Display omitted •Steel wires were used as strengthening elements in the near-surface mounted method.•This method enhances the behaviour of masonry panels in aspects such as load-bearing capacity and dissipated energy.•The placement of steel wires along the wall in the diagonal direction is the best arrangement. The use of masonry materials in load-bearing walls has a history of centuries. Many efforts have been made to overcome their poor structural strength; one such solution is the near-surface mounted method. In the present study, steel wires 2.5 mm in diameter were used as reinforcement in the near-surface mounted method to strengthen masonry walls. Compared to rival materials, steel wires enjoy such advantages as small dimensions, eliminating buckling damage, lower cost, and ease of installation. The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility of using wires in the near-surface mounted method and to identify the best wire arrangement. For the purposes of, eight masonry wall panels of 920 × 920 × 100 mm were constructed to investigate the effects of different steel wire arrangements on such panel properties as strength, load-bearing capacity, and wall pseudo-ductility. The results showed that steel wires placed along the wall in the diagonal direction had the best effects on improving the performance of the masonry wall panels. Experimental results confirmed the desirable effects of the steel wire in the near-surface mounted method. This is evidenced by a 21-fold increase in Load-bearing capacity, a 52-fold increase in energy dissipation, and a 17-time rise in shear modulus as a result of using the wires. The near-surface mounted method is an appropriate method to reduce damage to residential masonry buildings and to safeguard historical and cultural heritage monuments.