Carbon steel is typically used to construct rebar. Rebar is noted for its tensile strength and is often used as a reinforcement for concrete surfaces. Due to carbon steel's cost and susceptibility to corrosion, concrete wire mesh is often used as an alternative. Mesh is a more flexible product and can be used for concrete applications that require thick, thin, or irregular-shaped slabs.
Mesh Types And Installations
Welded wire mesh can be used to produce each concrete slab. Mesh products are made of synthetic, glass, natural, or steel fibers. Mesh will require the use of a stabilizer when used during applications that involve concrete being elevated from the ground or during projects that require the installation of thick slabs.
Slab runners are welded wire supports that are several feet in length. For applications that involve adding a thin layer of concrete that is at ground level or an unevenly shaped concrete structure that is thin, wire mesh can be laid against the ground's surface. All mesh pieces that are going to be supported by slab runners should be laid across the runners in an even fashion.
Attachments And Considerations
When multiple pieces of screen mesh are going to be used to support the pouring of concrete, the mesh sections should be anchored together. Anchoring the mesh will ensure that the same amount of strength is supplied throughout the length of a concrete surface. Linesman pliers can be used to do this. This tool can grip, twist, bend, and cut wire. Wire sheets can either be laid out flat or perpendicularly to the concrete form.
If a piece of wire mesh is going to be set in an upright fashion, it will need to be anchored along the edge that is adjacent to the bottom of a concrete form. Many mesh products are constructed out of metal that is non-corrosive. There are, however, some products on the market that are susceptible to rust.
If a mesh product that is prone to rust is going to be used, the person who is pouring the concrete should ensure that the edges of the mesh do not touch the edges of the concrete form. This will prevent the metal from coming into contact with metal fragments that are in the concrete and will reduce the chances of rust bleeding through a dried concrete surface. Wire mesh serves as a support frame and fresh concrete should cover it completely, to prevent rough surfaces in newly-poured concrete.