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Differences between Structural Steel Beams and Reinforced Steel Beams

15 March 2021

steel reinforcement bars ready to be used

Steel is a crucial component of almost any domestic or commercial construction project. However, several different forms of fabricated steel can be used throughout a project. The two main types of construction steel in question are structural steel and reinforcement steel, with each one containing specific variants that make them suitable for certain applications.

If you are considering using structural steel beams or reinforcement beams for your build, it’s essential to know which type is most suitable. In this short guide, we’ve outlined the key differences between the two types of steel to help you get off on the right foot.

What are Structural Steel Beams?

Structural steel is an exceptionally robust, flexible and resilient material for constructing frames of buildings (see steel frame buildings) and other components. Steel beams can’t just be used for construction; they’re also widely used in engineering, manufacturing and other industries. 

There are many structural steel types, including universal beams (also known as I beams), universal columns, plates, channels, steel bars, tube, pipe and many other steel sections. Each type of structural steel comes with its own unique shape, dimension and cross-section, with the products being identified usually with a letter that refers to its cross-section shape. Here are some examples:

Structural steel products are incredibly versatile and can be used alongside other building materials like concrete, bricks and timber. It is noticeably different from reinforced steel, which is the preferred choice of some builders.

What is Reinforced Steel?

Reinforced steel, sometimes known as reinforcement steel, is generally used alongside concrete and masonry to - unsurprisingly - strengthen the materials.

Reinforcement steel bars provide additional tensile strength, which concrete is known to lack but makes up for in compressive strength.

There are several different types of reinforced steel bars, such as:

  • Hot-rolled deformed steel bars - the most frequently used type of reinforcement steel, with deformations on their surface that bond with concrete.
  • Mild steel bars - these bars contain hooks at the end usually, without any ribs, and are generally used in small projects with concrete.
  • Cold-rolled steel reinforcement mesh - these are hot-rolled steel bars that have undergone a cold-working process. These bars have a much lower ductility.
  • Prestressing steel - this is formed from multiple bars that act as tendons throughout rows of concrete. These are cold-drawn and have high tensile strength, making them ideal for prestressed concrete projects.

Key Differences between Reinforced and Structural Steel Beams

These two principle types of steel contain particular physical properties that make them ideal for specific purposes. Structural steel beams are used primarily for shaping the edges of structures, while reinforcement steel bars vary as they’re used alongside concrete and masonry to strengthen it. 

Structural steel bars and beams require more resources and effort to develop, but their versatility, flexibility and simplicity of construction make them preferable by many.

Reinforcement steel structures are less influenced by ecological or climate conditions, as structural steel is more prone to rusting if not adequately finished, primed or galvanised. That being said, in reinforcing structures, the tensile strength of the solid parts is lower compared to structural steel sections, which remain more rigid when installed. 

The effort and time required to maintain and repair reinforcement steel are significantly higher than structural steel. The latter type of steel, once fixed effectively, requires very little - if any - maintenance.

Steel Beam Calculator

Buy A Beam is a simple-to-use shop for buying steel online in just a few clicks. Using our webshop, you can buy steel directly from local steel fabricators instantly, with the ability to customise your steel beams, bars and so on. Primarily, our steel suppliers deal with structural steel, although some of them may offer cost-effective reinforcing steel products.

A steel calculator is built into the Buy A Beam shop, where your prices are instantly calculated as you add products, alter sizes, add custom splice connections and so on. You don’t have to spend hours calculating the cost of each beam manually. 

If you are looking for the structural steel products we’ve listed above, order steel via Buy A Beam today to see what your local steel fabrication company can offer.