The production of tin oxide ($SnO_2$) microrods on iridium (Ir)-coated substrates was achieved through the thermal evaporation of Sn powders in which a sufficiently high $O_2$ partial pressure was employed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the product consisted of microrods with diameters that ranged from 0.9 to $40;{mu}m$. X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction indicated that the microrods were $SnO_2$ with a rutile structure. As the microrod tips were free of metal particles, it was determined that the growth of $SnO_2$ microrods via the present route was dominated by a vapor-solid mechanism. The thickening of rod-like structures was related to the utilization of sufficiently high $O_2$ partial pressure during the synthesis process, whereas low $O_2$ partial pressure facilitated the production of thin rods.