re: Replacing 20x20 wooden deck with concrete slab?

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Shouldn’t need rebar. Just some welded wire mesh. Doesn’t cost much.

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The problem with welded wire mesh is that the Contractor just lays it on the ground. It does absolutely no good just laying on the ground. It needs to be about the mid-depth of the slab. A contractor will tell you “Oh, we have a hooked bar that we use to pick up the wire mesh into the wet concrete”. But the fact is the workers will then step on the wire mesh as they are spreading the concrete and rough finishing it. The wire mesh is back on the ground.

#3 or #4 rebar on 12””-18” spacing is a better option. There are rebar supports that the mat of rebar can rest on to keep it at mid-depth. The workers can actually stand on the mat or step in the holes to do their work.

The best option is fiber reinforced concrete. The concrete contains beauxoup fiberglass micro fibers all throughout the mix. It replaces any steel reinforcement and will better prevent any concrete cracking that you can still get from steel reinforcement. The cost is about $5-$10 more per cubic yard but you don’t have to pay for steel reinforcement. Any contractor should be familiar with it.