Concrete is a strong, affordable building material. It’s also lighter than you may expect, meaning the material has its weaknesses. Fortunately, adding rebar to your structure can address a lot of these weaknesses. The steel experts at Magna Steel Sales Inc. in Beacon Falls, CT, have put together a handy guide to the benefits of rebar.

3 Reasons To Use Rebar

Better Compression Performance

Concrete already performs well under compression. When the weight of a building or structure pushes straight down, concrete is able to bear that load. Adding rebar to the concrete by pouring the mix around steel cages increases the strength of concrete under compression. This is especially useful if you’re building a tall structure that needs additional concrete support.

Greater Tensile Strength

Although concrete performs well under compression, it does not respond well to the twisting and bending forces of tension. That’s why you usually don’t see concrete crossbeams. Adding steel rebar greatly increases the tensile strength of concrete, giving it the ability to bend slightly and still maintain its structural integrity. This is essential for large structures where cracks in the concrete would have catastrophic results.

Responds to Temperature Changes

Steel rebar is also useful because it expands and contracts in roughly the same way that concrete does when the temperature changes. What does this mean for your construction project? No matter the temperature, your rebar reinforced concrete will remain structurally sound and reliable. 

Do you have more questions about using rebar in your concrete structures—or are you ready to buy supplies for your next construction project? Give Magna Steel Sales Inc. in Beacon Falls, CT, a call at (203) 888-0300 and they’ll be happy to help. Visit their website to find out more about their full range of steel products as well as their design and custom fabrication services.