What gauge wire is best for baling foam?

The best wire gauge for baling foam depends on the type of baler and the size and weight of your foam bales. For vertical balers and horizontal balers, we recommend 11 gauge wire. For two-ram balers, we recommend 10–11 gauge wire. Talk to your baler manufacturer, read your baler’s instruction manual, and talk to us to find the best baling wire for your equipment.

Foam is highly expansive when compressed, so choose a thicker wire to compensate for the expansive forces and keep your bales secure. Choose a wire gauge based on the tensile strength and load strength requirements of your foam bales. Your baling wire's load strength should exceed the weight of the bale. Opt for heavy-duty wire with a higher load strength to be safe.

Note:wire gauge is inversely correlated to diameter. Lower gauges (thicker wires) have a greater load strength than higher gauges.

Best foam baling wire

We carry several wire options for baling foam. The best type of wire will also depend on storage conditions. Here are some of the best options:

• High-tensile wire is manufactured from high-carbon steel. It is a popular choice for baling foam due to its increased load and tensile strength, which can handle the expansive pressure of foam bales.
• Single loop bale ties can be tied to different lengths to accommodate inconsistent bale sizes. They work with manual horizontal and vertical balers. We offer both black annealed and galvanized single loop bale ties. Galvanized bale ties have enhanced abrasion resistance, an excellent choice for foam bales that will be stored outdoors.
• Double loop bale ties are pre-cut to length. The double loop configuration accelerates the tying process, increasing productivity.
• Black annealed wire feeds smoothly through high-volume automatic baling machines. The annealing process improved the wire’s elongation properties, allowing it to expand with dense foam bales without breaking or deforming.

Benefits of recycling foam

The benefits of recycling foam include the following:

• Resource preservation. Recycling foam reduces the demand for non-renewable resources, particularly petroleum, which is extensively used in foam production.
• Waste reduction. Large quantities of non-biodegradable foam waste are diverted from landfills and the environment.
• Circular economy. Recycled foam materials are lower in price compared to virgin foams, making them more attractive to buyers and strengthening supply through circularity.
• Job creation. The foam recycling industry creates job opportunities.

The foam recycling process

The foam recycling process typically involves the following steps:

1. Foam waste is collected.
2. The collected foam is shredded or crushed into small pieces to facilitate recycling and reduce its volume for transportation.
3. The shredded foam is cleaned to remove contaminants and impurities.
4. The processed foam is then baled to reduce its volume, making it more cost-effective for transportation and storage.
5. The densified foam is extruded or granulated to form pellets or other recycled foam materials.
6. The recycled foam materials are then ready to be transported to manufacturing facilities where they can be reused to produce new foam products.

The foam recycling process reduces the environmental impact of foam waste.

Foam recycling tips

Here are some steps you can take to streamline the foam recycling process:

• Remove tape, labels, and other contaminants from the foam before recycling.
• Break large foam pieces down into smaller sizes.
• Reuse foam packaging whenever possible.