How to Tie the Round Lashing

How to Tie the Round Lashing

Usage

The Round Lashing is what you use to join two poles end to end and make one longer, stiffer pole out of them — a ladder rung, a flagpole, a shelter ridge, a spar that isn't long enough on its own. It binds two parallel poles that are already touching, using nothing but tight wraps and a hitch at each end. Two lashings are used on every join, one near each end of the overlap, so the poles cannot pivot.

Seeing the wrap order rotate in 3D makes it clearer than a flat photo sequence — the Knot IQ app shows the Round Lashing as a rotatable model, so you can see how the wraps sit before you try it on real poles.

Why Learn the Round Lashing?

It solves a problem no other lashing solves cleanly: the poles you have are too short. A Square Lashing joins poles that cross; a Shear Lashing joins poles that will open out into an A-frame. Only the Round Lashing is built to make two poles behave like one long one.

Common Uses

• Scouts:
  • Extends spars for flagpoles, bridge stringers and tower legs.
  • Binds poles for ladder rungs and pioneering frameworks.
• Bushcraft:
  • Joins poles to make a shelter ridge long enough to span the frame.
  • Builds up beams and supports from short stock.
• Camping:
  • Extends tarp poles and drying-rack uprights.
  • Ties parallel stakes together for camp organisation.

ABOK Number 2103 Ashley catalogues the scaffold-pole binding as ABOK #2103. Other Names Vertical Lashing Sheer Lashing Mark II Category Lashings

Notable Features

• Rigid join: Two lashings across the overlap stop the poles pivoting.
• Simple to tie: A hitch, a run of tight wraps, another hitch.
• Minimal rope: Uses less cord than a square or diagonal lashing.
• Pioneering staple: The standard way to extend a spar for towers and bridges.

Anyone building this into a full pioneering set gets more use from a physical reference in the pack: the Knot Tying Kit covers the Round Lashing alongside the hitches it is tied with, and the Knot IQ Companion Kits pair the same knots with the 3D app.

Does the Round Lashing Need Frapping Turns?

No, and this is the most common mistake made with it. Frapping turns — the wraps taken between two poles to cinch the wraps tight — belong on a Square Lashing or a Shear Lashing, where the poles cross or sit apart and there is a gap to pull into. A Round Lashing binds two poles that are already flush against each other. There is no gap, so a frapping turn there forces the poles apart instead of pulling them together, which is the opposite of what the lashing is for.

This is not a house opinion. Scouting America's Troop Leader Resources states that all four round lashings are tied with no frapping turns, and that frapping between parallel poles "would only weaken the connection." Wikipedia's lashing entry says the same: in the round lashing, a clove hitch is tied around both poles and there are no frapping turns. If you want the join tighter, add wraps and pull each one hard, or drive a wedge in above and below the wrapped section — do not frap it.

Variations

Three other lashings do the same job with a different finish: the West Country Round Lashing, tied as a series of tight half knots; the Strop Lashing, a quick two-ended wrap for light poles; and the Half Hitch Round Lashing. None of them use frapping turns either.

Similar Knots

Square Lashing vs. Round Lashing

• Pros: The Square Lashing handles poles that cross at right angles, which the Round Lashing cannot.
• Cons: More rope and more steps, and it needs the frapping turns the Round Lashing must not have.

Shear Lashing vs. Round Lashing

• Pros: A Shear Lashing lets the poles scissor open into an A-frame, and it is frapped for exactly that reason.
• Cons: Makes a flexible joint, so it is the wrong choice for a rigid pole extension.

History

Ashley documents the lashing of staggered scaffold poles in the Lashings chapter of The Ashley Book of Knots (1944) at #2103, tied with a run of turns and then tightened with wedges — the same job and the same mechanism, though he never uses the name "round lashing." The modern name comes from scouting, where John Thurman recorded it in Pioneering Principles as the "Sheer Lashing Mark II," started with a timber hitch rather than a clove hitch.

Security Level

Tied with tight, flush wraps and a good overlap, the Round Lashing holds well for the loads a pioneering structure puts on it. Its security comes from wrap tension and from using two lashings across the overlap, not from any finishing turn. On smooth or wet poles it can creep, so add extra half hitches to the clove hitches and increase the overlap.

Downsides

• Tension dependent: loose or uneven wraps let the poles work against each other.
• Two lashings needed: one lashing alone lets the join pivot.
• Wrong tool for crossing poles: it only works where the poles run parallel and touch.

Structure

1. Lay the two poles parallel with a good overlap.
2. Tie a clove hitch around BOTH poles together, near one end of the overlap.
3. Wrap the working end snugly around both poles 6-10 times, keeping each wrap flush against the last. Take no frapping turns.
4. Finish with a second clove hitch around both poles.
5. Repeat the entire lashing near the OTHER end of the overlap, so there are two lashings in total and the joint cannot pivot.

Pro Tip: Pull every wrap hard as you lay it — the wraps are the whole strength of this lashing. If the poles are smooth, add extra half hitches to each clove hitch, and drive a wedge between the poles above and below the wrapped section to take up the last of the slack.

FAQ

Do you put frapping turns on a Round Lashing?

No. The poles are already touching, so frapping would force them apart and weaken the join. Add wraps or a wedge instead.

How many wraps does a Round Lashing need?

Six to ten tight wraps, laid flush against each other, at each of the two lashings.

Why does a Round Lashing need two lashings?

One lashing lets the poles pivot around it. A second lashing at the other end of the overlap locks the join rigid.

What's the best rope for the Round Lashing?

Low-stretch line around 6-8 mm (1/4 in) — sisal, manila, nylon or polyester all work.

How does the Round Lashing compare to the Square Lashing?

The Round Lashing joins parallel poles end to end; the Square Lashing joins poles that cross at right angles.

Important Notes on Safety

The usual failure point is loose wraps, or a single lashing where two are needed — both let the poles shift under load. Check each pole for cracks and rot before you build with it, lay the wraps tight and flush, and use two lashings across every overlap. Load the finished structure gradually and test it before anyone stands on it or under it.