Tie wire gauge chart in mm and inches

Baling Wire Direct is your go-to supplier of high-quality bale ties (tie wires). We carry single loop and double loop variants in the following gauges and diameters:

Gauge	SWG* diameter (in)	SWG* diameter (mm)	Actual diameter size (in)	Actual diameter size (mm)
9	0.144	3.658	0.148	3.7592
10	0.128	3.251	0.135	3.429
11	0.116	2.946	0.117–0.120	2.9718–3.048
12	0.104–0.105	2.642–2.946	0.102–0.105	2.5908–2.667
12.5	0.098	2.4892	0.099	2.5146
13	0.092	2.3368	0.088–0.090	2.2352–2.286
14	0.080	2.032	0.077–0.079	1.9558–2.0066

*SWG stands for Standard Wire Gauge.

How to choose wire gauge size

The type of material you’re baling (cardboard, plastic, metal), your baling equipment, and bale size and density requirements influence bale tie size choices.

To find the best wire for your baler, consult your baling machine manufacturer to understand which gauges are compatible with your machine. Then, you can use this list of common wire gauge choices for different recyclables.

Horizontal balers

• Plastic shrink wrap: 11–12 gauge
• Other plastics: 11–12 gauge
• Cardboard: 11–13 gauge
• Newspaper and mixed office paper: 12–13 gauge
• Foam: 11 gauge

Vertical balers

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

About bale ties

Operations use bale ties to manually tie compressed bales of recyclables and other materials. They are compatible with manual vertical balers and manual horizontal balers.

Single loop bale ties have a hooped side and a working side. They are slightly cheaper and their working side lets baler operators adjust the knot as needed to fit fluctuating bale sizes.

Double loop bale ties have hoops at both ends. The double loop design allows baler operators to quickly clasp hoops together and accelerate the baling process. Since the loops sit at fixed lengths, double loop bale ties need to be matched to the bale size.

About wire gauge

Wire gauge is a measurement that comes from the manufacturing process and refers to wire thickness or diameter. It determines load strength and how well a wire can handle the pressure and weight of the materials being baled.

Gauge inversely relates to wire diameter, meaning a lower gauge corresponds to a thicker wire diameter. This is because gauge refers to the number of times a wire has been drawn and stretched through progressively smaller dies during manufacturing. A 12 gauge wire, for example, has been drawn through twelve dies, decreasing its diameter each time.

Wire gauge is typically measured using the American Wire Gauge system, which is the standard way to denote wire size in North America. 

Our bale tie products

We supply high-quality bale ties in gauges and finishes to suit all applications. Our bale tie product offerings include the following.

Black annealed single loop bale ties

We sell black annealed single loop bale ties in gauges 11–14. The annealing process improves a wire’s elongation properties (up to 25%) and ductility. We also finish our annealed wire products with a wax coat for enhanced rust resistance compared to regular (bright) baling wire. Check out our 11 gauge black annealed single loop bale ties.

Galvanized single loop bale ties

We sell galvanized single loop bale ties in gauges 11–14. The galvanizing process vastly improves a wire’s resistance to corrosion, rust, and abrasion.

We can finish our wire products in different galvanization classes to suit your needs. Class 1 galvanization coats the wire in a thin layer of zinc for basic protection against the elements. It is sufficient for bales that will be temporarily stored outdoors. Class 3 galvanization features a zinc coat that is four times thicker than Class 1. It is the best choice for long-term outdoor storage, chemical exposure, and baling abrasive metals. Check out our 12 gauge galvanized single loop bale ties.

Bright double loop bale ties

We sell double loop bright bale ties in gauges 9–12.5. Bright bale ties are the most cost-efficient solution we offer. While regular baling wire is the least rust resistant, these bale ties are the right choice for short-term storage, client-facing operations, and climate-controlled storage. Check out our 11 gauge bright double loop bale ties.

Galvanized double loop bale ties

We sell galvanized double loop bale ties in gauges 9–12.5. They offer quick tying and exceptional corrosion resistance. Our 9 gauge bale ties boast an exceptional 220,000 psi tensile strength for securing the heaviest bales. Check out our 12.5 gauge galvanized double loop bale ties.

Bale tie products by gauge

If you already have a specific gauge in mind, check out our gauge-specific baling wire products collections. Click the gauge you need to see bale ties in that size.

• 9 gauge baling wire
• 10 gauge baling wire
• 11 gauge baling wire
• 12 gauge baling wire
• 12.5 gauge baling wire
• 13 gauge baling wire
• 14 gauge baling wire

Our quality guarantee

Here’s what you can expect when you shop with us:

• Our bale ties are made of 100% US steel.
• We exclusively source steel billets from family-owned steel mills that provide metallurgical traceability documents.
• Our manufacturing process uses a mechanical descaling technique that avoids the need for harsh chemicals.
• After manufacturing, our bale ties undergo rigorous testing to ensure compliance with ISO standards and exceptional performance.

From start to finish, we aspire to make the world's best baling wire products so they can stand up to the world's toughest tasks.