Rebar question

[cbrxx]

I was cutting some rebar the other day and it smelled kinda funny, not like normal steel it had its own scent. Anyways I want to know if rebar is coated with chemicals, or is it just mild steel?

It is made up of differnet alloys than mild steel. It is more brittle and should not be used for anything structural.

[Dave Haak]

It's pretty common to use epoxy coatings on rebar in my part of the country. Keeps the salt from getting to the steel, if it should get into the concrete through cracks. Here light green is commonly used. You probably would have mentioned a paint like coating though. Anyway when heated/burned it gives off a terrible, very distinctive odor.

[vipermanz]

most of it i've used has been dark gray or brown, some are oil coated to prevent minor shipping rust

[cbrxx]

Maybe it was oil, some of the rebar was dark grey, but most of it was rusted.