6 Best Cable Staples For Securing Electrical Wiring In Barns Old-Timers Trust
Discover the 6 cable staples old-timers trust for barn wiring. From insulated to steel, the right choice ensures a safe, durable, and secure installation.
You’ve spent all weekend pulling new wire in the barn for that extra outlet and a couple of new LED lights. You grab a handful of old staples from a coffee can, thinking the job is almost done. But the choice you make in that moment, with that simple little fastener, says a lot about whether your work will last five years or fifty.
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Why Staple Choice Matters in Your Barn Wiring
A barn is not a house. The temperature swings from freezing to sweltering, the humidity is always a factor, and dust gets into everything. Then you have the animals—curious goats, pecking chickens, and rodents looking for something to chew. A standard household staple might not be up to the task.
The wrong staple can lead to serious problems. A cheap, non-galvanized steel staple will rust in a damp environment, eventually weakening and letting the cable sag. If you drive a staple too hard and damage the wire’s insulation, you create a potential short circuit and a serious fire hazard. A loose wire is an invitation for a cow to snag it or a mouse to gnaw on it, creating an even bigger risk.
Securing your wiring properly is about more than just neatness; it’s about safety and longevity. You’re building an electrical system in a challenging environment, and every component, right down to the staple, needs to be chosen for the job. Doing it right the first time means you won’t be crawling around in the hayloft ten years from now trying to figure out why the lights are flickering.
Gardner Bender Steel Staples: The Old Standby
Walk into any old barn with visible wiring, and you’ll likely see these. The simple, U-shaped steel staple is the workhorse of electrical fastening for a reason. They are cheap, incredibly strong, and their sharp points can be driven into old, hardened barn timbers that would laugh at a lesser fastener.
The main tradeoff here is the lack of insulation. These are bare steel. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to hammer them in too tight, pinching the cable’s outer sheathing and potentially damaging the wires inside. You need to develop a feel for it—drive it until it’s snug, but not so tight that it deforms the cable. The wire should still be able to slide slightly under the staple.
These are best for straightforward runs of standard 14/2 or 12/2 NM-B cable (the flat, white or yellow "Romex" wire) along clean, dry joists and studs. They are reliable and economical, especially when you have hundreds of feet of wire to secure. They are the definition of a tool that works if you know how to use it.
Southwire Insulated Staples for Added Safety
If the bare steel of a traditional staple makes you nervous, these are your answer. Insulated staples feature a small plastic saddle that cradles the wire. The metal part of the staple never actually touches the cable’s insulation, providing a crucial layer of protection.
This design almost completely eliminates the risk of pinching a wire or causing a short circuit with the staple itself. For someone who doesn’t run wire every day, this is fantastic peace of mind. The plastic insert helps distribute the pressure evenly, holding the cable securely without creating a single pressure point. It’s a simple innovation, but a smart one.
The only real downside is that they cost a bit more, and on extremely hard, old wood, the plastic can sometimes crack if you miss with the hammer. But for wiring in a typical pole barn or modern shed, the added safety is well worth the extra dollar or two per box. Think of it as cheap insurance against a costly mistake.
Morris Products Plastic Staples for NM Cable
These all-plastic staples are a different approach to the same problem. Because they are made entirely of plastic, they will never rust or conduct electricity. In a barn environment with high humidity and the potential for condensation, eliminating the risk of rust is a major advantage for long-term reliability.
They are specifically designed for non-metallic (NM) cable and are much gentler on the wire’s sheathing than any metal staple. Most come with the nail already set in the staple, making one-handed installation on a ladder much easier. You just place it over the wire and hammer the nail home.
However, they aren’t as strong as their steel counterparts. They are perfectly fine for securing single runs of 14/2 or 12/2 cable flat against a stud or joist. But I wouldn’t trust them to hold the weight of a long, vertical run or to secure heavier gauge cables. Use them for light-duty circuits, like for lighting and standard outlets, but reach for something more robust for bigger jobs.
Minerallac Jiffy Clips for Heavy-Duty Runs
When you move beyond standard lighting circuits, you need to upgrade your fasteners. Jiffy Clips, or one-hole straps, are the solution for securing heavier armored cable (MC), metal conduit (EMT), or large-gauge wires for a sub-panel. A standard U-shaped staple simply doesn’t have the strength for this kind of work.
These are simple, galvanized steel straps that you secure with a screw or a heavy-duty nail. The screw provides far more holding power than two small staple legs, ensuring that heavy cables or conduit won’t sag or pull free over time. They are an absolute necessity when running power to a 240V outlet for a welder or a large air compressor.
This is a clear example of matching the tool to the task. You wouldn’t use a small staple to hold up a heavy feed line for the same reason you wouldn’t use a drywall screw to frame a wall. When the cable gets heavy, the fastener needs to get serious. Jiffy Clips are the professional standard for a reason.
Halex Service Entrance Staples for Large Cable
These are the big brothers of the standard Gardner Bender staples. They are much wider, thicker, and almost always galvanized for weather resistance. Their purpose is right in the name: securing heavy service entrance (SE) cable. This is the thick, bundled cable that brings the main power feed from your meter into your barn’s sub-panel.
These staples are designed to accommodate the large diameter of SE cable, whether it’s the round or flat style. They have a broad, flat crown that won’t bite into the cable sheathing, and their long, sturdy legs provide the deep grip needed to hold the significant weight of the wire. You’ll use these to secure the cable to the exterior of the barn and for the main run inside to your panel.
Don’t even think about using a standard staple for this job. It won’t fit, and even if you forced it, it wouldn’t hold. Using the correct service entrance staple ensures your main power feed is secure, protected, and won’t put undue strain on your weather head or panel connections.
Sigma ProConnex Galvanized Steel Staples
Secure your wire fencing with these durable, galvanized steel staples. The U-shaped nails are made from strong carbon steel for easy hammering and corrosion resistance, ideal for livestock fences, wire mesh, and more.
These look almost identical to the old standby steel staples, but with one critical difference: they’re galvanized. The zinc coating provides excellent protection against rust and corrosion, making them a superior choice for any barn application, but especially in damp areas.
Think about the places in your barn that see the most moisture—near water hydrants, in the milk room, or along a concrete block wall that "sweats" with condensation. A plain steel staple in these locations will be a rusty mess in a few years. A galvanized staple will hold up for decades, ensuring your wiring remains secure.
They cost slightly more than plain steel, but the investment is minimal for the massive increase in longevity. In my view, for any new work in a barn, there’s little reason not to use galvanized as your default steel staple. It’s a simple upgrade that solves a problem before it even starts.
Proper Staple Spacing and Installation Tips
Knowing which staple to use is only half the battle. You also have to install it correctly. The code is a good guideline: place a staple within 8 inches of any junction box, outlet, or switch. Then, space them no more than 4.5 feet apart along the length of the run. This prevents the wire from sagging and keeps it neatly tucked away.
The most common mistake is driving the staple too hard. A staple should be snug, not strangling the wire. You are securing it, not crushing it. Over-tightening can break down the wire’s insulation over time, creating a hidden hazard. Always drive staples straight in; a crooked staple can damage the sheathing.
A few extra tips from experience: Whenever possible, run cables along the side of a joist or stud, not along the bottom edge where it can get snagged or used as a convenient (and dangerous) hook for hanging things. If you need to run two cables together, use a stacking staple designed for the job. Never try to force two cables under a staple made for one.
Ultimately, securing your barn’s wiring isn’t the most glamorous job, but its importance can’t be overstated. Choosing the right staple for the cable, the location, and the environment is a hallmark of quality work. It’s the kind of small detail that ensures your project is not only safe but will stand up to the unique demands of farm life for years to come.
