Rebar Sizes Chart and Different Types

October 4, 2022April 12, 2023 by Thomas Vandepitte

Rebar, which is short for reinforcing or reinforced steel bars, refers to a steel rod used to provide additional support to concrete during construction. Concrete is strong, but it’s susceptible to breakage when under stress. Adding rebar into the concrete can make a structure stronger and ensure you catch any major design issues early enough (skip straight to the Rebar Sizes Chart).

Rebar Sizes Chart and Different Types size-charts.com — _{Photo by Josue Isai Ramos Figueroa on Unsplash}

Different rebar sizing standards exist for different countries, and you can find a suitable chart in this comprehensive guide. The American Welding Society is responsible for providing standards for construction in the US. This can help identify potential quality issues as you choose a rebar size. Luckily, we’ve summarised everything you should know about rebar sizes in this post.

Now, you can find out which size of steel bars you need for your project in our rebar sizes charts.

Let’s get started!

Jump right into the Frequently Asked Questions

Rebar Sizes Chart

US/Imperial Steel Rebar Sizes Chart

Imperial Bar Sizes	“Soft” Metric Size	Weight per unit length (lb/ft)	Mass per unit length (kg/m)	Nominal Bar Diameter (in)	Nominal Bar Diameter (mm)	Nominal Area(in²)	Nominal Area (mm²)
#3	#10	0.376	0.561	0.375	9.525	0.11	71
#4	#13	0.668	0.996	0.500	12.7	0.2	129
#5	#16	1.043	1.556	0.625	15.875	0.31	200
#6	#19	1.502	2.24	0.750	19.05	0.44	284
#7	#22	2.044	3.049	0.875	22.225	0.6	387
#8	#25	2.67	3.982	1.000	25.4	0.79	509
#9	#29	3.4	5.071	1.128	28.65	1	645
#10	#32	4.303	6.418	1.27	32.26	1.27	819
#11	#36	5.313	7.924	1.41	35.81	1.56	1006
#14	#43	7.65	11.41	1.693	43	2.25	1452
#18	#57	13.6	20.284	2.257	57.33	4	2581

Canadian Rebar Sizes Chart

Metric Bar Size	Mass per unit length (kg/m)	Nominal Diameter (mm)	Cross-Sectional Area (mm²)
10M	0.785	11.3	100
15M	1.570	16.0	200
20M	2.355	19.5	300
25M	3.925	25.2	500
30M	5.495	29.9	700
35M	7.850	35.7	1000
45M	11.775	43.7	1500
55M	19.625	56.4	2500

European Rebar Sizes Chart

Metric Bar Size	Mass per unit length (kg/m)	Nominal Diameter (mm)	Cross-Sectional Area (mm²)
6,0	0.222	6	28.3
8,0	0.395	8	50.3
10,0	0.617	10	78.5
12,0	0.888	12	113
14,0	1.21	14	154
16,0	1.579	16	201
20,0	2.467	20	314
25,0	3.855	25	491
28,0	4.83	28	616
32,0	6.316	32	804
40,0	9.868	40	1257
50,0	15.413	50	1963

Australian Rebar Sizes Chart

Nominal Diameter (mm)	Cross-sectional area (mm sq)	Mass per meter length, kg/m
12	113	0.888
16	201	1.58
20	314	2.47
24	452	3.55
28	616	4.83
32	804	6.31
36	1020	7.99

New Zealand Rebar Sizes Chart

Nominal Diameter (mm)	Cross-sectional area (mm sq)	Mass per meter length, kg/m
6	28.3	0.222
10	78.5	0.617
12	113	0.888
16	201	1.58
20	314	2.47
25	491	3.85
32	804	6.31
40	1260	9.86

Jumbo Rebar Sizes Chart

	Metric bar size (soft)	Linear Mass Density		Nominal diameter (outside of threaded zone)		Nominal area (outside of threaded zone)
Imperial bar size		^lb⁄_ft	(kg/m)	(in)	(mm)	(in²)	(mm²)
#14J	–	9.48	14.14	1.88	47.8	2.78	1794
#18J	–	14.60	21.78	2.34	59.4	4.29	2768

Threaded Rebar Sizes Chart

Imperial bar size	Metric bar size (soft)	Linear Mass Density		Maximum diameter		Nominal area
		^lb⁄_ft	(kg/m)	(in)	(mm)	(in²)	(mm²)
#20	No.63	16.70	24.85	2.72	69	4.91	3168
#24	No.75	24.09	35.85	3.18	81	7.06	4555
#28	No.90	32.79	48.80	3.68	94	9.62	6207
1″	No.26	3.01	4.48	1.25	32	0.85	548
1 ¹⁄₄“	No.32	4.39	6.53	1.45	37	1.25	806
1 ³⁄₈“	No.36	5.56	8.27	1.63	41	1.58	1019
1 ³⁄₄“	No.46	9.23	13.73	2.01	51	2.58	1665
2 ¹⁄₂“	No.65	18.20	27.08	2.80	71	5.16	3329
3″	No.75	24.09	35.85	3.15	80	6.85	4419

Rebar Steel Types and Symbols

Symbol	Steel Type
S	Carbon Steel
A	Axle Steel
W	Low-Alloy Steel
SS	Stainless Steel
CS	Low Carbon Chromium

Rebar Steel Grades Chart

Grade Mark	Maximum Yield Strength	PSI
40	40 KSI	40,000 PSI
60	60 KSI	60,000 PSI
75	75 KSI	75,000 PSI
80	80 KSI	80,000 PSI
100	100 KSI	100,000 PSI

How to Choose the Right Rebar Size

When using the US/imperial rebar sizes, you should know that the chart displays the diameter in units of an eighth of an inch, equivalent to 3.2 mm. However, this mostly applies to bars #2 – #8, with the former translating to a quarter-inch and the latter representing a whole inch.

Bars smaller than size #3 are considered more like wires than bars because they are quite thin. The thicker the diameter, the higher the strength of the rebar. This is crucial because it determines the appropriate applications for different rebar sizes.

You should also check out the difference between tensile strength and minimum yield strength when choosing a rebar grade and size for your project.

Now, let’s overview the different places you can apply various rebar sizes.

#3 rebar

These carbon-steel rebars are mostly used for:

Road construction,
Driveway construction,
Swimming pool frames,
Patio construction

#4 rebar

Also made from carbon steel composite materials, these rebars are designed for:

Residential construction
Light commercial construction
Paving highways and roads
Strengthening concrete slabs, walls, and columns

#5 rebar

These rebars are made using super-strong carbon steel composite and are suitable for the following applications:

Highway road construction
Bridge construction
Ground-level slabs,
Patio deck construction,
Residential construction

#6 rebar

These are mostly used for concrete reinforcement in:

Foundation construction,
Highway construction,
Caissons,
Deck-grade beams

#7 rebar

You can use these rebars for reinforcing:

Roof construction,
Multiple-story parking structures,
Drainage structures

#8 rebar

This rebar size comprises high-quality carbon steel composite and is ideal for heavy-duty construction applications such as:

Footings,
Columns,
High-rise concrete slabs,
Sea walls,
Bridge abutments,

#9 rebar

These are great for larger projects, and you can use them for:

Retaining walls,
Reinforcing abutments,
High-rise buildings,

#10 rebar

This rebar size offers a high tensile strength which is why it’s suitable for a variety of construction projects. You can use them in beams and columns.

#11 rebar

Great for heavy-duty applications and load-bearing structures, this rebar size is meant for:

Bridges
Docks
Tall buildings

#14 rebar

These thick rebars are good for:

Tall buildings
Parking structures
Bridges
Docks
Industrial facilities

#18 rebar

This is the strongest option among standard rebars and comes in an epoxy-coated or black coating. Epoxy-coated bars are the optimal choice for marine-based environments because they are resistant to corrosion. Black rebars are the cheaper option if you aren’t exposing the bars to moisture.

Types of Rebars – The Best Rebar for You

1. Carbon steel rebars

This is the most common type of rebar used in construction projects. It’s also known as a “black rebar” because of its color. Thanks to its durability and affordability, it’s a popular choice in both residential and commercial applications.

Unfortunately, carbon steel rebars aren’t resistant to corrosion caused by moisture. As such, you should use them in scenarios with lower chances of contact with water for the best results.

2. Stainless Steel Rebar

These are more expensive than their carbon steel counterparts but are a great alternative. Stainless steel is strong, which is why these bars are suitable for reinforcing weight-supporting structures like bridges and roads. These rebars are corrosion-resistant, giving them an advantage over carbon steel rebars.

3. Glass Fiber Rebar

Fiberglass rebar doesn’t contain any metallic compounds making it great for areas with high humidity or moist environments. This rebar will eliminate the risk of water damage and provide higher tensile strength. It’s also non-conductive and is much lighter than metallic rebars making it easier to transport.

4. Epoxy-Coated Rebar

This is the ultimate solution to any water-related issues since it features a thick layer of epoxy, greatly reducing corrosion. Unfortunately, the epoxy coating is easily susceptible to scratches during shipping, reducing its effectiveness against corrosion.

5. Galvanized Rebar

This rebar is pricey, but it comes with a water-resistant coating reducing the chances of corrosion. It closely compares with the epoxy-coated rebars.

6. Welded Wire Fabric Rebar

These rebars are made from welded low-carbon steel wires and come in a grid pattern. They are great for supporting concrete slabs.

7. Expanded Metal Rebar

This one is also a metal mesh but comes in a diamond pattern. This is the rebar to use when adding plaster to concrete for additional support. It’s also used for sidewalks and other walking surfaces.

Learn more about the different rebars sizes (video)

_{REBAR SIZES || standard sizes of rebar by CivilDirection}

Frequently Asked Questions on Rebar Sizes Chart

Which is bigger, #4 or #5 rebar?

A #5 rebar is bigger in diameter than a #4 rebar.

What size is a number 3 rebar?

The diameter of a #3 rebar is 0.375 inches or 9.525 mm.

What diameter is a number 4 rebar?

A #4 rebar has a diameter of 0.5 inches or 12.7 mm.

What size rebar is number 5?

A number 5 rebar measures 0.625 inches or 15.875 mm.

Conclusion

While concrete is a reliable raw material in construction, it won’t hold up well on its own. Fortunately, including rebars in your concrete structure will make it stronger, more durable, and less risky for people to use.

Imperial rebar sizes are the standard in the US, but different countries have various rebar sizing systems. Now that you know what rebar size is ideal for your project, you can ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

If you have questions about rebar sizes, please comment below!

Picture in this post is by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash