Plumbing Tools
Pipe cutters, pipe benders, pipe wrenches, adjustable wrenches, and PTFE tape - the tools behind every clean joint and leak-free connection on a UK extension plumbing first fix.
Adjustable Wrenches: How to Use One Without Rounding Every Nut in Sight
The UK guide to adjustable wrenches for plumbing. Correct technique, wide jaw vs standard, sizes to own, and what to buy from £8-39.
Bending Springs: How to Bend 15mm Copper Pipe With a Tool That Costs Less Than an Elbow
The UK guide to copper pipe bending springs. Internal vs external, sizing, cord-and-knee technique, copper grades, removal tricks, and what to buy from £4-15.
Deburring Reamers: Why Every Cut Pipe Needs One (and When You Can Skip It)
The UK guide to deburring copper and plastic pipe. Why burrs damage push-fit O-rings and compression olives, proper technique, and what to buy from £4-£24.
Pipe Benders: How to Bend Copper Pipe Without Kinking It
The UK guide to pipe benders for domestic plumbing. Lever benders vs springs, bending technique, copper grades, and what to buy from £4-105.
Pipe Cutters: Types, Technique, and What to Buy for Copper and Plastic
The UK guide to pipe cutters for extension plumbing. Copper vs plastic types, proper cutting technique, deburring, common mistakes, and what to buy from £5-35.
Pipe Sealing Cord (Loctite 55): Why Plumbers Use It Instead of PTFE Tape
The UK guide to pipe sealing cord. Why pros prefer it over PTFE tape, how to wrap it, gas vs water use, and what to buy from £5.58 a roll.
Pipe Wrenches (Stillsons): How They Work and Which Size to Buy
The UK guide to pipe wrenches. How the self-tightening jaw works, which size you need, the two-wrench technique, and what to buy from £10-40.
PTFE Tape: How to Wrap It, When to Use It, and the Mistake Everyone Makes
The UK guide to PTFE tape for plumbing. Correct wrapping direction, how many wraps, gas vs water tape, when NOT to use it, and what to buy from £0.35-0.75.
Strap Wrenches: Why a Rubber Strap Beats Metal Jaws on Chrome
The UK guide to strap wrenches for plumbing. Rubber vs nylon, why they slip, the no-lubricant rule, and what to buy from £4-53 for chrome traps and tap bodies.