How to bend a plastic pipe

Perhaps, when carrying out repairs, the issue of cost savings is quite relevant, but it is necessary to understand well what you can save on, and in what cases you should not do this. In particular, if there is a need for simple plumbing work, it is better to perform them yourself, while using high-quality materials.

For example, recently the use of metal-plastic pipes has become very popular. They have sufficient strength characteristics, but are significantly lighter in weight and easier to install than metal counterparts. But just as in all other cases, when using such pipes it is sometimes necessary to change their shape. And this means that you need to have some information about how to bend the plastic pipe.

Possible ways of bending metal pipes

If we talk about ways to change the shape of plumbing pipes, then by and large they can be identified only a few:

• manually, that is, without the use of any technical means and devices,
• using handicraft devices and tools,
• using special technical devices (better known as pipe benders).

The expediency of applying one of these methods is worth determining on your own. If you need to bend the pipe without observing a strict radius, or there are no special requirements for the quality of the bend, you can not complicate the process and carry out work with your hands or with the use of improvised means. But if you need high accuracy without the use of special technical devices is not enough. 

Manual bending

In order to bend the plastic pipe by hand, you just need to take it in hand and bend it. Nothing complicated and tricky. The truth is worth noting that the process should be carried out starting from the middle. To bend it easier, you can heat the desired section of the pipe with a construction dryer. The use of certain devices and tools undoubtedly facilitates any process and metal-plastic pipe bending is no exception. In this case, the most diverse and seemingly inappropriate materials for this purpose, such as steel springs or sand, can be useful.

Spring use

One way to change the shape of a metal-plastic pipe is to use a steel spring. To do this, a spring of a slightly smaller diameter than the pipe is selected. After that, a piece of wire of sufficient length is attached to the spring. The spring is inserted into the pipe and pushed to the bend. The middle of the spring should coincide with the middle of the section of the pipe intended for bending. After that, the pipe is bent by hand to the desired radius, and the spring is pulled out.

Using sand

Use of sand will help to avoid pipe deformation. Pre-cleaned sand is poured into the pipe. The ends of the pipe must be closed with any traffic jams. Further, the pipe is bent, and the sand that has filled the internal volume will prevent the formation of cracks and corrugated sections. After changing the shape of the pipe, the sand is removed.

Pipe bender

And of course, if you need perfect quality and accurate performance, then in order to bend the pipes, you need to use special pipe benders. In the construction market there is quite an extensive choice. In the case of the use of these machines, the pipe is simply placed inside the device and bent using special blanks of a given shape.

Tip! The process must be performed from the edge of the bent portion. When using the machine, you can strictly control the bend radius.

In conclusion of the above, it is worth adding that before bending plastic pipes, it is best to practice on unnecessary trimming, because skills and experience come with time. 

Video

From this video you will get some more useful tips.