Fiber-reinforced concrete comes in many variations including glass, carbon and plastic fibers. Each concrete material has several different uses including household, industrial and construction. Knowing which type of fiber-reinforced concrete works best in each situation is important because not all types will hold the load or work in every situation.

Review applications and uses for fiber-reinforced concrete at manufacturer websites or through industry leading associations that provide valuable spec sheets on the proper uses and restraints of each type of concrete. More than one form of concrete may work in your situation, so review the benefits and drawbacks of each before making a decision. Consider:

1. Types of fiber-reinforced concrete for household and contractor work.

2. Industrial-strength fiber-reinforced concrete.

3. Optional concrete for specialty jobs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for commercial building uses of fiber-reinforced concrete

Fiber-reinforced concrete can be used to construct many aspects of commercial real estate or individual homes from earthquake resistant structures to countertops. Compare glass-fiber options with plastic- filled options to find the best fit for your project. From tornado shelters to industrial kitchen countertops, fiber-reinforced concrete can be used in many more ways than most contractors even realize.

I recommend: Get the lowdown on using glass-fiber for your concrete countertops at Concrete Connection, or read Science Daily's article about earthquake resistant fiber-reinforced concrete. Read "Fiber Reinforced Concrete" at Retail Source for additional information.

Find industrial-use fiber-reinforced concrete

When concrete solutions are needed on a much larger scale, consider finding industrial strength fiber-reinforced information straight from the manufacturer. Find a trustworthy manufacturer with good reviews and many years of experience in the concrete business so you know you're getting your information from a reliable source.

I recommend: Start your fiber-reinforced concrete education by contacting a manufacturer with years of experience and references in all fields from contractors to mining officials. Manufacturer Nycon can help you review fiber-reinforced concrete options with over 25 years of service in the concrete business. Get additional information from Elasto-Plastic Concrete for many industrial uses of fiber-reinforced concrete.

Review specialty industry uses for fiber-reinforced concrete

There are many other specialty fields that have used fiber-reinforced concrete with great success for many years. If you've got a potential use but aren't sure if plastic, glass or other fiber-reinforced concrete is right for the job, review some of the other uses and talk to manufacturers about the advantages or disadvantages of using concrete reinforced with fiber.

I recommend: Fiber-reinforced concrete is used in mining tunnels or in marine applications. Both have been tried and true tests to the strength of fiber-reinforced concrete. MacCafferi offers fiber-reinforced concrete for tunneling, and Propex Concrete Systems creates Shortcrete, a fiber-reinforced mix that works good for marine and other uses.

Fiber-reinforced concrete is used for maximum durability and in the construction of civil structures to avoid corrosion. These same features can be obtained for residential, commercial, industrial and landscape projects.

Read up on fiber-reinforced concrete information to learn how to take proper measurements for accurate orders. Always add extra to the order for mistakes, mis-measures and changes in the plans. To incorporate fiber-reinforced concrete into your construction or landscape projects, you should:

1. Buy fiber-reinforced cement from a reputable fiber-reinforced concrete provider for the best quality and service.

2. Purchase fiber-reinforced cement from concrete wholesalers to save money and place bulk orders.

3. Find fiber-reinforced concrete tools and equipment to have what you need on site at all times.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase new fiber-reinforced concrete from reputable manufacturers and distributors

Work with a quality fiber-reinforced cement company and you will get a quality product. Consider a local company to save on delivery costs. Keep abreast of current technologies of concrete and the green movement in home building to provide the safest materials to your clients.

I recommend: Elasto Plastic Concrete is an innovative concrete-of-the-future company. They are exploring the concrete of tomorrow with a reinforced steel that doesn't rust or corrode like traditional reinforcement fibers. Propex Concrete Systems offers both steel and synthetic fiber for concrete reinforcement.

Buy fiber-reinforced concrete wholesale to save money

Stock up on the fiber reinforcements and fiber-reinforced concrete you need for both current and future jobs by ordering supplies in bulk. Figure up the supplies needed on all pending job orders, account for flex and place one large order to save money.

I recommend: Vermillion and Associates are wholesale suppliers of fiber reinforcements for concrete and carry all the major types, cut-length and bulk order sizes you need to compete the job. Concrete Fibers is a leading provider of concrete reinforcing fibers. They offer pricing guidelines on their site for easy-to-figure quotes before you call.

Stock fiber-reinforced concrete tools and equipment on site for convenience

Keep your crew productive and get the job done faster by keeping the fiber-reinforced cement tools and equipment on site and ready to use. These tools can include shears, cutting equipment, benders for the fibers and molds for the concrete.

I recommend: Concrete Tool Supply offers a wide variety of concrete tools and equipment, including concrete chain saws and slab cutters. The Concrete Supply House offers professional concrete tools as competitive prices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make a fiber-reinforced concrete list of materials needed for your current project and future projects to order in bulk and save money and delivery time.
• •  Check with your local, county and state building codes for the requirements and recommendations surrounding fiber-reinforced concrete materials as used in construction.

You will find fiber-reinforced concrete in homes, roadways and pipes, just to name a few applications. Methods of installing fiber-reinforced concrete follow accepted uses for other concrete processes, such as using forms and in-place casting. While many fiber-reinforced concrete products come as maintenance-free, designers and users have discovered that some products require maintenance to preserve safety and to extend the life of the concrete creations.

Concrete impregnated with fibers such as steel or asbestos have more strength and flexibility than pure concrete. Some drawbacks of steel are the possibilities of corrosion, reducing strength and heightening safety issues. As a result, engineers are trying out other reinforcing fibers. You may want to consider fibers other than steel or asbestos, including the following choices:

1. Fiber-reinforced concrete that uses various types of plastic fiber.

2. Fiber-reinforced concrete using cotton fibers.

3. Fiber-reinforced concrete with glass fibers.

4. Fiber-reinforced concrete that uses rockwool for fibers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Explore installation techniques for home projects using fiber-reinforced concrete

You will find fiber-reinforced concrete for use in the yard and home in the do-it-yourself category for homeowners. You can use it for everything from sidewalks to decorative posts, or even a barbecue. Fiber-reinforced concrete also works well in the restoration of statuary and columns. You can find online instructions for forming and pouring concrete creations of many kinds.

I recommend: Quikrete provides instructions for forming and pouring fiber-reinforced concrete to make sidewalks, steps, posts and many other projects for the home. Custom Foam & Precast pictures some unusual methods of forming and using fiber-reinforced concrete. It provides ideas other than the rubber molds used for both fiber-reinforced concrete installation and maintenance.

Explore ways of restoring and maintaining fiber-reinforced concrete roadways

Many road projects utilize fiber-reinforced concrete using fiber other than steel or carbon. Repairing worn and damaged bridges and roads is also a project that calls for the use of fiber-reinforced concrete.

I recommend: Federal Highway Administration provides information regarding the installation, repair and maintenance of reinforced concrete used for roads. You can download a PDF for more information. AZoM discusses roadwork among many other uses of fiber-reinforced concrete. It looks at results of projects from 20 years ago and talks about newer fibers used for reinforcement.

Look for ways to maintain other structures made of fiber-reinforced concrete

Some projects and structures that use fiber-reinforced concrete will show signs or damage from use or weather if you don't maintain them. Several entities have studied the problem of repairing and maintaining structures for both aesthetic and safety reasons.

I recommend: Pullman Power presents a detailed account of what can happen to a chimney made of fiber-reinforced concrete and explains how to repair and maintain it. GoStructural.com discusses the proper method of preparing damaged fiber-reinforced concrete structures before actual repairs take place. The discussion includes the cost of repairing and the absolute importance of maintenance to prevent damage.