How to Bend PVC Pipe

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Did you know you can easily bend PVC pipe? In the past, I’ve used connectors and fittings to get the angles I needed for projects but now I’ll be using this simple technique more often. It couldn’t be easier to bend PVC pipe and it takes a tool that a lot of us crafters have had around our house for years!

To bend PVC pipe, you’ll need the pipe of your choice {I used 1/2 inch pipe for this project} and an embossing tool {affiliate link}. For those of us that crafted through the huge card-making trend in the 90’s and 00’s, you may have one of these in your craft stash for using with embossing powder. In addition to those main supplies, you may also want a square or a ruler for measuring and creating angles.

Mark the spot on the PVC pipe where you’d like to bend it. Use a pencil or something that will wipe away after.

Heat that spot and all the way around it with the embossing tool. It will take just a minute or two to get it warm enough to bend.

Once the PVC pipe becomes pliable, bend it at the desired spot. To make it a bit easier to bend, you can place a knife there as a guide.

Bend to the angle you want. If you’re bending it to a 90 degree angle, you may want to place it on the inside of a square or against a counter and a wall to keep it at a perfect angle.

Hold it in place until it cools enough to hold the position or run it under cold water to cool it quickly.

With this technique, you will have crimps on the edges like you see in the photo below. If you want a more rounded bend, fill the PVC pipe with sand or salt and then follow the instructions above. This will give you a more rounded bend.