How to glue PVC pipe: Tangit PVC-U step by step
To glue PVC pipe, cut the pipe square, clean both surfaces, then stir the cement. Brush a thin, even layer inside the fitting and a thicker layer on the outside of the pipe, working along the pipe rather than round it. Push the pipe fully home without twisting and wipe off the excess. Leave the joint untouched for at least 5 minutes, and wait 24 hours before you fill or pressure-test the line. That is the method Henkel print on Tangit PVC-U, the solvent cement most Kenyan plumbers ask for by name. It is for rigid PVC-U pipe only, never for PPR, HDPE or compressed air and gas lines.
What Tangit PVC-U is, and what it is not for
Tangit PVC-U ("Gundi Spesheli" on the pack) is a solvent cement made by Henkel Kenya in Nairobi. It does not glue the surfaces together like a normal adhesive. It softens the surface of the pipe and the fitting so they fuse as the solvent evaporates. The pack is marked pressure resistant up to 16 bar, from −30 °C to +60 °C, and carries a KEBS Standardisation Mark.
Henkel approve it for PVC-U pressure pipe (mains and rising mains, irrigation, borehole delivery lines, pool circulation) and non-pressure pipe (soil and waste). It is not for:
- PVC-C or ABS, for which Henkel sell separate Tangit cements
- PP, PPR or PE (HDPE) pipe, which fall outside its approved scope altogether
- compressed air or gas; Henkel's datasheet says plainly: "Never use PVC piping systems with compressed air or gas!"
Tangit prices in Kenya
We sell Tangit by the full carton, in five pack sizes:
| Pack | Carton | Carton price | Works out per pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 g tube | 36 | KSh 7,920 | KSh 220 |
| 100 g | 30 | KSh 10,500 | KSh 350 |
| 250 g | 24 | KSh 14,640 | KSh 610 |
| 500 g | 24 | KSh 24,480 | KSh 1,020 |
| 1 kg tin | 12 | KSh 21,240 | KSh 1,770 |
Plumbers use the tubes for repairs and small-bore work and the tins for a pipeline. Henkel state that tube application should not be used on pipe above d90 mm.
How much cement a joint takes
Henkel publish these maximum laboratory figures per joint. On site you will usually use a little less, so treat the joints-per-pack column as a floor, not a promise.
| Pipe size | Cement per joint | Insertion depth | Joints per pack (at Henkel's maximum) |
|---|---|---|---|
| d20 | 3 g | 16 mm | about 16 from a 50 g tube |
| d32 | 5 g | n/a | about 10 from a 50 g tube |
| d50 | 9 g | 31 mm | about 27 from 250 g |
| d75 | 20 g | n/a | about 25 from 500 g |
| d110 | 60 g | 61 mm | about 16 from 1 kg |
| d160 | 120 g | 86 mm | about 8 from 1 kg |
| d200 | 200 g | n/a | about 5 from 1 kg |
| d315 | 500 g | 164 mm | about 2 from 1 kg |
"n/a" means Henkel's sheet does not give an insertion depth for that size on our product page. Use the fitting maker's socket depth.
Step by step
1. Cut and prepare
Cut the pipe square and remove the burr from the cut edge, so it does not scrape the cement out of the socket as it goes in. Dry-fit the joint and mark the insertion depth on the pipe.
2. Clean
Henkel specify Tangit Cleaner PVC-U/C/ABS, applied on white tissue, to both the pipe end and the inside of the fitting. Both surfaces must be dry before the cement goes on. Henkel stress that cleanliness is essential to an effective joint.
3. Stir and choose the brush
Stir the cement thoroughly. Never dilute it; Henkel say it must under no circumstances be thinned. Henkel's brush sizes are a no. 8 round brush for d32, a no. 1 flat for d40 to d63, a no. 2 flat for d75 to d160, and a no. 3 flat above d300.
4. Apply
Brush a thin, even layer inside the fitting, then a thicker layer on the outside of the pipe. Work axially, along the length from the inside to the end, not around the circumference. You have about 4 minutes of open time at 20 °C, 3 minutes at 25 °C, 2 minutes at 30 °C and just 1 minute at 40 °C, so on a hot site apply and join straight away. From d90 upwards Henkel want two people coating pipe and socket at the same time. From d160 they want a pipe joiner to bring the joint home.
5. Join
Push the pipe into the fitting to the full depth in one movement, without twisting. Wipe the excess off with absorbent paper.
6. Leave it alone
| Stage | Henkel's time |
|---|---|
| Do not move the joint | 5 minutes (at least 15 minutes below +10 °C) |
| Before lowering into a trench | 10 to 12 hours |
| Before filling or leak testing | 24 hours after the last joint, up to 1.5 × PN test pressure |
| Before operating pressure | at least 1 hour per bar |
Henkel give an application range of +5 °C to +35 °C. Below +25 °C they require a special technique: warm the pipe end and socket to +25 to +30 °C with an explosion-proof hot-air blower, and keep the finished joint at that temperature for about 10 minutes.
Safety
- Tangit is flammable. The vapours are heavier than air and collect low down, so ventilate the work area. Keep flames, smoking, welding and sparks away, including from neighbouring rooms.
- Do not close or seal pipes while the joints are drying, and flush the line well before it goes into service.
- Keep spilled cement and cleaner off the pipe and fittings; both attack PVC-U.
- Wear gloves, keep used tissue in a closed container, and read the safety data sheet.
Common mistakes
- Twisting the pipe as it goes in; the pack says insert without twisting.
- Skipping the cleaning step on dusty or greasy pipe.
- Coating too slowly on a hot day, so the cement has started to skin before the joint is made.
- Using a tube on pipe above d90.
- Pressure-testing the same day.
- Using PVC cement on PPR or HDPE pipe. It will not bond.
Where to buy
Tangit PVC-U is in our Henkel and adhesives collections. For other jobs, see construction adhesive vs silicone vs PU foam. Collect from our Nairobi trade counter at Royal Business Park, opposite Complast, Old Mombasa Road, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 17:30, or order for countrywide delivery at a flat KSh 350, free on orders over KSh 15,000. Plumbing contractors and hardware shops buying by the carton can request a trade quote on our trade page, or message us on WhatsApp.
Common questions
Can I use Tangit on PPR or HDPE pipe?
No. PP and PE pipe fall outside its approved scope. PPR is joined by heat fusion and HDPE by butt fusion or compression fittings.
Is Tangit safe for drinking water lines?
Henkel list a KIWA drinking-water application certificate and WRAS approval for Tangit PVC-U. Flush the line thoroughly before it goes into service.
Can I fix a leaking joint by putting more glue on the outside?
No. Solvent cement only works between the pipe and the socket. Cut the joint out and remake it with a new fitting.
How long does Tangit keep?
Henkel give 24 months at +20 °C in the unopened can, and say not to store it below +5 °C. Close the tube or tin firmly after use.