Guidelines for spacers

Cover spacers are important for achieving the correct concrete cover. This helps your structure last longer and prevents concrete deterioration. Make sure you get proper advice on the cover required for your project. You then decide which cover spacers you need and how many. They are available in different shapes, sizes and materials. To help you get started, we have provided a handy overview below.

Concrete setting blocks

Use the small concrete setting blocks under reinforcement cages for a (foundation) beam.

Available for covers from 25 to 55 mm. Use 3 blocks per 1000 mm of reinforcement cage.

Use the large concrete setting blocks as spacers under reinforcing mesh in a slab.

Available for covers from 25 to 100 mm. Use 3 blocks per 1 m² of slab reinforcement.

Concrete cover spacers are also available with a clip or wire. Use these for walls and along the side of a reinforcement cage when making a foundation beam.

The concrete spacers for walls are recommended over duo spacers in aggressive environments (e.g. slurry pits).

Concrete setting rails

Use concrete setting rails as spacers under reinforcing mesh in a slab. They are suitable for both soft and hard substrates and are always larger than 1 mesh opening. Recommended quantity: 2.5 rails per 1 m².

Speedies

Speedies are lightweight plastic floor spacers made from 100% recycled polypropylene. Thanks to the large bearing surface, the Speedie remains stable and you need fewer per square metre than with other spacers. This saves time when setting out and reduces materials in your order. Speedies are available for covers from 20 to 70 mm and are packed in quantities of 50. Working on a large floor area? Use the Speedies dropstick to place them upright without bending down.

Guideline: 1.5 Speedies per 1 m² of slab.

Ring and cone spacers 

Fix these plastic spacers to the reinforcement cage to achieve the correct cover between the reinforcement steel and the formwork.

Use the rings with rigid formwork (timber or steel); suitable for reinforcement steel from Ø 4.0 to Ø 12.0 mm.

Use the cones with soft formwork, such as an EPS box or Powerkist; suitable for reinforcement steel from Ø 4.0 to Ø 16.0 mm.

For both, the guideline is 6 per 1000 mm of reinforcement cage.

Long line spacers

Long line spacers are plastic spacers used under slab reinforcement. There are specific long line spacers for hard or soft substrates. They are 2000 mm long.
To calculate the number required: floor area (m²) x 0.85.

Duo spacers

These spacers are also known as wall spacers. They keep the two reinforcing mesh layers in a concrete wall at a set distance from each other and provide the correct cover between the reinforcement steel and the formwork. Suitable for reinforcement steel from Ø 4.0 to Ø 12.0 mm.