The difference between schedule 40 and schedule 80 pvc.
A common question I hear from people shopping for pvc is “what does schedule 40 pvc mean, and how does it compare to schedule 80 or other pvc schedules?” If you ask around you will get a lot of different answers, but the very basic difference is that schedule 80 is thicker and stronger than schedule 40 pvc. Some might read this and think that they need to get schedule 80 pvc for their projects then, but this is not true. Schedule 40 is by far the most common choice for indoor and outdoor plumbing and most hobby projects. Why? Because for most applications schedule 40 pvc is more than strong enough.
Schedule 80 PVC
The term “schedule” refers to the thickness of pipe walls with the same outside pipe diameter. So basically a 2″ diameter schedule 80 pipe will have thicker walls and be able to withstand more pressure than the same 2″ diameter schedule 40 pipe. Schedule 80 pipe is usually only used in heavy duty industrial or plumbing applications where the pipe will need to withstand more pressure or stand up to stand up to harsh conditions such as those found underground. Schedule 80 pvc also has more resistance to bending and breaking.