Anyone who has worked with concrete before has probably heard of rebar. Also known as steel reinforcing bars, these simple yet flexible fixtures have been used as construction support for decades, whether it’s in columns, foundations, walls, paneling, or the like.
Although reinforced steel has been around for a long time, it’s still the undisputed king of reliable materials in structural applications. And there’s a good reason for this.
As one of Idaho’s leading rebar suppliers and rebar fabrication experts, we’re often asked why steel rebar is so important. Not only does rebar make up for concrete’s lack of tensile strength, but it can also improve your building’s stability. Additionally, steel bonds well with concrete and can expand/contract at a similar rate.
Not convinced of the benefits of steel rebar yet? In this post, we’ll walk you through six undeniable advantages of using steel rebar in your projects.
1. Provides Exceptional Support
Have you ever noticed how long concrete beams tend to sag in the middle when they are only supported at each end? This is known as tension stress. Tension stress can adversely affect your concrete structure, resulting in cracks, breaks, and other types of damage.
Because bare concrete is not very ductile, it is prone to rifts and fissures, especially when exposed to different environmental conditions. Moreover, moisture can increase the gaps in the concrete’s aggregates, degrading it over time.
This is exactly where steel rebar comes in.
Installing custom rebar before you pour in the concrete can offer it some much-needed support. Often, multiple steel rebars will connect to form a stable network and help distribute the weight/stress more evenly. As a result, the concrete will be less likely to crack or break.
2. Keeps the Concrete from Being Too Thick
When it comes to concrete, there is such a thing as too thick. For instance, you may want to pour into a place where it’s impossible to dig deep, meaning the slab must be thinner.
The thicker the concrete, the stronger it is. Hence, if you need a thinner slab, you’ll have to strengthen it another way: by using steel rebar.
The rebar creates a robust support system that makes even thinner concrete slabs more resilient. This way, you won’t have to pour the concrete as deep.
With rebar, you can get thinner concrete slabs that are just as strong, talk about a win-win!
3. Is Impact-Resistant
Did you know that an average of 8 buildings collapse worldwide, resulting in 343 deaths annually? That’s a scary statistic right there.
Buildings must be able to protect themselves against catastrophes threatening their integrity. In this regard, multiple frameworks of steel rebar can increase a building’s impact resistance.
While some parts of the structure may fail, the steel rebar’s increased load-bearing capacity and flexibility can add an extra layer of support/protection to the other components.
Unstable buildings can cost you big time. To prevent mishaps, we advise you to source your reinforced steel from a reliable rebar supplier like Concrete Construction Supply! We have been detailing and fabricating large rebar jobs since 2005, making us one of the most trusted rebar supply companies in Idaho, Western Wyoming, and Nevada. With a 100,000-pound steel rebar capacity per day, we can take care of your rebar fabrication needs.
4. Is Easy to Assemble
One of the primary benefits of steel rebar is its ease of assembly. Most steel rebars can be conveniently transported and set up in a single location using different rebar accessories.
Rebar cages are connected by spot welding, rebar ties, or mechanical connections (splices and couplers). If you’re planning to place the rebar yourself, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
- Bend or guard the protruding end of the rebar using colored plastic or ‘mushroom’ caps.
- Be sure to deeply embed the rebar into additional structures to prevent it from being pulled out of the concrete.
- Steel rebar may be susceptible to corrosion when covered improperly, causing the concrete to peel away from the steel. As a rule of thumb, the minimum cover should match the maximum size of the concrete aggregate or the largest reinforcement bar size.
5. Makes Concrete More Durable
It takes careful planning to make your concrete last as long as possible- around 25-30 years or more. By placing your rebar and acing the perfect pour, you can produce a smooth, strong concrete slab for your driveway or patio- one that can easily serve you several years. But for this, you’ll have to take proper care of your concrete.
Need help? At our concrete supply company, we have been dealing with a wide range of concrete building supplies since 1986. Based on our experience, we’ve curated a list of concrete maintenance tips to put you on the right path.
- Clean Regularly: If you want to keep your concrete in shape, you’ll need to clean it. Washing concrete structures can remove dirt and restore it to its former, spotless state.
- Seal Often: Use a concrete sealant occasionally to extend the structure’s lifespan.
- Don’t Exert a Lot of Pressure: Although concrete is incredibly strong, residential pours are ill-equipped to handle the extreme weight. Be careful not to overload your concrete at any time.
- Remove Stains: It’s best to clean stains and spills from concrete as quickly as possible to avoid discoloration and staining.
- Avoid the Wrong Materials: Certain deicers and fertilizers can harm your concrete, so remember to remove any excesses right away.
6. Is Recyclable
Besides being widely available, steel rebar can also be recycled multiple times without compromising its properties. Hence, if you ever decide to demolish an existing structure and build something new, you can reuse the rebar without worries.
But there’s more to rebar’s recyclable nature than its cost-effectiveness. It also has multiple environmental implications. For starters, almost 100% of rebars can be safely recycled and reused for construction, significantly reducing the waste going into disposal sites and landfills.
The Bottom Line
You can’t talk about concrete without bringing rebar into the conversation. Hopefully, this post has helped you better understand why reinforced steel is vital to concrete structures. Not only does steel rebar make concrete several times more resistant to failure, but it also vastly improves its longevity and tensile strength.
Ready to source steel rebar for your next construction project? Give Concrete Construction Supply a call. Our quality products and commitment to customer satisfaction have made us one of the most reliable rebar suppliers in Idaho. To know more about our services, get in touch with us today!