14 gauge wire

Our 14 gauge wire products

We sell 14 gauge baling wire in the form of single loop bale ties (galvanized and annealed) and galvanized stem wire.

14 gauge galvanized wire by the stem

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

Stems weigh about 1,330 lb and come with 77,911 feet of wire.

14 gauge black annealed single loop bale ties

14 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 best for baling expansive materials and working by hand.

We sell black 14 gauge black annealed single loop bale ties in bundles of 125 and 250 at lengths of 8–21 feet.

14 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties

14 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties work with manual horizontal or vertical balers. They can be manually cut 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 enhanced protection from the elements.

14 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties come in bundles of 125 and 250 at lengths of 8–21 feet.

Our manufacturing specifications

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

1. We begin by purchasing 100% American steel rods from select family-owned mills.
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 descaling technique. This process reduces die wear and removes mill scale and surface rust, leaving behind a smooth surface (Mechanical descaling eliminates the need for harsh descaling 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 gauge and wire diameter 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 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 the annealing process 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. Some strength is lost but the wire becomes more flexible.
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.

Our galvanizing process

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

1. Surface preparation: We clean the wire to prepare it for zinc adhesion, removing all 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 coat.
7. Quenching: We rapidly cool the wire in a quenching solution, solidifying the zinc coat 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 thicker zinc coat that withstands (up to 50+ years) extreme environmental conditions; premium galvanization saves you money in the long run.

What is 14 gauge wire used for?

Recycling and waste management operations use 14 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 strong is 14 gauge wire?

14 gauge wire is strong enough for light-duty applications; it’s our thinnest baler wire. 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.

How thick is 14 gauge wire?

Our 14 gauge wire products are 0.077–0.079 inches (1.96–2.01 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, check our baler wire gauge guide.

Further reading

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