Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

cadalot · « **on:** November 15, 2012, 06:59 »

Ok I'm looking at buying a roll of MDPE water pipe to cut it into 2m lengths (1/2 circle = 1.8m based on radius of 600mm plus 100mm each end to poke into the ground) to fit in a 1.2m wide bed to cover with plastic and then netting next year (what else can I do but sort these things out when It's dark by time I get home and I cant get down to my allotment/)

Is 20mm dia OK or would I be better off paying the very little extra to get the 25mm or will that be a little too stiff for that radius?

As my beds will be 1.2m x 2.4m I was thinking 4 hoops per bed at 800mm centres

Any observations or suggestions please

arugula · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:55 »

Having worked with MDPE for quite some time, I'd suggest that over those lengths you won't find the 25 mm more restricted or less flexible than the 20 mm, but obviously you'll have a slight increase in strength. A thinner gauge is used in the link I have given below, so the smaller should be fine.

This should give you some ideas:

Geoff Hamilton Cloche

Ice · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2012, 08:29 »

I successfully use 20mm pipe over my 1.2m beds, but that is because I get it for free, were I to buy it I would go for the 25mm. If you use the search facility you will find quite a lot on this subject.

surbie100 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2012, 10:42 »

I use 20mm pipe for my beds and have shamelessly copied Ice's domes (thanks Ice!).

I use small steel or bamboo rods pushed into the ground and inside the pipe to give more stability, and where I've used hoops in a line (instead of making a dome) they are stabilised with a few canes across the top, and one along the sides. My plot's quite windy, and this seems to work.

thedadtony · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2012, 21:18 »

I used 20mm pvc electrical conduit from Screwfix, I think they do 2mts lenghts and I think it's a lot cheaper, after four years use it's still ok.Cheers.

cadalot · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2012, 22:31 »

Thanks for the feedback guys and girls I found lce's photo in a thread http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=34665.0 that's exactly what I had in mind but toying with 1.2 x 1.2 frame that I can fit hoops into or place a additional level onto make a cold frame.

Was also thinking of just poking in the ground like the other photos then read somewhere about short lenghts of re-bar to go into the pipe so you didn't have to stick them into the ground.

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Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

cadalot

Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

arugula

Re: Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

Ice

Re: Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

surbie100

Re: Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

thedadtony

Re: Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

cadalot

Re: Which Diameter MDPE Pipe to use?

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