Wire gauge vs. diameter

Wire gauge is a measurement of wire diameter, however, they are inversely related. Diameter refers to the width of the wire. Gauge refers to the number of progressively smaller dies a wire has been drawn through to achieve a desired diameter. 

For example, an 11 gauge galvanized wire has been drawn through 11 dies to reach a 0.118 inch diameter, while a 12 gauge galvanized wire has been drawn 12 times to reach a 0.103 inch diameter. Larger gauges represent smaller wire diameters.

The American wire gauge (AWG) chart is one of the standard tools used to identify wire diameter. The AWG size chart is a useful tool for determining the tensile strength and load strength suitability of different wires.

Why is wire gauge important?

Wire gauge is important because it has a direct impact on:

  • Strength. A wire’s tensile strength and load strength are affected by its gauge, with smaller gauge wire being stronger than larger gauge wire. Thicker wires with lower gauges are used for applications that demand higher tensile and load strength, such as baling plastics, fencing for large animals, or heavy-duty binding of dense materials in the recycling industry.
  • Cost-effectiveness. Smaller gauge wire is more expensive, and it’s also heavier, which increases shipping costs. Businesses run calculations to make sure they’re not overspending on unnecessarily thick wire.
  • Safety and efficiency. Balers are designed to be used with specific wire gauges. If the wrong gauge wire is fed into a baler, it might damage the machine, causing unwanted downtime. Consider the tensile strength demands of the bale sizes and densities to ensure bales are safely bound.

How to choose the right wire gauge

To determine the best baling wire for your baling machine, consult your baler’s manual and baling machine manufacturer. Here is a list of common wire gauges used for baling recyclables with the most popular baler types.

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

Auto-tie balers

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

Our wire size chart

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 our baling wire gauge guide for more information on wire gauges.

Baling wire products we offer

Baling Wire Direct sells the following high-quality baling wire products.

Baling Wire FAQ

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