Which practice helps when finishing concrete around reinforcing bars?

• A. Maintain adequate cover, avoid pulling paste against bars, and ensure proper consolidation without displacing rebar.
• B. Finish first, then place rebar after.
• C. Apply extra cement paste onto bars to cover them.
• D. Remove bars to allow finishing.

Answer: (A)

When finishing concrete around reinforcing bars, the goal is to keep the bars properly covered and the cement paste working with, not against, the bars. Maintaining adequate cover protects the steel from corrosion and provides the space needed for the concrete to bond effectively with the rebar. Finishing should be done in a way that consolidates the concrete around the bars without pushing or pulling paste away from them; this helps avoid voids, honeycombing, and a weak bond.

This approach is the best because it directly ensures that the rebar remains embedded at the correct depth with a uniform surrounding concrete layer, while still achieving a smooth finish. Finishing first and then placing rebar isn’t practical for proper embedment and bond. Adding extra paste onto the bars can trap laitance and create an uneven cover or weak areas. Removing bars would defeat the structural purpose of reinforcement.