Welded Steel Mesh

What Is Welded Steel Mesh and Where Is It Used?

Welded steel mesh is a ready-made reinforcement sheet produced by joining ribbed steel wires at their intersections with resistance spot welding. Instead of cutting and tying individual bars on site, a prefabricated grid is laid out. This shortens labour time and, just as importantly, keeps the spacing between bars exactly as specified in the project. The spacing deviations that are unavoidable with hand-tied reinforcement disappear, which means the steel inside the concrete behaves the way it was calculated to.

The most common application is floor and slab concrete: industrial floors, warehouse and car park areas, road and yard slabs, residential slabs. It is also used in shear walls, retaining structures, precast elements and pool applications. We sell welded steel mesh from our Ostim stock and ship it to every province in Türkiye; you can also source rebar and steel profiles from us for the same project.

The Difference Between Q Type and R Type

Welded mesh is produced in two main types. Q type has square openings: the reinforcement area is equal in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. It is used in slabs carrying similar loads in both directions, in floor concrete and in yard applications. Q is the type most commonly requested.

R type has rectangular openings: the reinforcement area in the longitudinal direction is significantly greater than in the transverse direction. In one-way slabs, where the load is transferred predominantly in a single direction, R type is both more economical and structurally more appropriate. Which type to use is determined by the structural calculation in your project; if you are unsure, send us the type code from your reinforcement drawing and we will match it from stock.

Mesh Types and Technical Values

The number in the mesh type indicates the reinforcement cross-sectional area per metre (mm²/m). In Q188, for example, there are 188 mm² of steel per metre in each direction. The table below is for Q type mesh with 15 × 15 cm openings:

The weight column is calculated from a steel density of 7,850 kg/m³, taking the sum of both directions. Sheet dimensions vary between mills, so please confirm the current sheet size in our stock before ordering; your offcut and waste calculation depends on it.

Area Calculation and Order Quantity

Two figures are enough to place an order: the area to be poured in square metres, and the weight per square metre of the type you choose. For a 200 m² floor slab with Q188, the theoretical weight is 200 × 2.95 = 590 kg. That figure, however, does not include lap lengths.

In practice sheets are laid overlapping one another, so the area covered is smaller than the area purchased. Adding roughly 10-15% for laps and waste is a realistic approach on site. In the example above, ordering on the basis of 650-680 kg rather than 590 kg prevents running short. On areas with complex geometry that require many cuts, this allowance may need to be slightly higher.

Lap Length and Placement on Site

Welded mesh only works properly if it is laid properly. Where two sheets meet, they are lapped so that the reinforcement can act continuously; the lap length is determined by the structural calculation, and in practice a lap of at least one mesh opening is common. Staggering the joints rather than aligning them all on the same line distributes the weak section that would otherwise form there.

The second critical point is cover. If the mesh is placed directly on the ground, there is no concrete cover and the steel comes into contact with moisture and corrodes. Lifting the mesh to the specified height with plastic or concrete spacers keeps the reinforcement at the correct depth within the concrete. Mesh that is stepped on and pushed down during the pour also loses its function; having the pouring crew cross the mesh on timber walkways prevents this.

Price, Stock and Delivery

We do not publish a fixed list price for welded steel mesh. Its cost is directly tied to the steel market and changes daily, so rather than publishing a price that would be out of date, we quote the current day's price when you enquire. Send us the type, the dimensions and the total square metres and we will give you a net price the same day.

Sales are by weight, and all prices we publish include VAT. Delivery is always charged; freight is calculated separately, including deliveries within Ankara, and we do not offer free shipping. Site surveys within Ankara are free of charge. Welded steel mesh is heavy and bulky; for delivery planning, please tell us in advance whether a lorry can access the delivery address and how you intend to unload (forklift, crane or by hand).