When we talk about the diameter of a hose, we usually talk about its inner diameter. Most people won’t give this much thought but, knowing how to measure the diameter of your hose is important.
A garden hose that’s of the right size will help increase your efficiency and reduce the effort needed in watering your garden. Also, knowing the right diameter will allow you to purchase accessories along with the garden hose so you can fully maximize the use of your hose. But those accessories won’t be much use if they don’t fit your hose now, will they?
Learn how to measure the diameter of your hose the easy way by following the steps below.
Table of Contents
Steps In Measuring Garden Hose Diameter
It should be noted that the male and the female ends of your garden hose will usually be larger than the inner diameter. In such a case, it becomes a little tricky to measure the exact diameter.
So, what do you do? Well, we are here to the rescue. We have listed the exact procedure in measuring out a garden hose’s diameter. Let’s look at it.
Step 1: Remove Any Attachments
If there’s anything attached to the hose like couplings, spray nozzles, or a soaker hose, you’ll need to disconnect or unscrew them first.
Step 2: Use A Dowel
Now, you’ll need a wooden dowel of various sizes. Try and check if any of these dowels fit into the end of the hose. Aside from dowels, you can also use metal drill bits. But you’ll need to ensure that you don’t insert anything sharp in the hose so you don’t accidentally damage it.
Step 3: Measure The Dowel
Once you find the right fit, simply use a vernier calliper or a ruler to measure the diameter of the dowel or drill bit. Ideally, you should already have an idea about the size of these things. But if you don’t, then the vernier calliper or ruler will give you their measurements.
And that’s it! That was the whole process of measuring a garden hose diameter. Pretty easy, right? So if you are going to purchase any accessories to attach to your garden hose, be very specific about the size that you measured, otherwise you might end up with a misfit.
Additional Info/Tips
Keep in mind that the measurement of the outer diameter of the hose is different from the inside diameter of the hose, and the ends of a hose are not always the same diameter as the rest of the hose.
Be sure to check the hose. Some hoses will have the diameter printed on them so you won’t have to go through all the trouble of doing all of the steps above. If you’re looking to replace a damaged hose, you may just as well cut the end of the hose and measure its diameter.
Although, you may still connect two hoses with different diameters by using an adapter.
The Importance Of Measuring The Diameter Of A Hose
The standard sizes of a garden hose diameter are ½ inch, ¾ inch and ⅝ inch. Different sizes deliver different kinds of performance and will not fit just any connector.
A ⅝ inch is the one that’s most commonly bought for home use, while a ¾ inch is used mostly in commercial spaces and for professional use. It delivers water three times faster than a ½ inch hose, making it a better choice if you intend to fill up a pool or any kind of water feature.
The size that you choose should depend on the amount of water and the strength of the water flow that you need or prefer.
So, knowing the diameter of your garden hose allows you to get the size that you need. It’s possible to either get one for what you have or buy a completely different size to try out. More importantly, you won’t have to worry about the connectors and attachments you bought not fitting your hose if you already know its diameter.
Need a garden hose? Get the best one by checking out our Garden Hose Reviews & Buying Guide.
