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HowtoTieRebar15EasySteps(withPictures)wikiHow

HowtoTieRebar
Buildingwithconcreteinvolvesmanystepstoachievethebestresults,
includingforming,grading,placing,andfinishing.Onecriticalstepisplacing
thereinforcingbars,orrebar,correctly,andthisarticlewillexplainhowthisis
done.

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Steps

Plantheproject.Forstructuralconcreteconstruction,anengineerandarchitect
willusuallydothetechnicaldesignworkandprovidespecificinformationregarding

thesizes,configuration,andplacementofrebarintheassociatedconcretework.
Planningtheactualfabricationandplacement,aswellasthescheduleoftheworkis
yourfirsttask.
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Purchasetherebar.Forsimpleprojectsliketypicalbuildingfoundationsandslab
reinforcement,youcanmostlikelybuythenecessaryrebarfromabuildingsupply

centerorhomeimprovementwarehouse.Forcomplicatedapplicationssuchasgrade
beams,foundationwalls,tanks,andotherprojects,youwillneedtohavespecific
shapesformedbyarebarfabricationspecialist.Herearesomeexamples:
StirrupsTheseareshapedrebarthatholdthelateralreinforcementina
certainconfiguration,oftencalledacage.Theycreateaframeworkthatkeeps
theselargerbarsinposition,andmayberound,square,rectangular,oreven
complexcombinationsofshapes.
DowelsTheseareusuallyLshapes,orstraightlengthsofrebarwithaninety
degreebendononeend.
CornerbarsThesearealsoLshapes,witheachsideoftheellthesame
length.
OffsetbendsTheserangefromasimpleZshapetocomplexangles,usedin
reinforcingconcretewalkwaystepsandsteps(changesinelevation)inconcrete
footings.
HairpinsTheseareUshapedrebarthatareoftenusedtointerlocktwoor
moreindividualmatsofrebartogivelateralstrengthtotheconcretecasting.
CandycanesAsthenameimplies,thesearestraightlengthsofrebarwitha
Ushapedbendononeorbothends,againtointerlocktwoormoreparallel
reinforcingmats.

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Consultyourreinforcingplacementdrawings/plan.Ifyoupurchaseyourrebar
fromafabricator,thesupplierwillusuallyreviewyourstructuralengineer'sor
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architect'splansandproduceashopdrawingwithdetailsandidentifyingtagsforeach
typeofrebarusedintheproject.Forsimplerprojects,yourbuildingplansshouldprovide
spacingrequirementsandbarsizes.Usethesedocumentstodeterminewhereandwhat
rebarisneededinindividuallocations.

Choosethemethodyouwillusetotietherebar.Mosttimes,rebaristiedwith
annealedsteelwire,eitherboughtinfourpoundbulkrolls,orifusingabagtie

spinner,inbundlesofprecutwirepieceswithloopsformedonbothends.Thelatterare
easierfornovicestouse,butsomewhatmoreexpensive,theformerisoftenthechoice
ofexperiencerebartiers(rodbusters).

Preparetheareawheretheconcreteistobeplaced.Thegroundshouldbe
gradedandcompactedafteranyneededsubgrading,excavations,and

undergroundroughinsforplumbingandelectricalutilitiesisfinished.Layouttheactual
perimeterorformlinesfortheconcreteplacementafterthegradingandcompactionand
associatedtestingisdone.

Decidewhethertheconcreteformswillbeinstalledpriortoplacingyour
rebar.Forlargefootingswhereheavyrebaristobeused,theformworkusuallyis

donefirst,forconcretewallsandgradebeams,onesideoftheformmaybebuiltpriorto
tyingtherebar,buttherebarwillneedtobetiedinplacebeforetheformworkis
completedsobarscanbepositionedandtiedinplace.Forconcreteslabs,thesubgrade
(groundunderneaththeslab)isoftenpretreatedfortermites,andamoisturebarrieror
dampproofingisinstalledbeforethematistied.

Shakeouttherebar.Thisinvolvesremovingindividualbars,stirrups,anddowels
fromtheirrespectivebundlesaccordingtotheplacementdrawingcounts.An

examplewouldbeaslabmeasuring12feet(3.7m)by12feet(3.7m)withrebarsat8
inch(20.3cm)centersinonedirection,and12inch(30.5cm)centerstheother.
Determinethesizeofbarsrequiredineachdirection,marktwoorthreebarswiththe
appropriatelayoutmeasurementsineachdirection,andcountthemarkstodetermine
howmanyrebararerequiredforeachdirection.Often,theplacementdrawingsare
specific,suchas"18(number5)rebar,11foot6inches(15.2cm)long,onehalfeach
way".Thisgivesthefollowinginformation:Youneedthegivenquantity,18,rebar,size5
(5/8inchdiameter),with9barslayingineachdirection,thetoprowsperpendicularto
thebottomones.

Tieyourrebar.Thisistheprimaryfocusofthisarticle.Tyingthebarssothatthey
remainintheircorrectrespectivepositionsiscriticaltoachievethedesired

strengthofthecompletedconcretestructure.

Placeeachrebarinitsrespectivepositionaccordingtothelayoutdescribed
intheprevioussteps.Thelayoutbars(ormarkbars)canbemarkedwitha

soapstonemarker,apaintpen,apieceoflumbercrayon,orwithspraypaint.

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Selecttheappropriatetypeoftieyouwilluse.Forthebagties(SnapTies,
nottobeconfusedwiththesnaptiesdescribedlater).Forordinaryslabmats,

wheretheforceoftheconcreteinteractingwiththerebarduringitsplacementis
minimal,andmovementofthematsisunlikely,usingasimple,singletwistofwire
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aroundeachrebarintersection,twistedtogethertightly,willsuffice.Thistieisknownas
asnaptie,andcanbemadewiththesnaptieprecuttiesandaspinner,notedearlier.It
canalsobedoneeasilywithapairof9inch(22.9cm)lineman'spliersandbulkwire
heldontherodbuster'sworkbeltinawirereel.Forotherapplicationswheretheforceof
theconcreteplacementmaydisplacetherebars,orwheremorestrengthisneededto
holdbarsintheproperconfiguration,morecomplicatedtiesmaybeused.Hereare
someofthem,withasimplifieddescriptionofhowtheyaremade:
Figure8tiesThesearemadebypullingthewirearoundtherear(fromthe
rodbuster)bar,diagonallyacrossthefrontbar,backaroundtherearbar,
diagonallyintheoppositedirectionacrossthefrontbar,andthentwistingback
aroundthebeginningwire.Youthencutthewirefeedingoffthereel,andbend
thecutendsbacktowardsthetiesonosharpendsprojectfromthetie.These
tieswillhelpholdperpendicularbarstightlytogetherwhilehelpingtoprevent
themfromracking,ormovingdiagonally.
SaddletiesSimilartothefigure8tie,youbeginbypassingthewirefeeding
fromyourreelbehindtherearbar,thenacrossthefrontbarstayingparallelto
thebar.Youthenpassitbehindtherearbaragain,backaroundthefrontbaron
theoppositeside.Younowtwisttheendstogether,cutthefeedwire,andbend
thecutendsback.Thistieisoftenusedwhentyingrebarforwallsorother
verticalapplicationwheretherodbusterwillactuallyclimbontherebar
frameworktoaccesshigherportionsofthewall.Thefigure8andsaddletiecan
oftenbeinterchanged,however,technicallyspeaking,thereareadvantagesto
eachoneincertaincircumstances.
Combinationsoffigure8andsaddletieswithadditionalwrapsaroundvertical
rebarscanbeusedtoincreasetheholdofthetiesobarscannotslipdownward
whenweightisappliedtothemortheplasticconcreteisdroppedintotheform.

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Useyourpliersfortyingthesetiesefficiently.Foralltheabovementioned
ties,youpullthefeedingendfromthewirereelwithyournondominant

(hereafterregardedasleft,pleasereverseforrighthandedpersons)hand.Griptheend
ofthewirewithyourpliersinyourrighthand,andpoke,orpushitbehindtherebar
describedinthefirststepofyourchosentie.Bendorangletheendtowardtheplace
youwillbegrabbingtheendinthenextstepofthetie,thenreachfromthatside,gripit
againwiththepliers,pullittowardthenextplaceyouwillrouteitto,pullingenoughslack
wiretocompletethetie.Holdresistanceonthewirewithyourlefthand,sothewire
bendssnuglyagainstthebaryouarewrappingineachstageofthetie.Releasethewire
sothattheplierscanbeusedtogripit,anddoso,pullingtheendaroundthebarand
twistthetwoendsofthewiretogether.Pullortugthewirewiththeplierssothetieis
tight.

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Tieallthebarsrequiredintheircorrectpositions.Checkyourplansto
makesureeachcomponentofthereinforcementisinplace.Often,instructural

concretereinforcement,youwillfindseveralelementsthatinterfacetogetherinaddition
tothebasicrebarmatdiscussedsofar.Hereareafewtonote:
BlockdowelsWhenplacingaconcretefoundationwhichwillhaveconcrete
masonryunits(block)erectedonit,youwillusuallyfindtheplansrequire
installingblockdowels,orverticalrebartoreinforcecellsatarequiredspacing
togivethesubsequentblockwallsufficientstrengthtowithstandconditionsto
whichitwillbeexposed,ortohelpitsupportloadsitwillcarryasanoverallpart
ofthestructureyouarebuilding.Thesebarsaretiedtothefoundationrebar
(footingbars)inalocationthatwillplacetheminthecenterofindividualblock
cells.Forthemtobeplacedcorrectly,youwillneedtoestablishthewallline,
thendeterminethespacingofthesecells.Ifyourlayoutbeginsatacorner,
using8X16inchregularblock,youcanplacethefirstdowel4inches(10.2cm)
insidetheoutsidewallline,4inches(10.2cm)fromthecorner,thenspace
additionalbarsattheirrequireddistancesinmultiplesof8inches(20.3cm).For
example,at16,24,or32inchcenters.Thisisknownasblockworkspacing.
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BulkheaddowelsIninstanceswhereafootingwillnotbecompletedina
singleconcreteplacement,youwillneedtodoweloutofthebulkheadformso
thenextplacementwillbestructurallytiedtothelatterone.Makesurethe
dowelsextendfarenoughthatthelateralreinforcementwilloverlapenoughto
maintainthestrengthoftherodsused.Typically,rebarlapiscalculatedinbar
diameters.Anexamplewouldbethenumber5rebarmentionedearlier.Ithasa
diameterof5/8ofaninch,andtherequiredlapmightbe40bardiameters.
Multiplyingthediameter5/8by40,youwillget2008or25inches(63.5or
63.5cm).
Notethatinstructuralconcrete,othertypesofimbedsandinsertsmaybe
required.Placerebarinsuchamannerastoallowinstallationofanchorbolts,
sleeves,embeddedweldplates,inserts,orotheritemsintheirrespective
correctlocationswithoutinterference.Ingeneralterms,theseitemsrequire
moreprecisepositioning,sooffsettingoneortworebarsmayberequired.

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Chairorsupportyourrebar.Oncethematorcageisassembled,youmust
holditinpositionsothetheconcretewillcoveritcompletely.Rebarchairsor

concretebrickareoftenusedforthispurpose.Placethesepositionersataspacingthat
willnotallowtherebartobendordeflectenoughtoreducethecoverageyouwishto
obtainwiththeconcreteyouplaceinyouforms.Fora12inch(30.5cm)thickfooting,
therebarmatisusuallyplacedabout4inches(10.2cm)fromthebottomofthe
concrete,andsideclearancesrangefrom2to4inches(5.1to10.2cm).

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Observetherebarconfigurationwhiletheconcreteisplaced.Ifshifting
occurs,supporttherebarswithahandledtoollikeashovelwedgedsothatyou

canachievesufficientleveragetoholditsposition,oralterthedirectionofflowing
concretesoforceisappliedintheoppositedirection.

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Caporotherwiseprotectanyexposedbarswhileworkingnearthem.
Rebarthatissheared,ormechanicallycuthasverysharpsurfacesatthe

locationofthesecuts.Constructionworkershavesufferedseriousinjuriesandhavealso
beenkilledwhentheyhavefallenonprojectingrebardowels.Specialrodcapsmadeof
highimpactplasticwithametalplateembeddedinthemarerequiredbythe
OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA),intheUnitedStates.

Dr. Schulze GmbH, Germany

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Tips
Buyqualitytoolsifyouplantodoalotofrebartying.Cheapwirereels
andplierswon'tholduptothewearandtearofdailyuse.
Doublechecktherebarplacementdrawings,especiallyfordowels,
sincemisplaceddowelsmustbecutoff,andnewonesepoxiedinthe
correctlocation,atconsiderableexpense.
Sixinchtiesarestrongenoughtoholdrebar(#4or#5)duringapour.
Becarefulwhenroddingclosetothejointusetwotiesat45degrees
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onanintersection.
Keeprebarstoredondunnagetopreventrusting,andtokeepbars
frombecomingburiedinsoftsoils.Anybuildupofironoxide(rust)will
exacerbatespallinglateron.
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Warnings
Wearthecorrectsafetyequipmentforthiswork.Glovesareespecially
importanttoprotecttherodbuster'shands.
Rebarendsandtheendsofcuttiewirecanbeincrediblysharp.
ImpalementprotectioncapsarerequiredbylawintheUnitedStates.

ThingsYou'llNeed
Rebar
Rebarplacementplan
PliersoraSnapTiespinner
Wire
Wirereel
Markingcrayons,soapstone,orpaint
Tapemeasure

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