Pipe Clip Spacing

Pipe Clip Spacing for Plastic Pipe

The distance between pipe clips, or any pipe supports, is dependent on the size of pipe, wall thickness, material of pipe, and the temperature of the fluid/gas flowing through it.

Size of the plastic pipe used - The larger the diameter, and greater the wall thickness, the wider the spacing should be between your supports/clips. This is because the pipe becomes more rigid
Material - PVC and ABS have roughly the same support centres; "softer" materials such as polyethylene will require more frequent support
Temperature - It is the nature of plastic that it "softens" and becomes more ductile at higher temperatures, so the higher the temperature, the more frequent the support centres need to be to prevent it from flexing and, in the worst case scenario, sagging. A sagging pipe can have dire consequences: it can lead to a build-up of settled solids and restrict flow or even block the pipe; it can also encourage air locks to form, especially in low pressure/head pipe systems; and, thirdly, it looks awful!

The table below gives the support centres for PVC, ABS, PP, and PE pressure pipe at different temperatures:

Material	PVC & ABS (cm between support centres)
Pipe Size	20°C	30°C	40°C	50°C	60°C
16	80	70	50	Continuous	Continuous
20	90	80	60	Continuous	Continuous
25	95	85	65	55	40
32	105	90	70	60	45
40	120	110	90	70	55
50	140	130	110	85	65
63	150	140	120	95	70
75	165	155	135	110	80
90	180	170	150	125	95
110	200	190	170	145	115
125	210	200	185	160	125
140	225	215	195	170	140
160	240	230	210	185	155
200	255	240	225	200	170

Material	PP (cm between support centres)
Pipe Size	20°C	30°C	40°C	50°C	60°C	80°C	100°C
16	75	70	70	65	65	55	40
20	80	75	70	70	65	60	45
25	85	85	85	80	75	70	50
32	100	95	95	90	85	75	55
40	110	110	105	100	95	85	70
50	125	120	115	110	105	90	70
63	140	135	130	125	120	105	80
75	155	150	145	135	130	115	85
90	165	165	155	150	145	125	95
110	185	180	175	165	160	140	100
125	200	190	185	180	170	150	110
140	210	205	195	190	180	155	115
160	225	225	210	200	190	165	125
180	240	240	250	225	215	200	170
130	200	250	235	225	215	185	135

Material	PE (cm between support centres)
Pipe Size	20°C	30°C	40°C	50°C	60°C
20	75	70	65	65	60
25	80	80	75	70	65
32	90	90	85	80	75
40	100	100	95	90	85
50	115	110	105	100	95
63	130	125	120	115	105
75	140	135	130	125	115
90	155	150	145	135	130
110	170	165	160	150	140
125	185	175	170	160	150
140	195	185	180	170	155
160	210	200	200	180	170
200	235	220	210	200	185
225	250	235	220	210	200

Support Centres for PE Pipe

If you are in any doubt, please don't hesitate to call us and we will be happy to help.