of course (with sand and hardcore, compacted).
However, if you are expecting to load your shed's floor slab up with heavy machinery, or you’re building a large-size garden shed, then we’d advise A142 welded rebar mesh as a minimum (potentially with other reinforcing steel if walls will be constructed from brick) for these light use applications.
If you’re planning on building a garage base to store vehicles, then likely the loading on the reinforced concrete slab will be substantial. A single car can easily weigh 1,600Kgs, which is 400kg per corner. This loading, plus additional tools, equipment, and other items stored in the construction could easily be loading your concrete ground floor slab with 4,000Kgs including the walls and roof.
Thus, the minimum spec steel reinforcement mesh you will need is A193. However, you may want to add another layer of mesh reinforcement, properly spaced, or use a higher grade such as A252 fabric mesh to ensure you’re covering yourself with higher than expected loading. That said, in most cases 2 layers of A252 is overkill for the average domestic garage.
A252 mesh used in concrete slabs includes 8mm high tensile steel bars, and each sheet will weigh just over 45Kgs. Whereas A193 is constructed using 7mm rebar, and weighs 32Kgs per sheet. Both come in standard mesh sheet sizes of 2.4m x 4.8m (or we can cut them to size if required).
All that said, we highly advise speaking to a civil engineer about this, to ensure that you are covering all building regulations and eventualities (you may need to carry out soil tests, manage drainage, and so on.).
Before we discuss this, we must reiterate that you should consult with a civil and/or structural engineer before carrying out any work on your construction for the safety and security of the occupants of the building, and the structural reliability of the construction.
Generally speaking, with regards to steel reinforcement, and specifically reinforcement mesh you’ll likely have A252 or A393 spec’d on your construction drawings and schedules for the concrete slab. This will cover most circumstances for dead loading from the structure, as well as the expected live loads the concrete slab will experience (footfall).
A concrete driveway that is expected to experience general use with anything up to large SUV sized vehicles will be fine with a single layer of A193 reinforcement mesh.
If you expect to park larger vehicles, 2-3 vehicles close together, or vehicles laden with excessive weight (such as a loaded Ford Transit van), then it may be prudent to increase the reinforcing mesh to A252.
If the driveway will likely be experiencing high levels of heavy loads then consider increasing this further to 2 layers of A252 reinforcing mesh to cover the expected weight on the concrete slabs. A142 mesh will likely not offer sufficient reinforcing strength for this purpose.
At Reinforcement Products Online, we supply varying mesh sizes, including A142, A193, A252, A393, and even B spec structural mesh (B503, B785, B1131). We stock all mesh types in large quantities (standard and merchant size) ready for immediate dispatch UK-wide. We also provide bespoke cutting and bending of rebar, and prefabrication of rebar cages, columns, walls and ground beams. Avoid the middlemen, and order direct from one of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers.
Disclaimer: The advice included in this article is meant to be used in accompaniment with consultation with qualified civil engineers. Use at your own risk. Reinforcement Products Online and its parent company shall not be liable for any issues arising as a result of information contained in the text.
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