Garden hoses are an essential tool for any gardener, allowing you to water plants, clean outdoor surfaces, and perform a wide variety of other tasks. However, with so many different types of garden hose fittings available, it can be confusing to know which ones are right for your needs.
In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to garden hose fittings, exploring the different types available, their features and benefits, and how to choose the right one for your garden hose.
Understanding the different types of garden hose fittings can help you to get the most out of your gardening tools and keep your garden healthy and vibrant.

Read Next
- What is a Garden Hose Fitting?
- What is a Garden Hose Fitting Made up of?
- Brass Hose Fittings
- Plastic Hose Fittings
- Nylon and Polymer Hose Fittings
- Which Size of Fittings Should You Get For Your Garden Hose?
- Thread Sizes For Garden Hose Fittings
- Basic Fitting for Garden Hoses
- What are the Different Kinds of Fittings?
- Quick Release Fittings
- Semi-Permanent Fittings
- How to Attach the Hose Fittings
- Screw Clamps
- Spring Clamps
- Wire Clamps
- Prevention Of Ruptures
- Conclusion
- 💬 Feedback
Your garden hose fittings may seem as simple as it is. Turns out, when you look at everything that goes on behind it, you would notice that choosing hose fittings is not as easy as they appear to be. If you have not yet checked how garden hose fittings can make watering the garden as easy as possible, now is the time!
You do not have to worry because we got you covered with this complete guide to garden hose fittings. You do not have to open another browser to know more about hose fittings. We have everything you need to know.
What is a Garden Hose Fitting?
A hose fitting is usually a separate accessory you buy for your garden hose. This is attached to the end of your hose in order to properly aid the distribution of water for heads, faucets, and sprinklers.
What is a Garden Hose Fitting Made up of?
When it comes to the material used for garden hose fittings, these are usually made from four commonly utilized materials you can find when you visit your local hardware store. So looking for these will not give you too much trouble.
You can find it almost everywhere! Garden hose fittings are usually made from brass, plastic, nylon, and polymer. Of course, the performance of a garden hose fitting is highly dependent on the type of material used for it.
Brass Hose Fittings
The most common garden hose fittings out there are made from durable brass. This is because brass can withstand the test of time. This is advantageous to you, of course, because the last thing that you want to worry about is having to fix your hose fittings every so often. Brass hose fittings are reliable when it comes to strength and overall performance.
Fittings made from brass are a lot heavier than those that are made of plastic, nylon or polymer; thus, the heavier it is, the more expensive it costs. Think of this as an investment! Instead of buying cheap and unreliable hose fittings every now and then, you might as well invest in something that can stay with you for a longer period of time since water will continuously pass through these hose fittings. It is important to make sure that these would not contaminate the quality of water.
Brass hose fittings are considered to be safe when it comes to using it with running water. Aside from these, all brass fittings come in either male or female adapters, giving you a wide range of options to choose from.
With all these pros, however, brass fittings could not perform well when fitted into expandable hoses as it is designed for rubber hoses. So, brass hose fittings are perfect for you if you have large rubber hoses and if you are looking for strength and durability in the fittings.
Plastic Hose Fittings
If you are on a tight budget or if you are looking for a less expensive garden hose fitting that will perform just as well as brass hose fittings, then consider hose fittings that are made from plastic. Although these are not as durable as solid brass hose fittings, they can get the job done and also last for quite some time.
Take note though, that plastics have a small tendency to leach out toxins when it is used with running water so it may not be the safest choice because of the possibly toxic substances they may have. Water filters are a great help in this instance. Plastic hose fittings are perfect for everyday household use as they can handle a high amount of water volume and pressure.
Nylon and Polymer Hose Fittings
These two materials can be generalized because they are at par with each other's performances. Nylon and polymer hose fittings are a lot cheaper than brass hose fittings but these are a bit more expensive than plastic hose fittings. In terms of the price range, these fittings can be considered to be in the middle - not too cheap for quality to be compromised, and not too expensive for you to burn your wallet.
There are two great things when it comes to polymer hose fittings - these are perfectly safe when it comes to the cleanliness of the water that runs through them and these can be custom-made, which means they can cater to any of your garden hose needs. Nylon hose fittings, on the other hand, are as durable as they come. On that note though, nylon hose fittings are a little more expensive than plastic fittings.
Nylon and polymer hose fittings are perfect for you if you are looking for something inexpensive yet get the job perfectly
Which Size of Fittings Should You Get For Your Garden Hose?
The size of your garden hose fittings or connector will depend on many factors. One of which is the diameter of your garden hose. Garden hose fittings are fitted or screwed inside the garden hose for a more secure connection. So, it's safe to say that the diameter of your garden hose fittings should be smaller than the diameter of your garden hose.
Remember that you have to first check the diameter of your garden hose. The bigger diameter of your garden hose, the more volume of water is delivered but with less pressure. Inversely, if you have a smaller-sized garden hose, then less volume of water would be delivered through its length but with a higher pressure of water coming out from it.
It is important to note that when measuring the diameter of your garden hose, you need to measure the inside diameter or the diameter inside the walls, not the ones outside (which are the ones that are exposed to the environment or your first point of contact). You would have to measure the inside diameter of the garden hose to see which garden hose fittings would fit it properly. You can measure the diameters using a ruler or a vernier caliper.
Thread Sizes For Garden Hose Fittings
The thread sizes for garden hose fittings are standardized so it is important to know this kind of information. For garden hoses that have thin walls, the standards that are used are ¾ - 11.5 NHR, while for full-form threads on thicker materials used for valves and fittings, ¾ - 11.5 NH are used.
These standards are known as Garden Hose Thread or GHT, which are also commonly known as National Hose or NHR. The thread pitch is 11.5 threads per inch (TI).
Basic Fitting for Garden Hoses
Here are seven of the basic fitting that you may need for your garden hose:
- Faucet connectors can fit all standard bathroom, kitchen, and garden faucets. These types of connectors can also fit all common shutoff valves.
- Hose connectors can fit all kinds of garden hose connectors, with varying thicknesses and diameter sizes.
- Hose fittings that can fit all kinds of hose connectors and garden hoses.
- Water Stop Hose Connectors are considered to be a vital part that shuts off the water supply automatically when the nozzle is uncoupled.
- Hose repair fittings are connectors that can repair damage along with your garden hose's line. These fittings can also be used for connecting two hoses together permanently.
- Double male hose connectors can be used to connect two hoses together and can also act as a temporary hose repair.
- Three-way hose connectors are also known as "Y" hose connectors because of its shape. These connectors can be used to split a single hose line into two hose lines.
What are the Different Kinds of Fittings?
There are two different kinds of fittings - quick-release fittings and semi-permanent fittings.
Quick Release Fittings
Quick-release fittings are easier to use because these are the type of fittings that can be fitted easily, as the name implies, without the use of screws. The best thing about quick-release fittings is that you can add on any accessory while the water is running.
You can add sprinklers, power washers, other hose connections, branches, and spray jets easily without having any trouble.
Semi-Permanent Fittings
Semi-permanent fittings, on the other hand, need another aid for connection which is a plastic ring, before you can plug in any accessory on your hose. For every accessory fitted in the hose, there is a specific hose connector for this.
This means that with semi-permanent fittings, you would have to change fittings every single time you change from a sprinkler to a power washer.
How to Attach the Hose Fittings
The most important part when attaching hose fittings is to make sure that these are fitted tightly. Even if you have acquired the best garden hoses and fittings, if you do not connect them properly, then your purchase will go to waste. Remember that it is really important to learn how to properly fasten the hose fittings tightly and securely.
Do not worry. The process is as not complicated as it may appear long as you keep in mind that whenever you attach a hose clamp, water from the hose should not drip whenever the clamp is attached. A hose clamp is a clip or lock that will link both the hose and its fittings.
Attaching a hose clamp will entail adding external pressure to the water inside. Keep in mind that the water flowing inside the garden hose also has its own pressure. To ensure that you have properly secured the hose clamp in place with the right amount of force exerted on the fittings, water should not spray out of control from the garden hose.
If you have successfully done this, then it means that you have balanced out the inner and outer pressures on the connected areas. This can be done by using a screwdriver.
Does it sound a little too complex or a tad too technical maybe? Well, it might be at first, but here are some additional pieces of information about the different kinds of clamps which you can use to keep your garden hose connections tightly secured.
Screw Clamps
Screw clamps, from the name itself, have thread-like screws on their end. These clamps are made of stainless steel so you are ensured their durability and resistance to rust and corrosion.
First, wrap the screw clamp around the hose. Screw the assembly tightly with another piece of hose in order to secure it. The process is fairly simple and it is a lot helpful when it comes to repairing hose problems too.
Spring Clamps
Spring clamps, like screw clamps, are made of stainless steel. However, there is a huge difference in how they are locked into place. Spring clamps have 2 springs that you will need to tighten in order to lock them in place. You can do this by hand or with help of pliers.
The goal is to lock the center spring in place, joining together the two separate spring clamps. These clamps last longer than screw clamps, making them a better choice if you are looking for long-term-use products.
However, the problem with spring is that when it is extended or stretched until its critical length, it will break. This can be simply resolved by making sure that the spring clamp is enough for the length it should cover.
Wire Clamps
Wire clamps are U-shaped thick wires. There is a screw attached on its side and you would have to tighten the screw in order to keep the clamp in place. These clamps are less prone to water leakage. However, it is difficult to keep it in place and could disrupt the water pressure flowing inside the hose.
Prevention Of Ruptures
Residual water inside a garden hose can cause pressure bursts, which can damage the connection and contaminate the water supply. During winter, leftover water can freeze inside the garden hose, causing it to expand and rupture.
To prevent this, turn off the water spigot and empty out the garden hose completely before storing it in a warm place. If the hose bursts, you can repair it using a hose connector. Simply remove the damaged section of the hose, cut both ends in a square, and join the sections with a hose connector, securing it in place with the knurled rings.
Conclusion
We have covered the basics of everything you need to know about garden hose fittings – from their size, the various types, how they are attached, and how they should be cared for. By now you probably have a complete idea of how you can keep your garden hose fittings secured. The next step now is to put all of these into action or refer to this guide to garden hose fitting once you need it.
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