Advantages and Instructions for Use

In the past, there has been one primary way to control drying shrinkage cracking in slab-on-grade applications. Thankfully, new technology emerged in the 70's and 80's and was drastically improved and more widely used in the 80's and 90's. Today, concrete professionals around the world are using polypropylene fiber, and few of them miss the extra cost, hassle, and lack of performance associated with the old welded wire system of secondary reinforcement. In the past, concrete finishers heard "what is that hair on my slab?". Most will now ask "where is the hair on my slab?" if they don't see the tell-tale "hairs" that indicate fiber is hard at work reducing cracks within their slab.

Advantages of using Fiber over wire mesh

  • Easier to apply than wire mesh
  • Save cost in delivery and rust prevention
  • Much safer application process than wire mesh
  • Do not have waste that using wire mesh causes
  • Once mixed into concrete stays dispersed evenly through concrete whereas wire mesh is often pushed to the ground and not placed properly, making it useless

Instructions for Use

Fiber is typically delivered to a jobsite already mixed in the concrete. The fiber comes in small, water-soluble bags which are added to the concrete during batching. ABC Fibers recommends 5-7 minutes of mixing at high speed prior to pouring to ensure thorough dispersion of the fibers. The result is uniformly distributed fibers that provide three-dimensional reinforcement to the concrete. Fiber is hard at work in every square inch of concrete and not just along one plane, as with welded wire.