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Plastic pipe gluing (C) Daniel Friedman PVC / CPVC Cement Hold, Set & Cure Times
Glue s et & cure times needed to avoid poor or leaky plastic pipe joints & connections

This article gives tables of hold, set & cure times that should be respected when cementing PVC or CPVC piping systems. Here are definitions of plastic pipe gluing "hold time" (how long to hold the joint when gluing), set time (how long before you can move the piping around) and cure time (how long before the piping can be exposed to pressure.

The article explains that movement or exposure to pressure in the piping system before the glued pipe joints & fittings have adequatgly set or cured risks damaged connections, leaks, pipe failures.

This article series describes the properties of polubutylene PVC & CPVC plastic piping and tubing used in buildings. We include information about failures and problems with some generations of CPVC or PVC plastic pipes and we describe good building practice installation details where plastic piping is being installed.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

PVC & CPVC Pipe Gluing Specifications, Joint Set & Cure Times

PVC pipe glue procedures (C) Daniel FriedmanReader Question: how long for a pvc pipe glue joint to dry before turning on the water

(Feb 20, 2015) Champ said:

PVC water pipe in basement froze and broke. Water shut off at road. Water turned off, PVC pipe cut and glued. Temp. now -20. I need to turn on water. How long to turn on water. Glue jar says 2 hrs. to dry.

Should we put electric heater in room to assist drying? When we turn on water, should we turn 1/4 turn until open all way or just open?

This question was originally posted at WATER SUPPLY TURN-ON in our article series on how to DE-WINTERIZE a BUILDING

Reply: PVC piping glue set vs. cure time: when is it safe to turn on the water & at what pressure? Role of temperature in PVC joint cure time.

Champ: an accurate answer depends on knowing the diameter of the pipe you are gluding and other details as well as knowing the care taken in preparing and assembling the joints.

If we assume you are gluing a home water supply pipe that is no larger in diameter than 1 1/4" and at 20F you need to wait a half hour before turning on your water supply. That specification is good for typical conditions for pressures up to 160 psi.

Adding heat will indeed assist in curing if the glued joint. The risk of turning water on too soon is likely to cause a failed glue joint.

Let's see what the glue manufacturers say about glue curing time.

Portions of this text were adapted from information provided by Oatey®, Georg Fischer Piping Systems, and other manufacturers cited in this article and further atReferences or Citations

Factors Affecting CPVC & PVC Pipe Joint Set & Cure Times

Watch out: high and low temperatures, humidity, joint fit, pipe condition (new vs. old being repaired), and pipe size in diameter all have important effects on glued PVC pipe joints.

Cold temperatures mean that more time is needed to for set and cure times.

And high temperatures can increase the softening effects of the solvents used in primers and glues used in PVC piping, potentially softening or damaging the piping if too much solvent is used.

Watch out: in damp or humid weather you need to increase the set and cure times by 50%!

Watch out: for an accurate figure on PVC glue drying time for your specific case, be sure to check the label of your particular CPVC or PVC pipe cement product.

Definition of Glued PVC Pipe Joint Hold Time:

The "hold time" is the period during which you should physically hold the newly-glued pipe joint components in position immediately after assembling them. This is typically 30 seconds but in cold weather you will need to extend that time to perhaps a minute.

Definition of Glued PVC PIPE Joint Set Time:

The "set time" for a glued PVC piping joint is the time that you should wait before handling the newly-assembled and glued joints. This is how long you should wait before moving the parts around. If you move the glued parts before the set time period the risk is that you move them and the glued joint will either fail or it will "set" into a position other than the one you intended.

PVC / CPVC pipe joint set times range from 2 minutes (1/2" to 1 1/4" pipe at 60-100°F) to 48 hours (16"-24" pipe at 0-40°F).

At temperatures above 60°F, a generally "safe" set time for typical residential smaller-sized plastic pipe (under 3") installations is 15 minutes before pressure testing to 180 psi, with increases needed for humid or cold conditions.

Watch out: Oatey warns "Do not test with air."

The "set time" that you should wait before moving the assembled plastic piping that has just been glued is in addition to the "hold time".

Typical PVC or CPVC Pipe Joint Cement Handling / Set Time Wait Periods
Temperature At Time of Assembly 60-100°F 40-60°F 20-40°F 0-20°F

Pipe Diameter

  
1/2" - 1 1/4"
 2 minutes 5 minutes 8 minutes 10 minutes
1 1/2" - 3"
 5 minutes 10 minutes 12 minutes 15 minutes
4" - 5"
 15 minutes 30 minutes 1 hour 2 hours
6" - 8"
 30 minutes 1 1/2 hours 3 hours 6 hours
10" - 16"
 2 hours 8 hours 12 hours 24 hours
18" & above 
 4 hours 16 hours 24 hours 48 hours

Notes to the table above

Watch out: in damp or humid weather you need to increase the set and cure times by 50%!

Watch out: for an accurate figure on PVC glue drying time for your specific case, be sure to check the label of your particular CPVC or PVC pipe cement product.

Adapted from

Table design © 2015 InspectApedia.com

Definition of Glued PVC pipe joint Cure Time:

The "cure time" for a glued PVC piping joint is the time period that you should wait before pressure-testing the piping (for example in drain or suppy piping) and before turning on water (in water supply piping) or in other words before pressurizing the piping system.

The risk is that if you pressurize the glued piping system before the completion of the glued joint curing the system will fail, burst, leak, or come apart.

PVC / CPVC pipe joint cure times range from 15 minutes (1/2" to 1 1/4" pipe at 60-100°F) to 14 days (16"-24" pipe at 0-40°F)

Typical PVC or CPVC Pipe Joint Cement Cure Time Periods
Temperature At Time of Assembly 60-100°F 40-60°F 20-40°F 0-20°F

Pipe Diameter
Times are all in hours except as noted
1/2" - 1 1/4"
 1 2 6 8
1 1/2" - 3"
 2 4 12 16
4" - 5"
 6 12 36 2 days
6" - 8"
 8 16 3 days 4 days
10" - 16"
 24 2 days 8 days 10 days
18" & above 
 36 3 days 12 days 14 days

Notes to the table above

Watch out:  this data is for pressure testing up to 180 psi. Manufacturers warn "do not test with air" . If pressure testing is to be conducted at pressures above 180 psi the cure times before pressure testing is allowed will be considerably longer. Check the specifications of your specific PVC CPVC cement product.

Watch out: in damp or humid weather you need to increase the set and cure times by 50%!

Watch out: for an accurate figure on PVC glue drying time for your specific case, be sure to check the label of your particular CPVC or PVC pipe cement product.

Adapted from

Table design © 2015 InspectApedia.com

For high temperature PVC gluing applications manufacturers suggest

For cold temperature PVC gluing applications manufacturers suggest

Where to Buy CPVC & PVC Pipe Solvent-type Primers & Cements

Oatey's Heavy Duty Clear PVC Cement cited & discussed at InspectApedia.comThese and other PVC and CPVC pipe cement products are widely distributed by plumbing suppliers and building suppliers such as Home Depot & Loews.

Illustrated: Oatey's Heavy Duty Clear PVC Cement discussed below as a product offering a longer initial set time.

[Click to enlarge any image]

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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-10-25 by (mod) - The cure time for PVC pipe cement joints will vary a bit by pipe size

Helpful question, VInce.

The cure time for PVC pipe cement joints will vary a bit by pipe size, with larger sizes needing more time to set. Temperature, pipe joint size, and cement formula are all factors;

That is, the PVC cement cure time also depends on which cement was used as there are some slow-set cements deliberately formulated to give more working time to assemble the joint and for use on large pipe connections.

You will see those in the table above on this page and in more detail in the Oatey and other PDF documents we provide.

Typically, as you'll see above, those are in minutes, not hours for smaller diameter PVC pipes such as on a residential building, but can be as long as 14 days for large diameter pipe joints in freezing weather.

Once the joint is cured as per the manufactuer's instructions you can turn on water or put the drain into use.

On 2020-10-25 by Vince

After connecting the shut off valve using the primer and cement, is the cure time needed before turning the main house water supply or is it needed before turning the valve on?

On 2020-05-13 - by (mod) -

Yes, Donnie, thanks for asking.

There are several PVC cements are specifically designed for slow set times - these products are discussed, named, described in the article above on this page near the end where you see Reader Comments & Q&A

Please take a look and let me kno wif any of that is unclear or incomplete.

On 2020-05-13 by Anonymous

Sewer pipes

On 2020-05-13 by Donnie

Oatey Handy Pack includes PVC cement and purple primer - cited & discussed at InspectApedia.comIs there a glue that gives you longer time putting pcp pipe together

On 2020-04-04 - by (mod) - Can you use pvc glue on CPBC pipe and fittings

Apologies Harry but searching for CPBC pipe cement I only find CPVC (Chlorinated PolyVinyl Chloride) pipe cement such as the Oatey product shown below.

I am not aware of a plastic pipe alled CPBC

You will see that at least some "PVC" glue is labelled for use on BOTH PVC and CPVC

as you will see on the product label example illustrated here and provided by Oatey.

Bottom line:

for best results use both a primer and a glue and check the product label.

On 2020-04-04 by Harry

Can you use pvc glue on CPBC pipe and fittings

On 2019-08-20 by (mod) - when bonding white PVC to black CPVC will that allow me more working time to insure I have the pipes properly seated?

Typical PVC Pipe coupling dimensions from Harrison Pipe cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com(June 23, 2019) danjoefriedman (mod) said:

Sure if you measure your coupling depth you will typically see its 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch

Adding an image from harrisonplastic.com you can see that a typical 2, 3, or 4-inch PVC coupling is 2-inches in Dimension "A"

PVC-C

On 2019-06-23 by Anonymous

Will 3/4 of cpvc pipe sticking out ,be able to safely be glued to a coupling?

On 2017-09-17 by Paul

We have a in ground cleaning system for our pool. The cleaning module is a Caretaker 5 port using 1 1/2 PVC pipe. One of the pipes is leaking so I need to cut all 5 white PVC pipes and replace them, this will require me to also replace the bottom plate of the cleaning module which is made of black CPVC. I am planing on using Weld-On #724 cement to bond the two together.

I'm concerned that I may not have enough time to properly put all 5 pipes fully up in to the bottom plate. #724 is suppose to be moderate drying.

Question is when bonding white PVC to black CPVC will that allow me more working time to insure I have the pipes properly seated?

We live in the desert SW so morning temps right now are around 75F with highs around lower 90's. TIA

On 2017-01-27 - by (mod) -

OPINION: I'm nervous about re-using pipe fittings. In my opinion and experience, the cost of a leak later on can be so very costly in water and mold damage that it's not worth the risk of re-using parts that are, in comparison very inexpensive and faster to assemble than re-using old materials.

Only in an odd case where there was such difficulty of access might re-use seem tempting to me.

And I'd still be worried. And I think the heat questions you raise may be important. In particular if heating raises temperatures above the rated temperature allowed for the pipe in normal use you've already violated the manufacturer's specifications and advice.

In an era of alternative "facts" my opinion is that we're best served by finding the most thoughtful, expert data we can from the most-reliable sources. In the case of many construction products and materials, the manufacturer has a lot to lose if their product is not successful in application. And the manufacturer has often a large base of field experience from its own tests and from its customers.

So I tend to bet on their side: see what the manufacturer recommends for use of their product.

ASTM and other standards are equally important.

The following is an excerpt from a JM Eagle HDPE Water and Sewer Pipe Installation Guide

ENGINEER.

5.1 Damage Assessment for Polyethylene Pipe

Damaged pipe or fittings should be inspected and evaluated.

Pipe, fittings, fabrications or structures with excessive damage should not be installed. Damage that occurs after installation may require that the damaged pipe or component be removed and replaced. WARNING: scrapes or gouges in pressure pipe cannot be repaired by filling in with extrusion or hot air welding.

The damaged section should be removed and replaced. WARNING: Improperly made fusion joints cannot be repaired. Improper butt fusions must be cut out and re-done from the beginning. Poorly joined socket or electrofusion fittings must be removed and replaced.

Poorly joined saddle fittings must be removed by cutting out the main pipe section, or, if the main is undamaged, made unusable by cutting the branch outlet or chimney off the saddle fitting, and installing a new saddle fitting on a new section of main. WARNING: Broken or damaged fittings cannot be repaired and, as such, should be removed and replaced.

WARNING: Kinked pipe must not be installed and cannot be repaired. It must be removed and replaced. WARNING: Pipe damaged during an emergency squeeze-off cannot be repaired. Squeeze-off damaged pipe must be removed and replaced.

- source: HDPE_WATER_AND_SEWER_Installation_Guide_03-2011 [PDF] JM Eagle 5200 West Century Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90045 800-621-4404

On 2017-01-26 by John

Hi. Thank you for the PVC gluing article. I have a question about several techniques I've seen on you tube regarding separating previously solvent welded pipes.

If you are familiar with the PVC pipe reamer made by Reed manufacturing, whereby you attach reamer to typical drill, and then using the reamer which acts like a rotary wood plane, and reams out the fitting;

I'm trying to figure out if you can successfully re glue, or if the original engineering specifications for the PVC pipe don't allow even millimeter type changes for a successful resolvent.

By the way this is for drainage and not supply. The follow up question is the using of a heat gun to heat the fitting and then pry out old pipe.

Again this is a you tube item, and if you did this technique, while you have successfully removed the fitting, did the heat cause a weakness in the other end of the fitting that you had no intention of separating. Anyway, that's a lot to read but I'd appreciate anyone's experience with either of these methods.

Question: Is there a cleaner/cement product that has a slow setup time

Hercules gray slow-set PVC CPVC pipe cement cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com2020/05/02 BOB said:

I may have to replace an entire FIMCO sprinkler distributor indexing valve if simply replacing the top cover will not work properly. I have 4 ea. 1" zone pipes that will have to be cut, and then re-assembled.

Is there a cleaner/cement product that has a slow setup time that will be sufficient to clean the pipes, apply cement to the 4 joints, with sufficient time to apply the cement, align the 4 zone pipes, and seat the new FIMCO body before the cement sets-up?

Thank you for your comments.

Illustration: Hercules gray heavy-body slow-set PVC cement cited below.

[Click to enlarge any image]

 

Moderator reply: Yes, here are several PVC cements are specifically designed for slow set times

Bob

Thank you for an interesting question: looking for a long-set time or working time PVC pipe adesive.

In general, when choosing a PVC cement for an application where you need a longer initial set time, choose a "heavy bodied" PVC cement. You'll see that characteristic as I list the types of PVC cement from several manufacturers below.

Hercules makes a heavy duty long-working-time PVC cement, shown above, No. 60210, 8 oz. Heavy Body, Slow Set PVC Cement (Gray), described as PVC Cement, Gray Label, Low VOC - Gray, Heavy Body, Slow Set For PVC Types I & II, potable water, DWV, and SW pipe and fittings up to 15" diameter. Schedules 40 and 80. Meets ASTM D2564.

See details of the properties of all of Hercules' PVC primers and cements in

Keep in mind that you can do all the prep, cleaning, de-burring, and application of a cleaner/primer without hitting a time snag.

Low temperatures and moisture will slow both the set time and the curing time of the PVC cement.

Gorilla PVC Clear PrimaGlue cement cited & discussed at Inspectapedia.com has a longer set time

The Slow Set versions (Hercules makes both the gray and a clear slow set PVC cement) will give you about twice that, or 1 to 2 minutes of set time.

You might call for a more-clear answer: contact Hercules customer service at the phone or email we give above.

Weld-on's Extra Heavy Body 719™ PVC Cement is described by the company as having a slow set time.

Weld-On Extra Heavy Duty 719 (tm) PVC Cement with a slow set time, cited & discussed at InspectApedia.comThat product is described below.

Weld-On has a chart of Weld-On(R) solvent cement average set and cure times that gives an idea of the effect of temperature on set time.

See Weld-ON's table of PVC cement set and cure times given below.

Set times for smaller diameter pipes (1/2 to 1 1/4") change from 2 minutes at 60 to 100 F, to 5 minutes at 40-60F to 10 minutes at 0 - 40 F.

So if you can do your gluing on a cool morning you'll have more set time to adjust your fittings.

And as larger pipes all have longer set times (a 15" or larger PVC pipe needs 4 hours to 48 hours depending on temperature) we can infer that the more-generously the glue is applied the longer should be the set time.

Also see Oatey' Heavy Duty Clear PVC Cement as again, a heavier-body PVC cement will have a longer set-up time.


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