The short answer
Table X is the standard half-hard copper tube for hot, cold and heating pipework above ground in UK homes, and it can be bent with a pipe bender. Table Y has thicker walls and comes soft in coils for underground and buried supplies. Table Z is thin-walled hard copper that shouldn't be bent. All are made to EN 1057 in metric outside diameters — 15mm and 22mm in most homes.
Table X, Y and Z compared
The "tables" come from the old British Standard for copper tube and are still how the trade orders it. All three have the same outside diameter, so they take the same fittings; the wall thickness and hardness differ.
| Table X | Table Y | Table Z | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temper | Half-hard | Annealed (soft) coils, or half-hard | Hard |
| 15mm wall | 0.7mm | 1.0mm | 0.5mm |
| 22mm wall | 0.9mm | 1.2mm | 0.6mm |
| Bending | With a bender | Easily, by hand or bender | Not suitable |
| Use | Above-ground domestic hot, cold and heating | Underground and buried supplies | Rarely used in homes now |
UK copper pipe sizes
Copper is sold by outside diameter. 15mm and 22mm cover most homes, 28mm larger systems, and 8mm and 10mm microbore for some older heating. Larger sizes — 35mm, 42mm, 54mm and up — are for commercial work. It usually comes in 3-metre lengths, also sold in packs of ten.
We stock 16 copper tube lines from £18.92. Every fitting in our fittings department — compression, solder and push-fit — is made to these sizes.
Cutting and bending copper
- Cut with a rotary pipe cutter for a square, clean end; a hacksaw leaves burrs and a ragged cut.
- Deburr inside and out so fittings seal and flow isn't disturbed.
- Bend Table X with a pipe bender — a lever bender with 15mm and 22mm formers is the trade standard. A bending spring works for gentle bends in 15mm.
- Don't bend hard Table Z; use fittings instead.
In stockLondon Plumbing
Spare Cutting Wheel CopperCode: LP-1EPHTAM
inc VAT£2.75 ex VAT
✓ Delivery available✓ Collect today
In stockLondon Plumbing
Spare Cutting WheelCode: LP-1GCQAET
inc VAT£4.57 ex VAT
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In stockLondon Plumbing
U-Cut Pipe Cutter and Spare Cutter2 sizes available
Frominc VAT£8.88 ex VAT
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In stockLondon Plumbing
Faithfull FAIPPC42 Plastic Pipe Cutter 42mmCode: LP-LPFU8U
inc VAT£9.30 ex VAT
✓ Delivery available✓ Collect today
How far apart should copper pipe be clipped?
| Pipe | Horizontal runs | Vertical runs |
|---|---|---|
| 15mm | 1.2m | 1.8m |
| 22mm | 1.8m | 2.4m |
| 28mm | 1.8m | 2.4m |
Clip closer near bends and fittings, and closer still where pipes are visible. Plastic pipe needs much closer support than copper — follow its maker's spacing. We stock 81 pipe clips.
Copper, plastic and earthing
Metal water and gas pipes are connected to the electrical earth by main bonding where they enter the building. If a length of copper is replaced with plastic, that continuity can be broken — have an electrician check the bonding after re-piping in plastic.
Questions
- What's the difference between Table X and Table Y copper?
- Table Y has thicker walls and comes soft in coils for underground supplies; Table X is the standard half-hard tube for pipework above ground.
- Can Table X copper be buried underground?
- Table Y is the tube made for underground use. Most new underground supplies today are run in blue MDPE plastic instead.
- Do Table X and Table Y use the same fittings?
- Yes. The outside diameter is the same, so compression, solder and push-fit fittings fit both. Soft Table Y may need a pipe insert with some compression fittings.
- What length does copper pipe come in?
- Usually 3-metre lengths, and packs of ten. Soft Table Y also comes in coils.