Have trouble replacing or repairing your garden hose because you buy the wrong size?
It’s a familiar feeling! The guide below explains how to measure the diameter of your garden hose and how to choose the right fitting size, so you’ll never experience hose frustration again.
How to Measure Garden Hose Diameter
Keeping water flowing at the level you are accustomed to while watering your plants or washing your car depends on knowing how to measure the size of your hose.
Garden hose sizes are measured in the following ways:
- 1/2 inch
- 5/8 inch
- 3/4 inch
- 1 inch
Knowing the inner diameter of the garden hose is the key to getting the correct size.
Don’t measure the metal ends of the hose because they tend to be larger than the actual hose diameter.
You can measure the size of your garden hose by following these simple steps:
Step 1 – Disconnect Hose
Remove any fittings not part of the original hose after disconnecting your hose from the water source.
Whenever you replace an end fitting, go ahead and slice off the old one. By cutting the hose this way, the hole in the hose will be exposed without interference, which makes measuring it easier.
Step 2 – Check Opening
The end of the hose should be turned upwards so that you can see the opening inside the metal fitting.
Step 3 – Measure Diameter
If possible, use a measuring tape to determine the diameter of the rubber hose opening. As a result of the metal fitting, the tape cannot lie flat against the hose opening, making it difficult to get an exact measurement.
It is also possible to mark the diameter on a small piece of paper and then transfer it to the measuring tape.
When you have a good selection of drill bits or wooden dowels on hand, measuring with them is the most accurate way to go. Most hoses sold are 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 inches in diameter, so you probably only need three sizes of dowel or drill bit.
HINT: The majority of garden hoses sold today are 5/8-inch.
The 1/2-inch dowel should be inserted into the opening first.
The size is 1/2 inch if the dowel fits perfectly. If the dowel has any wiggle room, move up to the 5/8-inch and then the 3/4-inch dowel.
If the opening is larger than one inch, the hose is one inch across, which is relatively rare, but still possible.
Step 4 – Double Check Measurements
Measure diagonally across the end of the dowel or drill bit to double-check its size.
What is the standard size of a garden hose fitting?
In general, garden hose fittings are 5/8 inches in size because this is the most common hose size.
There are many fittings available in this size, including sprayer wands, splitters, backflow preventers, and more.
On the label, look for GHT, which stands for “garden hose thread,” as well as MHT or FHT for male and female hose threads.
The threads on the hose are either male or female, so you should look at where they are at the point where you want to connect the hose.
An outside threaded fitting has male threads, while an inside threaded fitting has female threads.
In Summary
When you know how to measure garden hose size correctly, you’ll never buy the wrong hose and fittings again.
By replacing broken or leaking fittings on your current hose, you can save money as well. A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to measuring garden hoses and soaker hoses!