A tie is any strong component designed to keep two objects closely linked together. Among the most common of these is the "hurricane" or seismic tie used in the framing of wooden structures. Each of the common ways for wooden members to meet in a traditional structure has a corresponding type of tie, generally made of galvanized steel and designed to resist shear forces. Most such ties are shaped to form a sleeve around at least one piece of dimensional lumber (the one shown is an exception to this rule), and all have holes allowing them to be fastened to the wood using nails of a designated size and type. Screws are never used due to their poor shear strength.
