How to Measure Garden Hose Diameter

How to Measure Garden Hose Diameter – 5 Practical Ways!

Knowing how to measure garden hose diameter can help you choose the ideal hose. Garden hose measurement is a crucial factor when acquiring one. Nobody likes lifting several buckets of water to water the vegetables and flowers—That’s why we use a gardening hose to water the plants quickly and efficiently.

Garden hoses come in varying lengths, diameters, and material quality. They range from 25 ft. to 250ft. in commercial settings and 50 ft. to 100 ft for home garden use.

If you need a longer hose, you can simply connect two of them. For this purpose, you will need another hose of the precisely same diameter. So, how to measure garden hose diameter? When I say diameter, it is the inside diameter.

How to Measure Garden Hose Diameter

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Whatever is the inner diameter, the end hardware of a hose is designed to fit a standard faucet. So, even hoses with different diameters are connectable using an adapter. Hence, it is a little tricky to measure the inner diameter of the hose. 

The thick ends of the hose affect the diameter value when measured from the outside. As the female and male ends of the hose are a bit larger than the inside, you cannot directly measure the inner diameter.

For getting proper inner diameter, you need to reach a little deeper into the hose. It is easy to measure when the ends fit with any hardware. Hence, to measure the inner diameter, you should detach the hose from the water source. Remove spray nozzle or any other accessories attached at the end. 

1. Cut The Hose

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Suppose you plan to replace the end hardware then square cut the hose near the fitting. The exposed hole allows you access to the inner diameter of the hose. Measure it.

2. Paper Method

Turn the hose such that you can look into the opening while you hold on to the metal fitting. Insert a thin card rolled like a tube into one end of the garden hose. Let the paper tube loosen to the size of the garden hose. 

Make sure that the tube is at least one inch inside the hose. Adjust it such that it fully occupies the hose from inside. An index card would suit this purpose and ensure that half of the rolled card is in the hose. 

Now, tape the edges of the card near the join. This forms a cylinder. Gently pull the card out making sure it does not unravel itself. Also, securely tape the other end for added reinforcement of the join. 

Measure the distance of the tube opening from one end to the other approximately in the middle. It gives you the value of the inner diameter of your garden hose. 

3. Dowels Or Drill Bits Method

As garden hoses come in standard sizes of ½ inch, 5/8 inch, ¾ inch, 1-inch diameter, you can measure their diameter easily. Find the dowels or drill bits of the same diameters as the standard size of the garden hose.

Now insert each dowel starting from the most petite, i.e., ½ inch, and proceed to 1 inch while measuring and checking. As you find a snug fit, take note of it. Voila! You got your inner diameter.

4. Vernier Calipers Method

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If you are equipped with digital calipers or a metal one, you can measure the outer diameter accurately. Based on the thickness of the pipe and the standard measurements you can still estimate the inner diameter of the hose. 

If the outer diameter is 0.77 inches to 1 inch it is a 5/8 inch hose. When it is less than 0.77 inches, it is a ½ inch hose. Similarly, when greater than 1 inc, it is a ¾ inch hose.

5. Comparison

If you have several hoses and are not aware of their sizes, compare them to measure their sizes. Simply hold the known hose against the unknown to compare them.

Another post on garden care: How To Connect Pressure Washer Gun To Garden Hose?

Summary

Most standard garden hoses are of 5/8 inch size. However, it is not the same for everyone. It is done based on the inner diameter value when changing a fitting or measuring water flow. Your work becomes a breeze if you know how to measure garden hose diameter.

Based on your need, the equipment you have, and your enthusiasm, you can choose any of the given methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is measuring the inner diameter of a hose tricky?

Hardware on the ends of the hose offers better connection capability. It helps in attaching accessories or connecting to the faucet without any leaks. However, the metal fittings that screw to the spigot obstruct the hose directly. 

The fittings are the same size on the open end, so it is impossible to find the measurement immediately. It is tricky because the measuring tape cannot reach the very ends of the pipe to measure it.  You need to use a few tricks, as mentioned above, to get the correct measurement of the inner hose diameter. 

Should you measure the hose diameter from inside or outside?

A hose diameter allows you to estimate the capacity of the water flow. When the water flows through a hose it occupies the space measured using the inner diameter. So, fittings and accessories are based on the inner diameter of the hose. Also, hoses made of different materials vary in their outer diameter.

You cannot get a standard size when you consider outer diameter. Accessories are manufactured based on the inner diameter. The inner diameter of the hose is the standard measurement accepted and followed by the makers and the users.

Which connectors are best for connecting two garden hoses?

Metal adapters are more durable than plastic connectors; Plastic connectors become brittle with time due to outdoor weather conditions. It breaks down quickly due to exposure to the sun. They form cracks due to water pressure and start leaking in a few months.

However, metal connectors are not that easily affected and long. The brass-made connectors last for ages as they are less rust-prone and are good at resisting adverse weather conditions. Another critical thing to consider is the connector end compatibility.

Make sure that the screwing ends of the hoses are compatible with the adaptor. If the hose is of vinyl body, then brass fittings go well. For a plastic-bodied hose, compression fittings are better.

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