How to Seal Plastic Pipe

Use PVC primer and glue to seal PVC couplings to PVC pipes.

Household plastic pipe is used for sewer and water lines. Sewer pipe is made of either white PVC plastic or black ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic. Plastic water pipes are made of CPVC. The pipes are sealed, or joined, together with plastic couplings and held in place with glue. End caps are also sealed onto the end of pipes. The end caps can be removed later to add more pipe to the existing line.

Things You'll Need

• PVC primer
• PVC coupling
• PVC glue

Instructions

1. Apply PVC primer to both ends of two PVC pipes. Also apply PVC primer to the inside of one straight PVC coupling. Wait for the primer to dry, which usually takes 30 seconds.

2. Apply PVC glue to the ends of the two pipes, as well as the inside of the coupling. Push the pipes into each end of the coupling and hold in place for 30 seconds.

3. Apply PVC primer to the end of a PVC pipe and the inside of a PVC end cap. Wait for the primer to dry. Apply PVC glue to the end of the pipe and the inside of the end cap. Push the end cap onto the end of the pipe and hold in place for 30 seconds.

Tips & Warnings

• The same process is followed when sealing CPVC pipes together or adding a CPVC end cap.

• When joining ABS sewer pipe, no primer is required, but use ABS glue to seal the joint or the end cap.

References

• "Home Improvement 1-2-3"; Benjamin W. Allen, Christopher Cavanaugh; 1995