Stainless Steel Rebar?

[etd66ss]

Has anyone used stainless rebar to pin the logs in their LHBA style home?

I'm probably not in the best of climates for a log home to begin with, and I have a concern about using mild steel rebar embedded in logs (hopefully when I go to source the rebar I can make sure it is not Chinese junk). Cast in concrete is one thing, in logs, I'm not so sure I like the mild steel rebar. I know if the overhangs are large and the chinking can breathe, theoretically the initial layer of rust will prevent further oxidation of the rebar yadda yadda. However, if it is just a matter of cost, I think I would personally go with stainless rebar, as well as stainless nails for the chinking.

Just wondering if anyone else has had such thoughts on the matter.

btw, yes, I am taking the class. I'm not all in on BnP method as of yet, but I will take the class and gain as much knowledge as I can.

[rckclmbr428]

Sure it can be done, but I would reckon it might be a lot cheaper to buy coated rebar instead

[etd66ss]

Well, from some quick research there are a few choices.

Mild steel - black oxide coating - non-corrosion resistant
Mild steel - epoxy coating - (1.4x the cost of black oxide)- 150-1100 times more corrosion resistant to black oxide (the range is based on damaged to undamaged and coated ends) - bending damages corrosion resistance
Mild steel - galvanized coating - (1.5x the cost of black oxide) - 38 times more corrosion resistant to black oxide - bending weakens coating
Mild steel - stainless clad - (1.9x the cost of black oxide) - 800-1500 times more corrosion resistant to black oxide (only if cut ends are coated)
Solid SS - (5.8x the coast of black oxide) - 800-1500 times more corrosion resistant to black oxide, damage to rebar is irrelevant in terms of corrosion resistance

If I calculate out 24" lengths of #4 rebar to build a 34 x 34 BnP home 12 courses high, and the pins are on ave (3 ft ?) apart and I use $0.50/lb for the black oxide rebar, I come up with ~$360 for black oxide and $2070 for solid stainless rebar.

I think I'd actually opt for the solid stainless.

I guess one question is, does the rust actually help the grip strength when the log shrinks on the rebar, and would something like an epoxy coating have an adverse effect.

[rocklock]

good grief... I have posted these pictures before. A little rust will not make any difference. I cut out some windows from my small shed... hence the small wood... These were unprotected for at least three years before I split them for fire wood... The log is Doug Fir...

About your math... probably times 6 or 7 would be a better estimate..

The wood

[etd66ss]

It would be cool to have a picture like that from a 150 year old BnP home in a wet climate.

About your math... probably times 6 or 7 would be a better estimate..

You mean from the black oxide rebar to solid stainless? I calculated ~1000 ft of rebar total, not sure if you meant that...

[tetonpeak]

Just an opinion but if there is enough moisture getting to the rebar to be concerned about failure due to corrosion I would assume it is far too much moisture getting to the wood. Properly constructed the rebar will be sealed from moisture for the life of the home. Surface rust would not be an issue. Anyway I don't think it would be a concern to use standard mild steel rebar, just my thoughts.

[Plumb Level]

What climate is this by the way?

I think Tetonpeak nailed it.....or rebared it.

[etd66ss]

What climate is this by the way?

I think Tetonpeak nailed it.....or rebared it.

Western New York climate, rust belt, lake effect snow, very damp in spring/early summer for 3-4 months, etc. My house will be built in the great lakes plain region close to lake Ontario.

I can see the point about if the rebar is getting further oxidation, it means it is getting both moisture and oxygen, meaning the logs are getting wet/damp. Even still, looking at a lot of bridge abutments here, the concrete columns with embedded rebar crack apart a lot due to the rebar expanding from rust, seems to happen to many columns in 3-4 decades.

It is probably correct that normal black oxide rebar would work fine, but if it is only going to cost me and extra ~$1800 to go with solid stainless at time of construction, seems like a no brainer to me. I was just wondering if any LHBA members have used stainless in their builds, I'm not sure I see a downside other than cost and/or it being labeled overkill. I'm already going against the grain building a BnP style home in the first place, I don't mind going against the grain within the LHBA community as well

[allen84]

I don't think stainless would be worth the extra expense. And I think the only reason your vehicles rust so bad is from snow and road salt.... A few years ago I bought a rust free truck that came from New York. It spent it's entire life in a cemetery. Great low mileage truck, if you could get past the dead body smell (joking). It did look like the driver door had been opened into every headstone in the graveyard tho... Union workers.

[rocklock]

If I calculate out 24" lengths of #4 rebar to build a 34 x 34 BnP home 12 courses high, and the pins are on ave (3 ft ?) apart and I use $0.50/lb for the black oxide rebar, I come up with ~$360 for black oxide and $2070 for solid stainless rebar.

I have stated that I have 900 pieces of rebar in my log home... 23 inches long... or about 1800 feet. Probably 2000 for a 34 by 34. I don't know the price per pound but the last time I looked at the delivered price it was about $6.50 for a 20 foot stick... or 100 sticks... or total cost of $650 for 100 sticks.

This is about 100% more than your estimate...

good luck