How reliable is baling wire?

Baling wire is extremely reliable. Waste management and recycling operations rely on baling wire to secure heavy bales of compacted material for transport and storage. Baling wire must withstand the weight and pressure of the baled materials. It must also withstand abrasion during transportation, and rust and corrosion during storage.

We’ll talk about what makes baling wire reliable and how you can choose the right wire for a given application without overspending.

Baling wire is strong

The strength of baling wire comes from its stainless steel composition, carbon content, and manufacturing process.

Carbon content

While carbon content affects baling wire strength, it isn’t a direct indicator of reliability. Higher carbon content correlates with stronger wire, but most baling wire is made of low-carbon (1018 grade) steel because baling wire only needs to be strong enough for its application. Most materials can be reliably baled with cheaper, low-carbon steel wire.

If you’re baling heavy or expansive materials, such as scrap metal or rubber tires, high-tensile baling wire (made with high-carbon steel) is the most reliable option. 

Tensile strength

High iron content provides steel baling wire with exceptional tensile strength, which measures the force a given type of steel can withstand before plastic deformation or breaking. While tensile strength represents the general strength of stainless steel baling wire, load strength measures the strength of particular wire gauges.

To choose a type of baling wire that will reliably secure your bales, consult our load strength chart.

Properties	Single loop black annealed bale ties	Single loop galvanized bale ties	Double loop bright bale ties	Double loop galvanized bale ties	Regular galvanized wire	Hi-tensile galvanized wire	Black annealed wire
Load strength	402–1,074 lb	402–1,074 lb	1,060–2,150 lb	1,015–2,040 lb	402–1,074 lb	1,256–1,832 lb	565–1,118 lb
Tensile strength	75,000–95,000 psi (551.58–655 MPa)	75,000–95,000 psi (551.58–655 MPa)	220,000 psi (1516.85 MPa)	220,000 psi (1516.85 MPa)	75,000–95,000 psi (517.10–655 MPa)	145,000–175,000 psi (999.74–1206.58 MPa)	65,000–78,000 psi (448.21–537.79 MPa)

While the strongest wire is the most reliable, it is only necessary to use wire that is slightly stronger than your bales weigh. You can save money and enjoy reliable baling wire by following this guideline.

Our 9 gauge galvanized double loop bale ties are the strongest wires we offer. They have a tensile strength of 220,000 psi and a load strength of 2,150 lbs. Their galvanized coating resists corrosion, and their remarkable strength makes them the perfect choice for large bales and applications requiring greater-than-normal pressures.

Manufacturing process

The manufacturing process also influences baling wire reliability. High-quality baling wire is stronger, more consistent, and longer lasting than other types. Chinese steel quality is known to be inconsistent. Chinese manufacturers might produce cheap baling wire, but it is less reliable than wire made from American steel and manufactured to US production standards.

Low-quality baling wire can impact your operation. Inconsistent tensile strength leads to wire breakage, equipment damage, and undesirable downtime.

Baling Wire Direct manufactures high-quality products made from American steel billets that carry metallurgical traceability documents for total transparency.

Baling wire is flexible

Steel’s properties make baling wire strong and flexible. This combination helps the baling wire maintain strength while bending and twisting to conform to the shape of the bale. Even at the tying points, where the wire is folded back on itself and twisted around, baling wire maintains its strength.

Wire that undergoes an annealing process is even more reliable for awkward bales, expansive materials, and shifting loads. Annealed wire is reheated beyond its recrystallization temperature to improve its elongation properties and torsional strength. It reliably stretches to accommodate expansive materials, such as foam, cardboard, and rubber.

Baling wire resists corrosion and abrasion

For bales that are stored outdoors, stored for long periods, composed of corrosive materials, or composed of abrasive materials, galvanized wire is the reliable choice. The galvanization process coats baling wire in a protective layer of zinc. Zinc provides cathodic protection, slowly degrading before the underlying steel begins to rust.

Galvanized wire can receive different galvanization classes to meet application requirements. For shorter storage durations, Class 1 galvanization is sufficiently reliable. For long-term outdoor use, heavy scrap metal bales, and prolonged chemical contact, Class 3 galvanization offers exceptional resistance to corrosion for 10+ years.

Our most reliable baling wire products

We supply a wide range of reliable baling wire products. Our strongest and most resilient products include:

• 11 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties: for manual baling machines.
• 9 gauge galvanized double loop bale ties: for heavy materials and quick tying.
• 10 gauge black annealed wire by the box or stem: for high-throughput automatic balers and expansive materials.
• 11 gauge galvanized high-tensile stem wire: for heavy materials, orchards and vineyards, and long-term storage.
• 11 gauge galvanized stem wire: for outdoor storage and abrasive materials.

Remember, the best wire is the least expensive wire that safely secures and stores your bales for the intended duration. Contact our team if you’d like help selecting the right baling wire for your application, and check out our guide to using baling wire more efficiently for more ways to save.