The best baling wire for each purpose

In the recycling industry, baling wire is used to bind recyclable materials such as plastic, cardboard, and aluminum. The best baling wire for each use case will depend on your baling machinery, the material being baled, and the environmental conditions.

Baling Wire Direct offers a range of high-quality baling wire products to meet your needs.

We will highlight our products and their most common uses.

Galvanized wire

Galvanized wire has a protective zinc coating applied by our hot-dip galvanization process. It is commonly used for:

• Non-baling applications such as fencing and vineyards and orchards as trellising. 
• Baling agricultural products such as hay and grass.
• Baling materials that will be stored outside.

Galvanization offers superior corrosion resistance, making it the go-to choice for harsh conditions and saline environments. We offer both Class 1 and Class 3 galvanization on our galvanized wire products. Class 3 features a zinc coating that is roughly three times thicker and lasts nearly four times as long as Class 1.

We sell galvanized wire by the stem in gauges 11–14.

High-tensile galvanized wire

High-tensile wire is used for both baling and non-baling applications. The increased tensile strength boosts pressure resistance and allows the wire to take on heavier loads. High-tensile wire is commonly used for:

• Large animal enclosures due to its improved strength and rust resistance.
• Binding dense materials such as rubber tires, HDPE plastics, and metal.
• Two-ram balers that exert more compressive force.
• Baling materials that will be stored outside.

We sell high-tensile wire by the stem in 11 and 12-gauge.

Black annealed wire

Our black annealed wire undergoes a heat treatment process called annealing. This softens the wire to improve its ductility and reduces brittleness, making it more workable. While it is less resistant to rust than our galvanized wire products, black annealed wire still offers some corrosion resistance. Black annealed wire is great for:

• High-volume auto-tie balers.
• Bales that will remain indoors.
• Baling materials that are prone to expansion.

We sell black annealed wire by the box and by the stem in 10–12 gauge.

Single loop bale ties

Single loop bale ties, or wire ties, are used in manual tie vertical and horizontal balers. They are suitable for:

• Fluctuating bale sizes.
• Lighter bales.
• Economical operations.

We sell both black annealed and galvanized single-loop bale ties in gauges 11 to 14.

Double loop bale ties

Double-loop bale ties are pre-cut to match specific bale sizes. They are ideal for:

• Uniform bale sizes.
• Heavier bales.
• Expansive materials.
• Bales stored outdoors (galvanized finish).
• Client-facing retail environments (bright finish).

We sell double loop bale ties in galvanized and bright (uncoated) finishes.

How to choose wire gauge size

Wire gauge helps determine tensile strength. Choose gauge size to suit the type of materials being baled (cardboard, plastic, metal), the baling equipment used, and the size and density of the bales.

To find the best wire for your baler, consult your baling machine manufacturer for specific details. Horizontal, vertical, and automatic balers commonly use the following wire gauges:

Horizontal balers

• Cardboard: 11–13 gauge
• Newspaper: 12–13 gauge
• Plastic shrink wrap: 11–12 gauge
• Other plastics: 11–12 gauge
• Foam: 11 gauge

Vertical balers

• Cardboard: 12–14 gauge
• Newspaper: 12–13 gauge
• Plastic shrink wrap: 13–14 gauge
• Other plastics: 12–13 gauge
• Foam: 11 gauge

Automatic wire baler

• Cardboard: 10–12 gauge
• Newspaper: 10–12 gauge
• Plastic shrink wrap: 10–12 gauge
• Other plastics: 10–12 gauge
• Foam: 10–11 gauge

Baling wire gauge chart

This chart displays wire gauges and diameters for our high-quality baling wire products.

Gauge	Regular galvanized wire (inches)	Hi-tensile galvanized wire (inches)	Black annealed wire (inches)	Single loop bale ties (inches)	Double loop bale ties (inches)
9	NA	NA	NA	NA	0.148
10	NA	NA	0.135	NA	0.135
11	0.117–0.119	0.119–0.121	0.120	0.117–0.119	0.120
12	0.102–0.104	0.104–0.106	0.105	0.102–0.104	0.105
12.5	NA	NA	NA	NA	0.099
13	0.088–0.090	NA	NA	0.088–0.090	NA
14	0.077–0.079	NA	NA	0.077–0.079	NA

Check out the American wire gauge chart for more information regarding wire size.