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Home > Search for DIY Projects by Trade Type > The Complete DIYer’s Guide to Plumbing Including How To Projects, Tutorials and Videos > DIY Guides to Copper and Plastic Pipes and Pipework

DIY Guides to Copper and Plastic Pipes and Pipework

The complete guide to Pipes and Pipe Work in your home. We cover everything you need to know about fitting and maintaining pipes, including copper and plastic uPVC pipes. We have projects that explain bending and brazing, fitting valves and making joints. There is information for trouble shooting and fixing bust pipe and other common problems. We even cover working with speed fit fittings.

  • Airlocks in Pipes

    Air locks - curing an air lock - A simply way to remove air in central heating systems (no hot water from the hot tap) and get rid of air locks preventing hot water flow


  • Brazing Joints with a Blow Torch and Using a Brazing Rod

    Brazing joints - How to braze a joint using a blow torch. Learn how to braze a joint step by step, featuring clear, illustrations and images.


  • Using Chrome Pipe or Tube

    Chrome pipe - how to use chrome pipe - In this DIY guide, learn all about how to cut, bend and join chrome pipe or tube - tips on working with chrome pipe


  • Copper Compression Joints

    Copper compression joints - How to form copper compression Joints correctly so they don't leak including the different types and sizes of copper compression joint


  • How to Bend Copper Pipe Using a Bending Spring or a Plumbers Pipe Bender

    Copper pipes - bending - How to a bend copper pipe properly with a bending spring or a plumbers pipe bender and save on fittings and prevent leaks


  • Solderless Copper Bonding; Cold Welding or Bonding Copper Pipes

    Copper pipes - solderless bonding - How to bond or cold solder copper pipes or tube safely without using flame; solderless copper bonding to join copper pipe work


  • Changing From Cast Iron to Plastic

    Plumbing - changing cast iron to plastic - Learn about joining cast iron to plastic waste pipes easily if you have installed a new toilet or need to move existing soil waste pipework


  • Cutting Copper Pipes

    Plumbing - cutting copper pipes - Learn about how to cut copper pipe and ways of cutting copper pipes including the different tools which can be used


  • Isolating and Service Valves

    Plumbing - isolating valves (ballofix valves) - Fitting an isolation valve allows appliances to be quickly and easily turned off and disconnect, incuding types of isolation valve


  • Loosening Jammed or Stuck Water Valves Including Taps and Tap Headgear

    Plumbing - jammed / stuck water valves - In this how to guide learn all about how to loosen jammed water valves, radiator valves and taps without damaging the valve body


  • Moving a Stop Cock

    Plumbing - moving a mains stopcock - How to move the mains water stop cock in your home to a more suitable location and how to fit a new stop cock to supply mains water


  • Noisy Water Pipes

    Plumbing - noisy pipes and water hammer - Find out how to fix water hammer and noisy pipes and stop them from banging and knocking in quick and easy steps


  • DIY Advice on Fitting a Pressure Reducing Valve or PRV to Reduce Water Pressure in the Home

    Plumbing - pressure reducing valves (prv) - Learn all about how to fit a PRV or pressure reducing valve and help to reduce water pressure if it's too high


  • Repairing a Burst Pipe

    Plumbing - repairing a burst pipe - In this how-to guide you will learn all about how to repair burst pipes and fix leaking water systems found in the home


  • Lead Water Main Replacement

    Plumbing - replacing lead water mains - In this DIY guide we look at the process of replacing lead water mains and changing lead and iron water pipes to copper


  • Soldered Pipe Joints

    Plumbing - soldered pipe joints - How to solder copper pip fittings using Yorkshire or end feed fittings and also other types of fitting to get a lasting joint


  • Solvent Welding Plastic Waste Pipes

    Plumbing - solvent weld - How to solvent weld plastic waste pipes and fittings for a variety of wastes such as showers, baths, sinks and domestic appliances


  • Using Plastic Plumbing Pipes and Fittings

    Plumbing - speedfit fittings usage - How to use plastic push fit or speedfit plumbing fittings and what benefits these have including the different types of plastic pipe fittings


  • Plumbing in a Washing Machine or Dishwasher

    Plumbing - washing machines and dishwashers - How to plumb in a dishwasher or washing machine waste and supply correctly. Learn how to get your washing machine or dishwasher installed


  • PTFE plumbers tape

    PTFE Tape - How to correctly use PTFE plumbers tape - Learn how to use PTFE tape or plumbers tape and how to apply it to the threads of different plumbing joints to seal them up


This is the section that deals with everything to do with pipe-work and pipes. We have projects on all types of pipes; Copper, Plastic uPVC and Chrome. We show you all aspects of working with pipes from making joints, adding valves to brazing and solvent welds.

We cover fault finding in your pipes and show you how to can discover the cause of problems and then how you can fix them. We cover solutions to all the common problems from burst pipes to noisy pipes and curing airlocks.

We have a complete plumbing section which covers all aspects of plumbing beyond and including pipes.

While we cover pipe works here, we have a separate section for Waste Pipe and Systems. This is because this is a different topic which warrants a section of its own. If you are looking for information on waste pipes and working with waste systems have a look at our section on this.

For information about taps we have a section that covers everything you need to know about them. See our section all about taps and valves here. We deal with all the projects involved with tanks and water systems in general in another section called Tanks and Water Systems.

We have information about virtually every plumbing project that you could imagine, so there is nothing to hold you back!

Copper piping
Anyone can learn to work with pipes and do basic pipe work

Types of Pipes Use for Domestic Water

Over the years a great many materials have been used for making pipes in people’s homes. The Romans famously used lead, and in medieval times wooden pipes have even been used.

Nowadays in the UK there are only really three types of pipe that are used for potable (drinking) water and for heating systems. These are:

  1. MDPE Pipes – Medium Density Polyethylene or “Blue Poly”
  2. MDPE poly pipe
    Blue Poly Pipe is use for mains water entering the house
  3. Copper Pipes
  4. Copper pipes for water supply
    Copper Pipe typically comes in 2 metre lengths
  5. Plastic Pipes
  6. Plastic pipe
    Plastic Pipe and cheap and quick to work

MDPE Pipes Explained

Medium Density Polyethylene pipes are used for the cold mains water that enters into your house (and to commercial properties). It is used to replace the old lead pipe work that was laid extensively in our mains water network during the Victorian period.

It can be buried in the ground and is durable and seamless. It can withstand reasonably high pressures required in the mains network. It comes in three diameters depending on where it is going to be used; 20mm, 25mm & 32mm.

This is not an area that a typical DIY enthusiast will get involved so it is likely that you will not have too much to do with this kind of pipe.

MDPE water pipe in the ground
Blue Poly is the pipe that is used for cold mains water entering your house

Copper Pipes Used in Home Water Systems

Copper pipe is used for hot and cold water applications, including central heating systems. It has been the traditional material for heating and potable water systems since the middle of last century when it became clear that lead pipe was dangerous.

One of the main advantages of using copper pipe is that because it has been used for so long people are familiar with it and tend to have all the tools. In fact if you are involved with any sort of renovation it will almost certainly have some copper pipe, so whether you like it or not you will probably have to work with it.

Copper pipe has been a favoured choice for so long because it is durable and the connections are proven and seldom leak if done correctly. It is easily worked; it can be bent and joins are easily made. Copper does not corrode easily, although if the water is acidic it will corrode a little faster.

Why it was adopted was that if does not pollute the drinking water, which we take for granted now! It can also be used for hot water.

Copper pipes and stop valves
Copper has been the traditional material for domestic pipes for the last half century (image: Nachi)

The main disadvantage of copper piping is its price. It can be as much as 3 times the price of plastic piping solutions, and is highly dependent of the volatile price of copper so the price can change week to week. This can play havoc with your budgeting.

Copper does corrode as we have mentioned, but it can also split, particularly when water in the pipe freezes. This is because it is ridged and cannot give to accommodate the expanding ice. This rigidity also makes copper less flexible and can make it harder to fit – it will require more work to bend and turn corners – and support compared to a bendy plastic pipe.

Plastic Pipes Used in Domestic Plumbing

Plastic piping has gradually started to replace copper pipe in domestic plumbing and the advocates of it are very vocal!

Plastic pipe is a general term for non copper, plastic pipes. They can be referred to as uPVC pipes, Speedfit pipes and PB or PEX pipes (see below for a detailed explanation). It is confusing!

In the United Kingdom there are two main types of plastic pipe that are used for plumbing purposes. This is a simplification because there are a number of subtypes and brand names all claiming to have better and more durable pipes. However these are the main types to consider:

  1. Polybutylene Pipe – This is a plastic resin which is used to make pipes. It is sometimes referred to as Poly pipe or PB pipe
  2. Cross-Linked Polyethylene Pipe – or PEX pipe. This is plastic polymer where the polymers have been bonded to each other or “cross linked” so that the resulting plastic is stronger, less brittle particularly in cold temperatures and is still flexible

PEX can withstand higher pressures and temperatures than PB pipe. PEX does not corrode when there is chlorine in the water, which is in most mains supplies to some degree. The chlorine will cause the PB pipe to become weak and brittle and eventually break. PB pipes are no longer allowed to be used in North America, although you can still get them here in the UK.

Plastic plumbing pipework
Plastic pipe is the becoming the most popular domestic pipe (Image: DOB)

There are significant advantages to using Plastic pipe, particularly if you choose PEX pipe. The main one is cost over copper which is typically much more expensive. It is very easy to fit particularly retro-fit as it is flexible and can be pushed through gaps in joists, for example.

Plastic pipes can take hot or cold water and a pressure of up to around 10 bar, which is suitable for anything that you would need in most home plumbing. Because they are flexible, they are less prone to splitting if the pipe freezes.

They are quicker to fit; a compression joint should take about 40-50 seconds to make, but a speed fit fitting will take considerably less than half that once you are practiced. The fittings are more expensive, but the pipe is cheaper and bendy so less time is need to bend pipe and make joints.

One disadvantage is that some appliance and boilers stipulate that copper pipe should be used. They tend to stipulate the minimum distance, such as a metre from the appliance, where copper piping must be used. Although there is no issue with then changing to plastic; plastic and copper can be used interchangeably if required, and you use the right fittings.

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