13 gauge wire

Our 13 gauge wire products

We sell 13 gauge baling wire as single loop bale ties (galvanized and annealed) and galvanized stem wire.

13 gauge galvanized wire by the stem

13 gauge galvanized stem wire is great for withstanding abrasive or corrosive conditions. Galvanized baling wire resists rust longer than regular wire due to its protective coating. If you plan to store your bales outdoors, use galvanized wire.

Stems weigh about 1,330 lb and come with 59,557 feet of wire.

13 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties

13 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties work with manual horizontal or vertical balers. They can be manually cut down to any length so baler operators can remove excess wire and use one bale tie for different bale sizes.

Our galvanized wire products receive Class 1 or Class 3 galvanizing depending on your corrosion-resistance needs. Class 3 galvanization provides zinc coating four times thicker than Class 1 for jobs that require extra corrosion resistance.

We sell 13 gauge galvanized single loop ties in bundles of 125 and 250 at lengths of 11–21 feet.

13 gauge black annealed single loop bale ties

13 gauge black annealed single loop bale ties are used with manual balers and feature a single loop at one end. We finish them in wax for smooth handling. The increased flexibility of annealed wire is great for baling expansive materials and working by hand.

We sell 13 gauge black annealed single loop bale ties in bundles of 125 and 250 at lengths of 11–21 feet.

Our manufacturing process

You need high-quality baling wire to do the job right. Here’s how we consistently make the best baling wire in the world:

1. We begin by purchasing 100% American steel rods from select family-owned mills, bought with metallurgical documents for comprehensive material traceability.
2. The raw materials are shipped to our state-of-the-art factory where our team of over 120 trained technicians and 5 engineering experts get to work.
3. The rods undergo an innovative mechanical reverse-bending mechanical descaling process. This technique reduces die wear and removes mill scale and surface rust, leaving behind a smooth surface (Mechanical descaling eliminates the need for hazardous chemicals and protects the environment.).
4. The wire rods are drawn through a bull-block continuous wire machine. The rods are progressively narrowed through increasing die gauges until the desired diameter is achieved. The inverse relationship between wire diameter and gauge means a larger wire gauge correlates to a thinner wire.
5. After the steel wire has been drawn to size, we gently air-cool it to produce consistent tensile strength.
6. We send wire that requires annealing or galvanization for further processing.

We exercise strict quality control to produce wire that exceeds industry standards. Any wire that doesn’t pass testing is removed from supply, so our customers only receive exceptional baler wire.

Our galvanizing process

Galvanization improves a wire’s resistance to corrosion and rust. It involves coating the wire in a durable zinc shield to serve as a sacrificial anode. Here’s our hot-dip galvanization process:

1. Surface preparation: We clean the wire to prepare it for zinc adhesion, removing all surface impurities.
2. Pickling: We immerse the wire in an acid solution to remove the remaining oxides and scale, creating a clean substrate for the zinc.
3. Fluxing: We immerse the wire in a flux solution, which prevents oxidation and promotes a uniform zinc coating.
4. Galvanizing bath: We dip the wire in a molten zinc bath (around 450°C or 850°F).
5. Alloy formation: While immersed in the molten zinc, a metallurgical reaction occurs between the iron in the wire and the zinc, resulting in the formation of a series of zinc-iron alloy layers.
6. Withdrawal: We slowly remove the wire at a rate that allows excess zinc to drip off and creates a uniform layer of zinc.
7. Quenching: We rapidly cool the zinc-coated wire in a quenching solution, solidifying the zinc and completing the galvanization process.

We offer two galvanization classes on our galvanized wire products. While Class 1 is cheaper, its basic zinc coating wears out a lot faster. Class 3 galvanization features a robust coating that withstands (up to 50+ years) extreme environmental conditions; premium galvanization saves you money in the long run.

Our annealing process

Annealing enhances a wire’s ductility and flexibility while reducing brittleness and hardness. It optimizes wire for baling expansive or shifting materials. The three stages of annealing are:

1. Recovery: We heat the wire below its recrystallization temperature to relieve internal stress, reduce linear defects, and restore some of the wire’s conductivity.
2. Recrystallization: Additional heat causes the wire to form new grains, resulting in the elimination of dislocations and the development of a new, strain-free microstructure, which further enhances ductility and reduces hardness, creating a slightly weaker, more flexible wire.
3. Grain growth: As the grains continue to grow, the wire loses some additional strength. We anneal until the wire achieves a 25% elongation potential.

After annealing, we coat the wire in a protective wax that offers minor rust and corrosion protection and allows smooth feeding into high-volume auto-tie balers.

What is 13 gauge wire used for?

Waste management and recycling operations use 13 gauge wire to bundle and bale materials. Baler wire allows facilities to compact and securely bind materials into manageable bales for efficient handling, transportation, and storage.

How thick is 13 gauge wire?

Our 13 gauge wire products are 0.088–0.090 inches (2.24–2.29 mm) in diameter.

A wire’s gauge is inversely correlated to its thickness; smaller gauges correlate to thicker wire and vice versa.

North America primarily uses the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system, while in the United Kingdom and some other countries, the British Standard Wire Gauge (SWG) system is most commonly used. To learn more about wire gauge, read our baler wire gauge guide.

How strong is 13 gauge wire?

13 gauge wire is strong enough for light-duty applications; it’s one of our thinner baler wires. It provides sufficient load strength, tensile strength, durability, and flexibility to tackle most jobs, but it is not particularly suited for heavy-duty baling applications.

Further reading

• 13 gauge vs. 9 gauge baling wire
• 13 gauge vs. 10 gauge baling wire
• 13 gauge vs. 11 gauge baling wire
• 13 gauge vs. 12 gauge baling wire
• 13 gauge vs. 14 gauge baling wire

Shop baling wire

Baling Wire Direct sells the following high-quality baling wire products.

Shop Bale Ties

Shop annealed wire

Shop Galvanized Wire

Shop high-tensile wire