A Guide for Choosing the Right Rebar for Steel Reinforcement

There are many factors to consider before the actual construction commences during the planning stages of any building project. One of those considerations is the rebar that you are going to use. Rebar is short for steel reinforcement bars. Rebar performs well when subjected to tension. It is also an excellent material to reinforce concrete, which performs well under compression.

The quality of rebar chosen will determine your project's strength and durability; it will also ensure that the structure is safe for use and will last a long time even if subjected to the elements. Think of it as the skeleton in the human body but for buildings. It holds the concrete, so even if there is an earthquake, the building will still stand.

Installing an Access Panel like BA-CTR Flush Universal Access Door with Hidden Flange will also improve your structure's safety, as discussed in the article "Enhancing Your Safety Through Access Panels," which covers this topic more in-depth.

What You Should Look for in Rebar

Quality is #1. You must first assess if the steel's quality fits your project. It's essential to familiarize yourself with the standards for rebar in North America. The main standards outline the requirements for chemistry, corrosion resistance, magnetic permeability, surface finish, and mandatory corrosion tests. These standards will assist you in choosing the right product and help to ensure that the rebar passes the test for the following categories:

• Fatigue
• Compression
• Tensile strength
• Bending

Selecting the Right Size and Weight: Choosing the correct rebar size and weight is critical to safe building practices. As we've already discussed, concrete is weak against compression and will bend or fracture if not reinforced. This weakness is the reason you have to consider the correct size for your rebar.

The usual rebar diameter size used for bearing minimal loads is 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm. For columns and walls, the recommended size is 8mm or greater. Foundations and building footings commonly require a 10mm diameter rebar or greater. The bigger the structure, the thicker the rebar. 204-334-0909

Yield Strength: Tensile or yield strength is the measurement that indicates the overall strength of the steel. High yield steel is best used for heavy-duty rebar and has a grade of 500 Mpa (or N/mm2).

*Note that increasing the rebar's diameter size does not make it twice as strong. The grade of your steel determines the strength.

Kinds of Rebar

We omitted Epoxy-Coated Rebar because it is under a ban in Quebec, Canada, and some parts of the United States. Reevaluations and further studies regarding the material are in progress.

Some of the common types of rebar you might consider are:

Thermo Mechanically Treated Bars (TMT Rebar): Hot treated bars high in strength primarily used in reinforced cement concrete (RCC) work.

High Strength Deformed Bars (HSD Rebar): This steel bar has deformation or projection on the surface. It is a cold twisted bar primarily used for reinforcement purposes in construction.

Carbon Steel Rebar: It is known as 'black bar' due to its carbon color. It has an excellent tensile strength ratio at an affordable price. The drawback is that it may rust over time.

Galvanized Rebar: It is forty times more resistant to corrosion than black rebar but is also more expensive.

Glass-Fiber-Reinforced-Polymer (GFRP): This rebar mustn't bend because it is carbon fiber, making it costly. The upside is it's highly resistant to corrosion.

Stainless Steel Rebar: This is the best rebar, but it is also the most expensive. It is 1,500 times more resistant to corrosion compared to a black bar. You will need hydraulic rebar cutting tool to cut through this.

Taking your time to carefully plan your project and becoming familiar with safety and quality standards is well worth your while. It will ensure that your building is strong, durable, and withstands the test of time and exposure to the elements.