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.
Plumbing first fix on an extension is mostly pipe runs: from the boiler to the underfloor heating manifold, the kitchen sink, and any new radiators. Clean cuts and tight, leak-free joints depend on the right tools and technique.
As a homeowner project manager, you may not be doing the plumbing yourself, but understanding these tools helps you check your plumber's work, spot bodged joints before they cause problems, and handle small jobs such as sealing a threaded joint. Each guide explains what the tool does, how it is used on site, and what to buy at each budget level.
Where to start
Read pipe cutters and deburring reamers together: a clean, square, deburred cut is what stops a push-fit O-ring or compression olive leaking. Then read PTFE tape, because it belongs on threaded joints only, and tape on a compression fitting is a common cause of leaks.
The guides, grouped by job
Cutting and preparing pipe. The pipe cutter for copper and plastic, and the deburring reamer for the inside edge afterwards.
Bending copper. The bending spring for 15mm pipe and the lever pipe bender, both of which save fittings and make neater runs.
Sealing threaded joints. PTFE tape and pipe sealing cord, including which to use for gas and which for water.
Gripping and tightening. The adjustable wrench for nuts, the pipe wrench for round pipe and fittings, and the strap wrench for chrome traps and tap bodies that metal jaws would mark.
Where these fit in the build
Pipe routes are fixed in plumbing layout planning and kitchen plumbing provisions. Cutters, benders and reamers do most of their work at first fix plumbing, while the wrenches and sealants come back at second fix plumbing, when taps, traps and radiators are connected.
Adjustable Spanners: How to Use One Without Rounding Every Nut in Sight
The UK guide to adjustable spanners (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.