How to Choose a PVC Layflat Hose

Water Discharge Hose

Layflat hose may be your best choice if you are looking for a flexible, lightweight, resistance, and cost-effective hose.  Because it rolls up flat, much less storage space is needed for transportation.  This means its ideally suited for the irrigation industries such as farming, construction, mining, and rental industries.  We stock Continental brand Spiraflex® Blue and Red hose but can order other series described below.

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Another area where layflat hose can be well utilized is that of flood clean up, when used in tandem with a water pump.  The water pump sucks up water from the flooded area, and then the layflat hose is used to discharge this to a safe area or flood plain that is often several hundred feet away.  Layflat hoses can be joined together quickly and easily with lever lock couplings - these allow you to create the perfect length of hose.

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There are many choices when choosing the right layflat hose for your application.  The most common question from our customers as related to lay flat discharge hose is do I need red or blue?  In this short article we will share some properties of each that hopefully will help you to make the right choice. Please note that layflat hose and discharge hose are often referring to the same product.  In this article we interchange those terms. When referring to these hoses we will compare our industrial grade red and blue layflat hose and not lower grade flat hose that is on the market.

What is your application?

That is the most important question in determining which layflat hose is right for you.  Both hoses are used in mine, construction and irrigation applications. Both have the same temperature range of -5 F to 170 F.  It all really comes down to how much water pressure you will be running through your discharge hose.  If you are running higher psi than there is no question that red layflat hose is your choice.  From 1.5” to 6” sizes our red discharge hose has a maximum psi of 150 at 70 F.  An 8 inch layflat hose in red has a max psi of 115 at 70 F.  Compare that to the blue layflat hose and you will see a substantial difference (see chart below).  The 1.5” to 3” discharge hose in blue has a max psi of 80.  The 6” layflat hose max psi rating in blue is 60 psi and the 8” has a 35 max psi. The burst pressure is substantially higher for the red over the blue.  For most, the blue pvc hose provides ample psi for their application.  We sell substantially more blue hose than the red in each size.

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Differences in weight

You will see a substantial difference when you compare the weight of the blue and red layflat hose.  For example, a 2” layflat hose in blue weighs 73 lbs for 300 ft while the 2” discharge hose in red weighs 85 pounds.  They are both made from premium pvc and have a 3-ply polyester yarn braid to ensure durability. The reason for the difference in weight is wall thickness. The 2 inch layflat hose in blue has a wall thickness of .056” while the 2 inch discharge hose in red has a wall thickness of .087 (see chart below).  The difference in thickness creates a substantial weight difference in the larger diameters.  For example the 8” discharge hose in blue weighs 390 pounds for 300’ while the 8” red weighs 566 pounds. This can make the blue option more user friendly, but the added thickness increases the durability and psi rating for the red.

Blue Layflat Hose 

Red Layflat Hose

Size Options

The red comes in sizes from 1.5 inch to 8 inch layflat hose options whereas the blue comes in ¾” to 16 inch discharge hose options.  We carry a large inventory of every option ranging from 1” to 12” discharge hose in the blue and a large inventory of 1.5” to 8” layflat hose in red.