Rebar shop drawing abbreviations are shorthand for where bars go and what they are: EF means each face, EW each way, T&B top and bottom, NF and FF near face and far face, and a letter in front of the bar size (C, G, S or F) flags specialty bar. Most Canadian detailers use the abbreviations listed in the Reinforcing Steel Institute of Canada (RSIC) Manual of Standard Practice, but every set should carry its own legend, and that legend wins if it differs.
This page is a working legend, grouped by what the abbreviations describe. For how to read a full sheet step by step, see how to read rebar shop drawings.
How a rebar callout is put together
Most callouts follow the same order, and the abbreviations slot into it:
quantity, size, mark, spacing, location
For example, 12-15M-W04 @ 300 VEF reads as 12 bars, size 15M, mark W04, at 300 mm centre to centre, vertical on each face. Change one abbreviation and you change where the bars go, so it pays to know them cold.
Spacing (@ 300) is centre to centre unless stated. Dimensions on bar lists are out to out (O/O) of the bar.
Layers and faces
These are the abbreviations that cause the most placement errors.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| T / TOP | Top | Slabs, beams, footings |
| B / BOT | Bottom | Slabs, beams, footings |
| T&B | Top and bottom | Bars in both layers |
| EW | Each way | Same bar in both directions |
| TEW / BEW | Top each way / bottom each way | Slabs and footings |
| TLL, TUL | Top lower layer, top upper layer | Two-layer top mats |
| BLL, BUL | Bottom lower layer, bottom upper layer | Two-layer bottom mats |
| BML / ML | Bottom middle layer / middle layer | Three-layer mats |
| LW / SW | Long way / short way | Footings and rectangular slabs |
| BLW / BSW | Bottom long way / bottom short way | Footings |
| EF | Each face | Walls, deep beams |
| NF / FF | Near face / far face | Walls, relative to the view |
| IF / OF | Inside face / outside face | Walls, tanks, foundation walls |
| VEF / HEF | Vertical each face / horizontal each face | Walls |
| VIF, VOF | Vertical inside face, vertical outside face | Walls |
| HIF, HOF, HNF, HFF | Horizontal inside, outside, near and far face | Walls |
| NS / FS / BS | Near side / far side / both sides | Beams, walls |
Many detailers also number layers from the outside in: T1 and B1 are closest to the concrete surface, T2 and B2 sit behind them. Watch FF: it can mean far face or finished floor, depending on context. If it appears next to an elevation, it is almost certainly finished floor.
Near face and far face are defined relative to the view you are looking at, so check which side of the wall the section is cut from before you place NF bars.
Location and geometry
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| TOC, TOS, TOW, TOF | Top of concrete, slab, wall, footing |
| BOF | Bottom of footing |
| EL | Elevation |
| FOC, FOW | Face of concrete, face of wall |
| CL | Centre line |
| GL | Grid line |
| CTR'D | Centred |
| CLR | Clear (clear cover or clear spacing) |
| O/O | Out to out |
| C/C, O/C | Centre to centre, on centre |
| EQ | Equal (spaces) |
| LE, RE, EE | Left end, right end, each end |
| CA, CB | Column above, column below |
| OPNG | Opening |
| THK | Thickness |
| NTS | Not to scale |
Bars, shapes and splices
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CONT | Continuous: lap as needed to run the full length |
| ALT | Alternate: every other bar, or alternating lengths or ends |
| STAG | Staggered (usually laps or bar ends) |
| ADD'L / ADD | Additional bars on top of the typical layout |
| STR | Straight |
| DWL | Dowel |
| STIRR / STIR | Stirrup |
| SP | Spiral |
| H / HK | Hook (standard hook unless dimensioned) |
| HH / H2E | Hook each end, hook both ends |
| TEMP | Temperature (shrinkage) steel |
| TRANSV, LONG | Transverse, longitudinal |
| IR | Integrity reinforcement (flat slabs at columns) |
| SB | Support bars |
| DL / DEV, Ld | Development length; tension development length |
| TS / TLS | Tension splice, tension lap splice |
| MC / MECH | Mechanical (coupler or splice) |
| CTS | Cut to suit (length fitted to actual conditions) |
| SC/1, SC/2 | Saw cut one end, saw cut both ends |
| THR/1, THR/2 | Threaded one end, threaded both ends |
| WWF / WWM | Welded wire fabric or mesh |
On the bar list, bend shapes are given by RSIC type: numbered types for main bars, S types for stirrups, T types for ties, and X for special shapes with a sketch. Don't confuse a T-type tie shape with T for top. Our post on rebar bending shape codes explains the numbering.
Elements, joints and project terms
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FTG, SF, SDF | Footing, strip footing, step-down footing |
| FDN | Foundation |
| GB, TB, BT | Grade beam, tie beam, beam tie |
| BM, COL | Beam, column |
| SL, SOG | Slab, slab on grade |
| RW / RET.W | Retaining wall |
| CANT | Cantilever |
| CMU | Concrete masonry unit (block) |
| CIP, PC | Cast in place, precast |
| CJ | Construction joint |
| CLJ | Control joint |
| EJ / EXP.JT | Expansion joint |
| IJ | Isolation joint |
| GID | Grout in dowels |
| P/T, PT | Post-tensioning |
| EX / EXIST | Existing |
| SIM | Similar: same idea, check for differences |
| TYP | Typical: applies to all similar locations |
| TBC / TBD | To be confirmed / to be determined |
| NIC | Not in contract |
| R/W, W/ | Reinforced with, with |
Pay attention to TBC and TBD. A bar marked that way is waiting on an answer from the engineer and should not be fabricated until it is resolved.
Specialty bar prefixes
Canadian practice flags specialty reinforcement with a letter in front of the bar size, on both the placing drawings and the bar list:
| Prefix | Material | Example |
|---|---|---|
| C | Epoxy-coated | C15M @ 300 |
| G | Galvanized | G15M @ 250 |
| S | Stainless steel | S20M @ 250 |
| F | Fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) | F20M @ 200 |
You may also see ECR (epoxy coated reinforcement), HDG (hot dipped galvanized) and GFRP written out in notes. If a specialty bar is missing its prefix anywhere on the set, query it. Mixing plain and coated bar in a corrosive location is a costly mistake. See types of rebar in Canada for what each material is used for.
When an abbreviation is not on the list
Detailers and engineers invent shorthand, especially for project-specific items. When you hit one you don't recognize:
- Check the sheet legend and general notes first. Most sets define their abbreviations on the first sheet.
- Check the structural drawings. Placing drawings often reuse the engineer's terms.
- Ask before you place. An RFI or a call to the detailer costs minutes. Placing bars on the wrong face can cost a pour.
If you review placing drawings regularly, our rebar shop drawing review checklist covers what to check beyond the notation, and Canadian rebar detailing standards explains where these conventions come from.
Drawings you can read at a glance
We prepare bar lists and placing drawings from your structural drawings using standard Canadian notation, with a legend on the set. If anything on a set we detailed is unclear, ask us before the bars go in. We also cut, bend, tag and deliver the bar from 10M to 55M, including GFRP.
Send your drawings for a free take-off and quote, or see our rebar detailing and fabrication services.
Frequently asked questions
What does EF mean on rebar shop drawings?
EF means each face. In a wall with two curtains of steel, a callout such as 15M @ 300 EF means that size and spacing on both faces. VEF and HEF narrow it to vertical or horizontal bars on each face.
What does EW mean on a rebar drawing?
EW means each way: the same bar size and spacing runs in both directions. TEW and BEW mean top each way and bottom each way.
What does T&B mean on a rebar drawing?
T&B means top and bottom. The bars in the callout are placed in both the top and bottom layers of the slab, beam or footing.
What do the letters C, G, S and F in front of a bar size mean?
They flag specialty bar under Canadian practice: C for epoxy-coated, G for galvanized, S for stainless steel and F for fibre reinforced polymer such as GFRP. C15M @ 300 is epoxy-coated 15M at 300 mm.
