Schedule 40 versus Schedule 80

The difference between Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 PVC Pipe is the thickness of the pipe wall. Schedule 40 has a thinner wall than Schedule 80. This makes Schedule 80 PVC Pipes perfect for applications with very high water pressures.

The interesting thing about these pipes is that the outside diameter of the pipes is constant for different sizes and therefore they are interchangeable (provided that they meet the correct strength requirements).

PVC Pipe Fittings differ similarly to PVC Pipe, except that they maintain the same inner diameter with the outer diameter differing based on the Schedule. This assures that these are all interchangeable so long as they meet the projects requirements.

In some cases, most of the stress is put on the PVC Pipe Fittings and it can be beneficial to use a stronger schedule maintain the integrity of the line.