In spring and summer, many homeowners start to re-evaluate the state of their outdoor space, including their driveway and patio. The arrival of warm weather is an excellent opportunity to spruce them up, and if you're considering a DIY project, you've come to the right place.
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Ahead, a rundown of the materials you may need, along with guidance on when to use wire mesh in concrete.
Poured cement must be adequately reinforced to prevent cracking. Wire mesh and rebar are popular choices for DIYers and contractors working on residential projects.
But how do these materials work, which is best for your project, and when should you consider using both? Read on for insight.
Metal Mesh vs. Synthetic Fiber
Mesh is used to reinforce concrete slabs, reduce shrinkage, and prevent cracks from spreading once the material sets. Stainless steel, whether welded or galvanized, is generally considered the best option as its structural capacity can support the load of heavy vehicles.
The other option is synthetic fiber. While the material can be effective at minimizing shrinkage and can be more budget-friendly than its metal counterpart, it doesn't have the same structural strength.
Get more details in our blog, Welded Wire Mesh: a Concrete Solution for Contractors.
Some form of steel reinforcement is usually necessary when paving driveways. Though it might seem like you can pour the cement, smooth it out, and call it a day, a proper foundation is crucial.
In most instances, experts recommend concrete reinforcing wire mesh for private roadways.
Learn more in our article, Is Wire Mesh Necessary in a Concrete Driveway?
Short for "reinforcing bar," rebar is typically made of recycled or virgin carbon steel. The two main types include plain and deformed, the latter of which features ribs and lugs along the exterior.
Rebar has been critical for concrete construction over the last couple of centuries. In terms of pouring cement for driveways and patios, it plays a similar role as wire mesh in supporting the structure.
Deformed Rebar for Concrete Driveways
In some cases, deformed rebar can provide a better reinforcement for driveways than the smooth wires of mesh. Similar to how the brackets on orthodontic braces help achieve desired teeth placement, the ridges on deformed reinforcement bars effectively grasp the cement to keep it in place. The strength of carbon steel also helps support the weight of trucks and other heavy vehicles.
Patios are only meant to support light foot traffic, outdoor furniture, and potentially a grill. For this reason, they often do just fine with welded or galvanized stainless steel mesh.
On its own, rebar may not provide the positioning you need, plus the cement in the middle needs something to stick to. On the other hand, wire mesh might not be strong enough on its own to prevent cracks from spreading.
Whether you're pouring a driveway, patio, sidewalk, or paved steps, it might be wise to use both materials. Deformed rebar offers strength and reinforcement, while the stainless steel mesh grid will provide shape and ensure the correct placement.
For a deeper dive into the various types and uses for industrial-grade hardware cloth, see our Guide to Construction & Building Wire Mesh.
If you're planning to tackle your concrete driveway or patio on your own, TWP Inc. has the wire mesh materials you need. Our woman-owned business has been an industry-leading supplier for over 50 years, and you can count on our welded and galvanized stainless steel products to have consistent sizes and spacing.
We offer a range of expert in-house services, including measuring, roll slitting, and laser cutting. If you need a particular size or quantity, TWP Inc. is happy to accommodate a custom order.
Once wet concrete starts to pour, you need to be prepared to move quickly with cement tools. No one wants to get to the job site and realize they left a concrete tool behind.
Here’s our 30 concrete tools list you might need on a concrete construction site from start to finish:
Um, naturally, right? But whether you’re mixing in a truck, a portable mixer, or a wheelbarrow, you want to ensure your concrete is thoroughly mixed for maximum strength and durability.
Ideal for transporting (or even mixing) small batches of concrete or tools on the job site.
Concrete is stiff stuff, and wearing waterproof boots is the best way to get through it and prevent contact with your skin. It’s also easy to rinse your footwear after the concrete is down.
Many concrete mixes contain potentially caustic admixtures that can cause serious burns from extended contact with bare skin. Gloves prevent overexposure to these components (and save a few occasional blisters, too).
For more information, please visit Slab Mesh Factory.
Standard on most job sites, wearing safety glasses is an important safety measure when drilling, grinding, power trowelling or sawing concrete.
If the site of the concrete slab is to be prepped with a sub-base of any type, a compactor helps settle the stone or aggregate into position.
Both the sub-base and slab surface must be level. A standard long-line level, or a laser level, will let you verify that the slab is completely according to spec before pouring and after.
Concrete forms and slab depth need the same “measure twice, pour once” verification as any other material on the job site. They are also useful for testing placement and mapping.
Moisture or vapor retarders are used to prevent water vapor from intruding on a finished concrete slab. They are generally placed directly under on grade or below grade slabs.
Reciprocating saws, circular saws or grinders can be necessary to cut rebar or forms on the job site. They can also be necessary if a problem develops under the slab and a portion of the concrete has to be removed after it has set and dried.
Shovels help distribute concrete around the job site to fill in gaps left during the pouring process or for smaller applications. Square-ended shovels generally work better for concrete; rounded ones spread concrete unevenly.
Using a rake is the quickest way to begin getting the freshly-poured concrete spread more uniformly into place. Garden rakes work but concrete rakes, also called come-along rakes, have a more scooped blade for more easily pre-leveling new concrete. Concrete rakes also have a tine on the back of the blade to help lift rebar or mesh into position before the concrete begins to harden.
A tamper is used with low slump concrete to push the aggregate below the slab surface. There are types that are used standing on the wet concrete or roller types that can be used from the slab edge.
Concrete vibrators help release trapped air pockets and excess water from the concrete mix to prevent possibly compromising problems in medium to high slump concrete.
Screeds come in a variety of sizes and can be a specific tool (also called straight edges or bump cutters), or can be simple flat pieces of dimensional lumber. The purpose of a screed is to smooth concrete after it has been moved into place by scraping away any excess from the slab surface.
Bull floats are wide-bladed tools on a long (possibly telescoping handle) that provide the first pass for leveling ridges and filling voids in the concrete after the screed work has been done.
Magnesium floats (or mag floats) are smaller handheld floats typically used to float slab edges or to use for finish work on smaller slabs.
For hand troweling work especially, kneeling boards provide a smooth way to support your weight on the wet concrete while moving easily along the slab surface.
Trowels also help smooth concrete surfaces for their finish coats before being left to dry. Hand-troweling is common for smaller slabs, or power trowels are often preferred for large slabs. There are varying types of trowels for specific concrete work.
A variety of blade types is available for floats and power trowels, each designed to accomplish different finishes. Some care must be taken during the troweling stage not to burnish the surface and prolong drying time.
For certain job types, grooving the surface also helps prevent cracking or excess damage from shrinkage as the concrete dries or during use.
An edger is a tool designed to round exposed concrete edges for a smooth finish.
A traditional finish for a concrete slab is a broom finish – drawing a broom across the surface of the almost-dried concrete slab for a slip-resistant surface. The finished look can be a smooth draw or a more artistic pattern.
After the slab has dried sufficiently, polishers can be used to produce a surface finish effect, from a gentle smoothing of the surface for traction and safety to a mirror-like shine for an aesthetic finish.
Grinding can also be used for aesthetic effects like a distressed finish or is also sometimes necessary if a slab surface has been over-trowelled and excess moisture is sealed inside the slab.
When grinding, polishing, drilling or sawing concrete, a dust collection system helps clear the work area and protect the health of the onsite workers.
Ambient conditions play a big role in determining drying time. A thermo-hygrometer helps monitor both temperature and relative humidity (RH) in the space around the concrete slab and inform potential remediation methods to speed drying time.
Placing concrete anchors or doing RH testing requires drilling into a cured concrete slab. Hammer drills (or rotary drills) make the process easier by combining rotation with “percussion” – a pounding motion that breaks up the concrete faster for easier installation. And don’t forget the right bits for the job, too.
Concrete Moisture Meters can provide handy “spot checks” of drying slabs. However, care must be taken to remember that they, like the hood method or the calcium chloride method, only provide an indication of surface conditions.
For an accurate indication of the internal moisture condition of a drying slab, RH testing with in situ probes provides effective internal moisture measurement. Backed by ASTM F, RH testing can provide necessary moisture data for concrete and flooring installers alike and prevent possible moisture-related problems down the road.
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