If you are redoing your garage, building a new driveway, or creating a new patio for you and your family, one of the things that you’re probably going to be working with is concrete. Now, with that being said, while concrete is a completely fine material to work with, it’s not quite as good as fiber mesh concrete.
In case you don’t know what fiber mesh concrete is, no worries because we will explain this further below. That said, as you can probably tell, this is a special type of concrete that is used often for both residential and commercial purposes. Today we are here not only to figure out exactly what it is, but also what its advantages and disadvantages are.
What Is Fiber Mesh Concrete?
To explain, fiber mesh concrete does use normal concrete, but it also features the addition of a fiber mesh. Depending on the exact build being done, there can be various types of this fiber mesh placed inside of the concrete. As opposed to rebar and wire mesh, which are put in place before the concrete is poured, fiber mesh is evenly placed throughout the wet concrete, or in other words, it is mixed into the concrete and then poured.
In case you were wondering what that fiber mesh is made out of, it’s usually made of various fibrous materials such as glass fibers, natural fibers, steel fibers, and synthetic fibers. In other words, fiber mesh is an additive that is added to concrete while mixing it and is of course designed to produce a myriad of benefits.
Pros of Fiber Mesh Concrete
Now that we know exactly what fiber mesh concrete is, let’s take a look at all of the advantages that you get by using it.
#1: Assist with Bleed Water
One huge advantage that you get from using fiber mesh concrete is the fact that it assists with bleed water. With normal concrete, the only two materials that can actually absorb water are sand and the cement itself. However, not all of that water gets absorbed, which then causes water to pool at the top of the concrete, which is of course a problem. Fiber mesh concrete tends to bleed much more evenly than normal concrete, thus preventing a puddling effect from occurring.
#2: Holds Concrete Together
Perhaps the biggest benefit of using fiber mesh concrete is that it just helps to hold it together much better. Normal concrete can have different densities throughout, which means that there may be weak spots. Fiber mesh concrete, however, is much more evenly distributed, and therefore it should not have any such weak spots. In general, most fibers just help hold the concrete together and also prevent cracking from occurring both during and after the curing process. This is especially the case when you use fiber mesh concrete that contains a lot of steel fibers, and the steel fibers can intercept cracks and stop them from growing.
#3: Allows for Greater Impact Resistance
Closely related to the above point, fiber mesh concrete is much more resistant to impacts and shocks than normal concrete is. The fact that these fibers have been added into the concrete allows it to be a much more ductile material. For instance, if you happen to drop something like an anvil on normal concrete, chances are that you will break the concrete, which should not happen if you have used fiber mesh concrete. Normal concrete is just much more brittle and fragile than fiber mesh concrete.
#4: Prevents Fire Damage
When it comes to concrete, something that can happen is spalling, which is when a concrete surface is heated, causing steam to form, and that causes the surface to quite literally explode. However, with fiber mesh concrete, the fibers will absorb heat and melt, which then gives the water in concrete the opportunity to expand, so that the moisture can move away from the heat, thus preventing spalling and fire damage.
#5: Increased Freeze-Thaw Resistance
One big problem that normal concrete is faced with is that when it freezes and then thaws, it tends to crack. As water freezes and turns into ice, it also expands, thus putting a lot of pressure on the inside of the concrete. After several freeze-and-thaw cycles, concrete can begin to crack and crumble. However, when certain fibers, such as nylon and polypropylene fibers are used inside of fiber mesh concrete, freeze-thaw resistance is greatly increased.
#6 Cost Effectiveness
If you are just doing a small project and you need something cost-effective, then fiber mesh concrete is definitely a good way to go with.
#7: Easier Than Wire Mesh
Because fiber mesh is mixed right into the concrete, it is much easier to do, especially if you are a DIYer working from home than using wire mesh. Wire mesh requires very exact measuring and calculations which can make things quite difficult.
#8: Ideal Choice for Certain Applications
Sometimes things like rebar and wire mesh are just impossible to use for certain applications, such as if you are making a concrete countertop that is too thin for either of those reinforcement types.
Cons of Fiber Mesh Concrete
Now that we know what the advantages of fiber mesh concrete are, let’s take a closer look at some of the disadvantages that come your way.
#1: Potential for Injury
Both the glass and steel fibers used in this type of concrete are very sharp, and this means that working with fiber mesh concrete also comes with a certain risk of injury, particularly severe cuts.
#2: Uneven Distribution of Fibers
Another disadvantage of fiber mesh concrete is the fact that when you mix this stuff together, you really don’t know what the distribution of the fibers will be like, which means that some parts of the concrete will have much more of the fibers than others, which therefore will cause some areas of the concrete to have more or less strength than others.
#3: Possible Corrosion of Steel Fibers
If a lot of steel fibers have been used in the fiber mesh concrete, then there is a chance that those steel fibers will corrode or rust over time, which will negatively impact the overall performance of the concrete in question.
#4: Creates a Finish That Looks Hairy
When this type of concrete is laid, some of those fibers will stick out from the surface, and that’s giving it somewhat of a hairy appearance. However, if you are not too concerned with aesthetics, then this is not a big deal.
#5: Not Suitable for Weight Bearing Applications
With all the benefits that fiber mesh concrete comes with, it’s definitely not something that you would use for something like a parking garage or a high-rise building. Fiber mesh is just not the same as rebar in terms of being able to handle weight as well as movement, such as from earthquakes.
Should You Use Fiber Mesh Concrete?
Yes, fiber mesh concrete is a good thing to use for applications that need to be impact-resistant and water-resistant, as well as for smaller applications where something like rebar is not an option. Generally speaking, the most common applications for this building material include driveways, sidewalks, and patios, but may also include indoor applications, such as concrete countertops.
Alternatives to Fiber Mesh Concrete
There are two other main methods of reinforcing concrete: wire mesh and rebar.
Wire mesh, unlike fiber mesh, is not added right into the concrete, but rather, but rather a grid of relatively thick wires that is placed down over a surface, onto which the concrete is then poured. When it comes to the ability to bear weight, wire mesh is a far better option than fiber mesh.
If you’re looking for the ultimate in strength, the ability to resist movement, and amazing weight-bearing capabilities, then the only real option to go with in terms of concrete reinforcement is rebar.
For a detailed comparison, see my rebar vs. wire mesh vs. fiber mesh article.
Summary
There you have it, folks, everything that you need to know about using wire mesh concrete, particularly what is good and what is bad about it. Now that you know, you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to use it.