Bend Rebar Once — Save Time & Money

Bent dowels = big mistake 🚫. Once you bend them ‘out of the way,’ they’re compromised—you can’t just bend them back. Notice the missing key here too 👀… we’ll dive into why that matters in a later post. For now: bend once, or pay the price

Bend It Once, Or Bust

Jobsite truth: Rebar dowels are a one‑bend deal. Bend them once to final position—never back and forth.

Why? Because steel isn’t a paperclip. Re‑bending weakens the bar, cracks the bond, and could cost you thousands in rework. Let’s break it down Insta‑style.

🚫 The Don’ts

• Don’t bend dowels “out of the way” for a pour.

• 
  

  Don’t try to “fix” by bending them back.

• Don’t heat bars unless the engineer signs off.

One wrong move = engineer reports, delays, and $$$.

⚠️ What Happens When You Re‑Bend

• Micro‑cracks form at the bend radius.

• Steel gets brittle (strain‑hardening).

• Bond breaks between bar + concrete.

• Cover spalls = inspection fail.

👉 Even if it “looks fine,” you’ve started a hidden countdown to failure.

💸 The Ugly Fixes

If you re‑bend, you’re looking at:

1. Cut + Coupler – Cut back the dowel, buy a mechanical coupler, splice in new steel. Inspector must bless it.

2. Chip‑Out + Replace – Worst case: hammer out freshly poured concrete, reset dowels, repour. Noise, dust, time, cash.

Both options = change orders, lost days, and a busted budget.

✅ Smarter Moves

• Use dowel sleeves/caps so bars don’t clash during pour.

• Set up templates + ties to keep dowels plumb.

• If a dowel’s in the way: pause, call the super/engineer. They can approve a fix (like drill + epoxy later).

Plan ahead → no panic bends.

🛠️ Jobsite Cheat Sheet

• Bend dowels once only.

• Protect bond + cover.

• If it’s bent wrong → stop, document, and escalate.

• Expect couplers or chip‑out if already re‑bent.

Print this. Tape it inside your lunch box. 🔨

Wrap‑Up

Rebar = bend once, be done. Skip the shortcuts, save your schedule, and keep inspectors happy.