Frequently Asked Questions

Reinforcing steel or reinforcement has a form of circular steel bar, inserted into concrete to increase its load-bearing capacity and to reduce concrete deformation. Concrete reinforcement is often referred to as a rebar [or roxor in Czech].

Reinforcing steel is inserted into the concrete mix and used to increase the strength and resistance of concrete to any kind of pressure. This type of reinforcement constitutes the key component of each modern construction.

Key purposes of use of reinforcing steel

• increase in the tensile strength of concrete: reinforcing steel improves the tensile performance of tensile for the reason that while concrete resists pressure excellently, its tensile performance is considerably worse.
• increase in the resistance to cracking: reinforcing steel prevents and limits the formation and spreading of cracks in concrete. Cracks can be caused by concrete shrinkage, temperature changes or various external forces.
• increase in the resistance to bending: reinforced concrete structures, which are formed by the combination of concrete and steel reinforcement, are much more resistant to bending than pure concrete.
• increase in the resistance to sliding: reinforcing steel contributes to increased resistance of structures to sliding pressure, which can incur e.g. during earthquakes.

Simply speaking, reinforcing steel is used in all constructions that have a concrete structure. Modern construction cannot do without this material. Thanks to its properties, reinforcing steel makes it possible to produce robust, resilient and long-lasting structures that must withstand all types of pressure.

In bridges, reinforcing steel increases the resistance of the bridge structure to dynamic forces and heavy loads. In high-rise buildings, reinforcing steel is used to reinforce load-bearing structures, such as columns, slabs and walls. Reinforcing steel serves the same purposes also in tunnels, where, inter alia, it must ensure stability and resistance to environmental influences. Reinforcement made out of reinforcing steels is used also in construction of dams, reservoirs and other water structures, where it must resist the action of water and other external influences that have an impact on such structures. Moreover, reinforcing steel also forms a part of various types of reinforced concrete prefabricated elements, such as beams, ceilings, columns or panels.

A rebar or roxor in Czech is a generic term for any ribbed reinforcing steel, which is used as reinforcement in reinforced concrete. A rebar is a ribbed steel bar which improves the adhesion of the bar to the concrete, thus enabling a better transfer of forces between concrete and steel. This type of bar is made of high quality steel, which is very strong in tension and thus effectively completements the property of concrete, which is strong in pressure but weak in tension.

Welded wire mesh is a steel welded mesh, used as reinforcement in concrete structures. The welded wire mesh is intended especially for use in flat structures, such as floors, foundations or ceilings. Welded wire mesh is made up of steel wires or rods arranged in a grid shape. In spots where they cross, the rods are welded tightly together. 

Lattice girders are used for construction and serves the purpose of increasing the strength of concrete structures. Lattice girders are arranged in a three-dimensional space, which provides strength and stability to structures loaded in several directions at the same time. Lattice girders are composed of rods (termed as rebars), interconnected to form various three-dimensional spatial shapes, such as frames, cylinders or cubes.

Thanks to its properties, lattice girders guarantee resistance to pressure and tensile forces acting on the structure from various directions (in all three axes – x, y, z). Lattice girders transfer and distribute the load effectively, preventing the concrete from cracking or its possible failure under pressure and tensile forces.

Lattice girders have a wide range of applications. It can be used in ceilings (ceiling beams, ceiling panels), walls (wall panels, bearers). Lattice girders are also used in building foundations – for piles or strip foundations, where the structure must resist loads in various directions. Lattice girders are also crucial for columns or beams, the structure of which must be strong in several directions (e.g. in pressure and bending simultaneously). In addition, lattice girders are used to reinforce various arched and vaulted structures, such as bridges, tunnels or curved ceilings. This type of reinforcement also helps ensure spatial stability in skeletal structures, such as high-rise buildings or large industrial halls.

Compared to lattice girders, single girders are arranged in one plane or in two parallel layers at most. This type of reinforcement is designed for structures that are primarily loaded in one direction, so there is no need to address strength in more direction. This generally includes flat structures which are subjected to tensile and pressure forces in one axis.

Single girders are used e.g. in reinforced concrete slabs of floors and ceilings, where reinforcement is placed in one or two parallel planes, most often at the upper or lower part of the slab. In addition, single girders are also usually part of the wall structure, where resistance to pressure and tension in one direction is required. This type of reinforcement is also used in a number of horizontal structures, for example in road and railway panels, where the load primarily comes from one direction.

Armouring is a process of inserting steel reinforcement (armature) into concrete to increase its strength and resistance to tensile forces. Concrete itself is very strong in pressure but rather weak in tension. The combination of concrete with steel reinforcement (armature) creates what is termed as reinforced concrete, which is able to resist both pressure and tension.

Spacers are small structural elements used for reinforcing concrete structures. Spacers guarantee the correct positioning and covering of the reinforcement during the concreting process.

The main purpose of these elements is to ensure that reinforcing rods and mesh are placed in the correct position and entirely surrounded by concrete, which is essential for the longevity and strength of the structure.

Spacers serve the following three purposes in particular:

Provision of the cover layer – spacers keep the reinforcement at a specified distance from the formwork (surface of the structure) to provide an adequate thickness of the concrete layer. This layer protects the reinforcement from moisture, corrosion and mechanical damage.

Stabilisation of reinforcement – spacers prevent the reinforcement from moving during concrete pouring, thus making sure that the reinforcement stay in the correct position and the structure has the desired properties.

Maintenance of precise spacing between rods – spacers are used in welded wired mesh and complex reinforcement systems to ensure that the rods and mesh stay at precise distances. This is the only way to guarantee an even distribution of forces across the structure.

There are several types of spacers. The most widely used spacers include plastic, steel and concrete spacers.

Plastic spacers:
The most common type of spacers. This type of spacers is lightweight, easy to use and resistant to moisture. They are primarily used in less demanding concrete structures.

Concrete spacers:
Concrete spacers are made of the same material as the structure itself. Accordingly, concrete spacers have similar properties, especially thermal expansion and strength. This type of spacers is used in more demanding applications, such as foundations, walls or bridges. 

Steel spacers:
Thanks to their exceptional durability, steel spacers are used primarily in industrial or more complex structures where maximum strength and stability of reinforcement is required. Steel spacers are produced in various lengths, heights and weights. You can find the following spacers in the FERT catalogue: TYPE S (UTH), TYPE D and TYPE DB. Each type can be purchased in different parameters directly from our online shop.

The use of spacers for determining the spacing between welded wire meshes is recommended since spacers secure the correct placement of reinforcement in concrete. Spacers are used to ensure that welded wire mesh stays at the correct height and distance, which guarantees an even load distribution and maximum strength of the concrete. As a matter of fact, spacers are also necessary in structures where welded wire mesh is used.

Yes, we manufacture all the products included in our offer. Since 1992, we have specialised in the production of reinforcing steel, lattice girders and spacers. We offer both products in stock and we provide customised productions. You can find the products on offer in our online catalogue, or you can easily purchase them from our online shop.

Yes, we have our own online shop, which you can find at this address. Our offer includes reinforcing steel, steel spacers and lattice girders of various types or vineyard bars.

It depends on the type of product. For instance, steel spacers can be purchased only in whole packs of 25 pieces for production reason. Information about the minimum quantity is always available for the given product in the online shop.

For capacity reasons, only personal collection of goods at our company in Soběslav is possible.