Tie rods
Tie Rods for Walls & Columns
Architectural tie rods with turnbuckles, also called tension rods, run straight across between two walls, columns, or posts and tie them together: slim black steel against timber, brick, or concrete, in a great room, a porch, a pavilion, or a storefront. We make complete wall and column tie rod systems in Texas, built to your measurements and priced online.
Walls & columns systems from $60. A typical one, a 10 ft rod, 3/4" with a turnbuckle, on two square brackets: $312.
01 Designer
Design your wall and column tie rods online
Choose how each end connects, enter the distance between the two ends, and decide on a turnbuckle. Our designer works out the rod and every fitting, shows the system in 3D, and prices it in 1/2", 3/4", and 1" rods side by side before anything goes in your cart. Each design is one tie rod, so set the quantity to the number of rods you need.
02 Ends
Three ways to end a rod
- Our bracket: A steel face-mount bracket on the face of the wall, column, or post, round (3 1/32" across), square (4" × 4"), or rectangular (1 1/2" × 6"). A clevis and pin hold the rod to it.
- Through the wall or column: The rod passes through, and an ogee washer and heavy hex nut hold it on the far face. It's a clean, traditional look, for walls and columns up to 36" thick.
- Your own bracket: Tell us the distance to its pin, and we build the rod to fit.
The two ends can be different: a bracket on one side and through the column on the other, as drawn here.
03 Turnbuckles
Turnbuckles and rod lengths
A turnbuckle joins two rods and gives 6" of take-up, so you can tighten the tie rod after it's installed. Each rod runs up to 20 feet, so a longer span takes a turnbuckle; with one, the designer goes up to 40 feet between the ends. Without a turnbuckle, the rod is one fixed length, with a little adjustment on its clevis threads, or by tightening the nut on a through-the-wall end.
04 Mounting
Walls, columns, and posts of any material
Our tie rods go between timber posts, wood-framed walls, brick, block, stone, or concrete. The face-mount brackets take 1/4" fasteners as standard, and fasteners aren't included, so use ones made for your wall or column and have your contractor or engineer confirm the attachment. Need a larger fastener? Tell us, and we can usually change the holes at no charge.
05 Steel
Steel, finish, and shipping
Our standard tie rods are carbon steel: ASTM A108 1018 cold-finished rod, C-1035 steel clevises and turnbuckles, and brackets of A36 steel plate. Every part ships unfinished or in our matte black powder coat; add powder coating in the cart. Every part, brackets included, is also available in 316 stainless steel by quote, in mill finish (not polished or brushed). We also galvanize by quote, which adds to the lead time. Shipping is free in the lower 48 states, except rods over 7 feet, which pay a long-item rate.
06 Questions
Questions about wall and column tie rods
Is a tie rod the same as a tension rod?
Yes. Both names mean a steel rod that ties two parts of a building together and works in tension. We call ours tie rods.
Can a tie rod keep my walls from spreading?
Our tie rods are architectural hardware, not engineered or load-rated. If a rod has to carry load, such as holding walls together, your engineer decides whether ours suit the job. Our specifications page has the part ratings they'll need.
What rod diameter do I need?
If the rod carries load, that's your engineer's call. For looks, the designer prices 1/2", 3/4", and 1" rods side by side, and we make custom assemblies up to 2" in diameter.
What does a wall or column tie rod cost?
The designer shows the price as you enter your measurements, for all three rod diameters, before anything goes in your cart. Powder coating is added in the cart. Custom work is priced by the pounds of steel and inches of weld.
Can you build to my architect's design?
Yes. Request a quote and include the drawings. There's no charge for design.
Tie rod systems are architectural hardware and are not engineered or load-rated for a particular structure. Have a qualified engineer confirm that a system suits your building before relying on it to carry load.
More tie rods: all our architectural tie rods and tension rods, awning and canopy tie rods, steel collar ties for vaulted ceilings, and the tie rod, turnbuckle, and clevis specifications.