What is Reo Mesh Lapping?

Lapping is the overlapping of steel mesh within concrete slabs. One of the benefits of reinforcement mesh is that it can be used to improve the tensile strength of any concrete project.

But what exactly is reo mesh lapping and how can it improve your next construction project? And what is the recommended lap length for mesh reinforcement? Here, we take a look at these questions and what you need to know about this construction technique.

Lapping can prevent any cracking or shrinking in concrete as it dries. This means that over time, reo mesh lapping your slab will help your concrete retain its strength.

There are only a handful of approved lapping methods. You want to implement these exactly as directed to prevent imperfections within the concrete.

The three methods of lapping are:

• Trench lap
• Square lap
• Reinforcing bar lap

Each of these has use in different situations and provides different strength and reinforcement for a project or home. Additionally, each technique must be implemented differently to provide the best possible support.

We have created a quick guide to the different kinds of mesh lapping, as well as some of the important details of implementing these techniques into your concrete construction.

The three major permutations of lapping each have unique uses. The uses determine how long a lap should be. All forms of lapping should connect mesh using tie wires to ensure the lap is held together.

The first form of steel reinforcement lapping is known as trench laps. These methods revolve around overlapping mesh in a T or L pattern.

By creating intersections, you solidify points of strength in your concrete slab. It is important to line the lap lengths end-to-end to optimise the use of the material and the durability you can achieve. For trench laps, the recommended lap length for mesh reinforcement is 500 mm.

The second option is square lapping. This is used mostly for bridges, highways, walls, and most construction reinforcement.

This method is one of the strongest ways of lapping. It leads to a large area of mesh being doubled together. When using the square technique, the lap length for reinforcement is 225 mm.

The final situation where you would be using mesh lapping would be when reinforcing bar laps. This technique is popular when building columns as it increases mass and durability.

Lap-splicing in rebar columns is an effective way to give extra stability in areas that experience frequent hurricanes. This vertical form of reinforcement lapping has a lap length of 500 mm.

Lapping your reinforcement mesh or bar can be an absolutely crucial step in the construction process and cannot be ignored. Although there are many kinds of mesh you can use, and multiple methods for lapping them, if you intend on making a structure or concrete slab to last, ensure you pay attention to required lap lengths for mesh reinforcement and utilise as appropriate.