Build a Concrete Walkway: Adding Reinforcement
Rebar and wire mesh are the backbone of a durable concrete walkway.
Video Transcript:
All concrete needs some kind of reinforcement to prevent cracks from occurring. Make sure to check with your local building department for the specific reinforcement requirements for your project.
Using both wire mesh and rebar is a good way to prevent any movement. Wire mesh comes welded in 6-in. by 6-in. squares and is laid down without any particular orientation. To fit the wire, lay down a section, and cut away the excess so that the wire fits about 2 in. away from the sides of the form. Overlap the sections about 6 in.; then tie them together with wire rebar ties or small plastic zip ties.
Since wire mesh is more to prevent lateral movement, lay down 3/8-in. rebar to add strength in the vertical, downward direction of the concrete. To bend the rebar into shape, have one person hold up the end of the rebar while the other walks down along the length. Together, bend it to the curve of the walkway. Like the wire, after the rebar is laid out in place, overlap the ends by a foot or so, and tie them together.
Before pouring the concrete, wet the ground of the walkway. This helps to prevent water from being drawn out of the concrete by a dry dirt base, which would impair the concrete’s curing process and significantly reduce the final strength of the concrete.
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Just my techniques, I always use at least 6 mil plastic atop the ground to prevent the ground from drawing moisture out of the concrete. The plastic also enables me to re-use the form boards in a clean fashion. I place the wire mesh about an inch off the ground to embed it into the concrete adding the desired strength. The wire mesh when placed at the bottom of the pour is susceptible to rust in ground contact and adds little to no strength especially when gone. As I said, those are some of my techniques.