Rebar Sizes: A Complete Breakdown - Reinforcement Products Online

If you’re preparing to begin a concrete construction project, you may have determined that rebars will be necessary while planning and purchasing materials. When reinforced bars are used in concrete construction projects, reinforced concrete is created. 

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Whether the project includes posts, walls or floor slabs, rebar can help prevent cracks from forming that could cause the project to fail. While all concrete will crack, using reinforced bars makes it possible to control the extent of any cracking and where it occurs whilst providing greater structural strength for the project.

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When choosing reinforcing bars, stainless steel rebars are are good choice thanks to their high resistance to corrosion. The stainless steel coating improves protection against corrosion when bars are open to the environment, or in areas where high levels of corrosion are expected (i.e. in areas near to sea water; in reinforcing piers and bridges) . However, not only does this come at a much higher cost, and can push your project budget up significantly, but it is also unnecessary if the steel reinforcement is placed correctly, and the concrete used is appropriate.

This is why it is so important in structural concrete projects since it offers stronger support when compared with reinforcing fibreglass, steel wires or any other products available on the market today since it supplies structural strength itself.

There are many grades and sizes of steel rebar available which all provide different strength levels. As a result, you can easily select the perfect structural solution for the project that you’re working on. 

However, you need to be aware of the various rebar sizes and weights so that you can be well-informed. As this is quite a complex area of the construction industry to navigate, a certain level of skill and knowledge is necessary to select the correct size of rebar for any given project. 

Here, we take a look at the various reinforcement steel bar dimensions and sizes in the UK to help you make an appropriate choice.

Rebar Sizes And Weights

Here is a guide to the various reinforcement steel bar sizes and dimensions in the UK:

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UK Steel Regulations And Requirements On Tensile Strength

Reinforcement steel is widely used in the construction industry, and while not every project using concrete needs steel reinforcement bars, they’re typically used when constructing masonry and buildings since it supplies strength to the concrete while absorbing tension. 

As a result, slabs will be prevented from breaking apart, structures will gain durability, and protection will be provided against corrosion.

While rebar size is important when utilising reinforcement bars on construction projects, its quality is also a key consideration. 

Fortunately, there are standards which must be adhered to and which govern the mechanical, chemical and physical properties of rebar to ensure consistency and safety in all construction projects on which they are used.

There are various regulations and requirements in the UK when it comes to steel and tensile strength. These must be complied with to ensure that concrete structures are safe for use. 

Stainless steel rebar must be manufactured to BS standard to be suitable for use on UK construction projects. Stainless steel rebar must also have a proof strength of 500 N/mm2 and an ultimate tensile strength of 550 N/mm2. Bars can be cut to the length of your choice and bent according to BS shape codes.

Why Are Different Sizes Of Rebar Necessary?

Reinforcement bars in concrete give a structure uniform integrity. Although concrete itself is strong in compression, it has virtually no tensile strength and therefore, eventually, concrete will fracture and bend easily. Selecting the right rebar weight and size is vital to ensuring safe construction practices.

Different rebar sizes will be necessary depending on the type of project you are working on. A rebar with a smaller diameter of 8mm or 10mm may suffice for domestic and smaller-scale projects such as patios or driveways which bear a minimal load and, therefore, create a low level of tensile stress. 

Meanwhile, when constructing columns, piers or walls, a rebar of 8mm or greater must be used, and for foundations and building footings, a rebar of at least 10mm in diameter is the best choice to minimise settling. 

When it comes to civil engineering, large-scale projects like tunnel or bridge construction, a rebar with a higher diameter is necessary, especially if a long span is required.

Installing the correct size of rebar is essential for the project’s overall success, and rebar must be replaced evenly throughout a project. 

British Standard : is the relevant specification for steel rebar within the UK, and this national standard replaced the European reinforce of concrete standard.

Tensile Strength As A Consideration

When using rebar, its tensile strength (or yield strength) is a vital consideration. This is a measurement which indicates the steel’s overall strength. 

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Heavy-duty rebar should be made from high-yield steel with grade 500 reinforcement which has a tensile strength or yield strength of 500 N/mm2 (or Mpa). Under British Standard :, the maximum yield strength permitted is 650 MPa (or N/mm2). 

It’s important to be aware that changing the rebar size by increasing its diameter won’t make it doubly strong. While the yield strength will increase, it is the grade of steel which will affect its strength more.

Rebar Size And Placement Accuracy

Additional care must be taken during rebar placement before the concrete is poured. The concrete’s yield strength may be compromised severely should the placement be incorrect. 

It is absolutely crucial to take precise measurements since mistakes of only one or two centimetres when spacing rebars could reduce the concrete’s tensile strength by as much as 20%. 

Not only that, but choosing an incorrect size of rebar may result in a reduction in reinforcement by up to 35% and this could mean that insufficient reinforcement will be provided for the structure’s integrity and strength.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rebar Sizes

What are standard rebar sizes?

Here are the standard rebar sizes:

• T8 (8mm)
• T10 (10mm)
• T12 (12mm)
• T16 (16mm)
• T20 (20mm)
• T25 (25mm)
• T32 (32mm)
• T40 (40mm)

What are the standards for steel rebar?

The most common grades for steel rebars are 40, 60, 75, 80, and 100. These figures represent the yield each rebar offers. So a grade 40 bar has a 40 KSI minimum yield strength, for example.

What do the letters on the rebar mean?

The initial symbol identifies where the rebar was produced, the second marking is for the size of the bar, and the third making identifies the type of reinforced steel, such as W for low-alloy steel, or S for carbon-steel.

What are the common types of steel used for rebar?

The answer is yes, however, there are several issues to consider to avoid liability. For this discussion, we will assume a requirement for threaded rebar as follows:

#8 x 48″ long A615 grade 60 rebar with 8″ thread one end.

What is rebar?

Rebar is short for “reinforcing bar” and often used in concrete foundations to strengthen the concrete. It is held in place by systematic ridges or deformations in its surface that allow the concrete to “grip” the bar better than plain round bar. These deformations are a great asset in the masonry applications, but hinder the usefulness of rebar as a threaded fastener.

Rebar gauges (diameter of the bar) are measured in eighths of an inch. For example, #8 rebar is essentially 1″ diameter (8 x 1/8″ = 8/8″ or 1″).

Cut Threading Rebar

Why can’t you just put threads on rebar?

Rebar cannot simply be cut threaded to the nominal diameter. This is due to the diameter difference between the major diameter of UNC threads and the diameter inside the deformations. The diameter inside the deformations is less than the minimum allowable major thread diameter. This will lead to incomplete threads and the liability that comes with product not meeting dimensional tolerances. As an example, the diameter on #8 rebar between the deformations is .960 and the minimum allowed major diameter on 1″ threads is ..

How to properly cut thread rebar

The only way to correctly thread rebar is by turning down, or milling the end of the rod so that it is the proper size and shape to be threaded. This is done by removing the outer layer of the bar until the diameter is equal to the deepest deformation on the bar, leaving a smooth surface to thread. The smaller diameter of the threaded portion means that a larger size of rebar will have to be used and turned down in order to have threads that are the correct nominal diameter. If we go back to our example rebar above, we would need to use #9 rebar, instead of #8 in order to have proper 1″ UNC threads.

Things to keep in mind when ordering threaded rebar

In cases where plans call for threaded rebar, it is essential that the engineer or detailer specify the diameter of thread needed on the bar, since cut threading a #8 rebar will not result in a complete 1″ UNC thread. When thread type is not specified or ambiguous, Portland Bolt makes the assumption that the design requires a 1″ thread and when cut threading, will use a #10 bar to produce a fully functional 1″ – 8 threads per inch Unified National Coarse thread as opposed to cut threading a #8 bar which results in a 3/4″ – 10 thread per inch finished product.

Roll Threading Rebar

As opposed to cut threading, the threads on rebar can also be produced through a roll threading process. For the differences and limitations of roll threading versus cut threading, refer to our FAQ discussing roll threading versus cut threading. Keep in mind that roll threading equipment is limited in the marketplace and many companies that produce threaded rebar will not have the equipment available to roll threads. Most machine shops and smaller scale bolt manufacturing companies only have equipment that is capable of cut threading.

Unlike the cut thread example above, rebar can be turned to the pitch diameter (.912″ in our example using #8 rebar) and rolled back up to produce a fully functional, dimensionally correct 1″- 8 UNC thread. Since some roll threading equipment has diameter and length limitations, rolling threads on rebar is sometimes not possible. Again, the thread dimension in addition to the size of the rebar should be specified.

To specify threaded rebar properly, our inquiry for this example should read as follows:

#8 (1″-8 UNC) x 48″ long A615 grade 60 rebar with 8″ thread one end.

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