HOW TO CALCULATE THE REINFORCING MESH YOU NEED FOR A CONCRETE SLAB?

May 21st 2019

Ever wondered what size steel reinforcing mesh you need to put into a concrete driveway, house slab or patio area? Take out the guesswork, and the “she’ll be right” approach to laying the perfect slabs every time by using a simple formula.

This industry standard formula is used all over Australia to calculate the amount of reo mesh you need before laying a concrete slab – And you have probably guessed it, we use it too! For 28 years to be exact.

So, let’s get started.

A person pouring wet concrete onto a concrete slab foundation

The Steel Mesh calculator

When wondering if you need mesh in your concrete slab, or figuring out how much mesh you need, firstly, you need to calculate the area of your concrete slab. To do this simply multiply the length of the slab by the width.

Here is the formula: Length x Width = Slab Area (m2)

For example:

Grey rectangle representing a slab area that is 10 by 12 metres with measurements

For measuring a more complex concrete slab design, try to break the total area into separate rectangles or squares. Calculate each one and then add them all together to find your total area, for example:

Two grey rectangles in an L-shape representing a slab area of 180 metres squared

Now that you have your area calculation, you need to divide the area by 12.5. This will give you the number of steel mesh sheets required to reinforce your concrete slab.

Here is the formula: Slab Area (m2) ÷ 12.5 = Total number of 6m x 2.4m sheets

For example:

A visual representation of a slab area that is 261 metres squared

CALCULATE HOW MANY BAR CHAIRS AND POLYTHENE FILM YOU REQUIRE PER STEEL REINFORCING MESH SHEET

Bar chairs

If you’re wondering how many bar chairs you need per m2 for a sheet of mesh, generally, a minimum of 22 bar chairs per sheet of 6m x 2.4m mesh is required. Otherwise, you can divide the slab area by 0.56. Quick tip; Bar chairs are commonly sold in bags of 100, therefore, ensure you round up to the nearest hundred.

Here is the formula:
Slab Area (m2) ÷ 0.56 = Total number of chairs
Example: 250m2 ÷ 0.56 = 466.4 (Round up to 500)

Ready to get started? We stock various bar chairs in a range of sizes to suit any project.

Polythene Film

Building polythene film or commonly referred to as poly, is sold in a roll that covers 200m2. Generally, it’s calculated that a single roll covers 180m2 instead of 200m2 as this allows for overlapping.

Here is the formula:
Slab Area (m2) ÷ 180 = Total number of poly rolls.

And that’s it, you are ready to purchase your reinforcing products and get your next slab underway. We love to see local builders doing their trade: send through any slab images too admin@bestbar.com.au and we will feature you on our social pages, Have any questions or need any recommendations? Don’t hesitate to give us a call or flick us through an email.

Get in touch

Wondering how to reinforce concrete for any application, or “do I need mesh in my concrete slab in the first place?” When it comes to concrete, you always need to reinforce your slab with steel, and at Bestbar, we can help you find the right size steel mesh you require for your concrete slab. If you have any questions or need any recommendations, don’t hesitate to give us a call or flick us through an email. Our team are always happy to help, no matter your query.

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