Tie wire
Tie wire is annealed steel wire used by steel fixers to secure reinforcing bar intersections before a concrete pour. Tails must be tucked away from the cover face.
Ask Chalkline about this →Tie wire is soft annealed steel wire used by steel fixers to secure intersecting reinforcing bars and mesh in position before a concrete pour. It holds the steel cage together during concrete placement and vibration, preventing bars from shifting out of position and losing the specified cover.
Tie wire is not a structural element: it carries no design load. Its job is to hold the steel in the right place until the concrete hardens and takes over. However, a poorly tied cage that moves during the pour can result in cover deficiencies that are only discovered when a profometer (cover meter) scan is run post-stripping.
The most common defect from tie wire is projecting tails reaching the cover face. Tie wire ends should be tucked inward toward the interior of the cage. Tails that reach to within the nominal cover zone will corrode over time, creating surface staining on the concrete face. The pre-pour inspection normally checks for obvious projecting tails at accessible faces.
Tie wire is supplied by the steel fixer as a consumable. Confirm in the quote whether it is included in the rate or is separately charged.
Also known as: Tying wire, binding wire, reo wire.
Category: Structural / Reinforcement.
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Last updated: 2026-05-10. Verified: 2026-05-10. Quarterly review for currency.