Questions & answers

Fittings are sized by nominal IPS pipe size, not by the measurement you get with a tape. Measure the outside diameter (OD) of your pipe and match it to this chart:

Easiest of all: print our pipe size guide at 100% and hold your pipe against it.

Iron Pipe Size. It started out as the sizing standard for plumbing and process pipe, and it has since become the standard for handrail and structural pipe too, in both steel and aluminum. Our fittings are made to fit IPS pipe.

The number before the dash is the fitting style (the figure); the number after it is the pipe size. So #3-7 is a #3 90° elbow for 1-1/4" pipe.

-5 = 3/4" · -6 = 1" · -7 = 1-1/4" · -8 = 1-1/2" · -9 = 2"

Type a figure number into the search bar and we'll take you straight to that part.

Usually not. Our fittings are made for IPS pipe. Tubing sold by its outside diameter, chain-link fence pipe and EMT conduit all have different diameters, so the fit will be loose or won't go on at all. Measure the outside diameter first and compare it to the chart above.

Both describe wall thickness, just in opposite directions:

• Schedule (used for true IPS pipe): the higher the number, the thicker the wall. Schedule 80 is heavier than Schedule 40 in the same size.
• Gauge: the lower the number, the thicker the wall. 11 gauge is heavier than 12 gauge.

Thicker is fine depending on your project, but don't go thinner than:

• Steel pipe: Schedule 10 or 14 gauge
• Aluminum pipe: Schedule 40 or 10 gauge

Our IPS pipe size chart lists the wall thickness for each schedule.

Any metal pipe that's the right IPS size: galvanized steel, stainless, black iron or aluminum. Avoid plastic, fiberglass and thin-wall sleeving unless you reinforce the inside of the pipe with a dowel where the fitting clamps.

Yes. We sell 6061-T6 Schedule 40 aluminum pipe online in 3/4" to 2" sizes, cut to 1 to 8 ft. Pipe is cut to order and is final sale, and it may ship separately from your fittings.

We also supply black steel, galvanized steel and stainless steel pipe. Because of their weight they aren't sold online, so call 1-800-METPIPE and we'll quote the pipe and shipping together.

They're cast from 535 aluminum-magnesium alloy (ASTM B179), poured to ASTM B26, and finished in bright burnished mill. That alloy is one of the most corrosion-resistant casting alloys there is.

Yes. Every fitting we sell is a genuine Hollaender® part made in the USA. Nurail.com is an authorized Hollaender distributor of Speed-Rail®, Nu-Rail® and Rackmaster® fittings.

For projects with Buy American Act or LEED requirements, see Materials & compliance in our technical library.

Yes. Pairing different metals often causes galvanic corrosion with ordinary aluminum, but 535 alloy resists it well enough to be used with steel, stainless or black iron pipe.

Very well. Standard fittings have gone through 1,000 hours of ASTM B117 salt-spray testing and the set screws still backed out and re-tightened afterward. The U.S. Air Force also tested them against hydrazine fuel before they were used at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center.

Outside the lab, they've held up for decades on chemical plants, offshore rigs, wastewater plants and paper mills.

The standard fitting is already highly corrosion resistant. For the harshest conditions, go with anodized fittings and stainless steel set screws. Anodizing adds a hard surface that resists corrosion and staining better than bare metal. Call us to order anodized.

We don't recommend it. Chlorine attacks aluminum and will break the fittings down over time. Reinforced fiberglass railing is a better choice there.

Slip-on fittings are widely used for handrail and guardrail, but whether a railing meets code depends on the whole design: post spacing, mounting, pipe and how it's anchored. Check your local requirements, and call us if you'd like help planning the layout.

A hex key (Allen wrench) for the set screws: 3/16" fits the 3/8" set screws on most fittings, and 5/32" fits the smaller 5/16" screws used on some flanges. You'll also want a saw to cut pipe and a file to clean up the cut ends. No welder, no threading machine.

1. Cut the pipe to length and deburr the ends.
2. Slip the fitting over the pipe and slide it into position.
3. Tighten the set screw firmly against the pipe with a hex key.

Yes. Loosen the set screw and the fitting slides or comes off. That's why these systems are popular for displays, booths and anything you might rebuild.

Hollaender recommends about 16–17 ft-lbs on the 3/8" set screws, and about 14 ft-lbs on the 5/16" screws where a post meets a base flange. No torque wrench? Turn the screw until it touches the pipe, then give it one more full turn.

No. Guest checkout works fine. An account just makes reordering and tracking easier.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. You enter your card on the last step of checkout, and our team processes the payment when your order is reviewed.

Your card number is encrypted the moment it reaches us and is deleted once payment is processed. We never ask for or store your security code.

Of course. Call 1-800-METPIPE, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm ET.

We charge Massachusetts sales tax (6.25%) on orders shipping to Massachusetts. Orders shipping to other states aren't charged sales tax by us.

For large or recurring orders, call us and we'll quote it.

Call us as soon as possible. If the order hasn't shipped yet, we can usually change or cancel it.

Online orders ship within the U.S. For international orders, call us and we'll work out the details.

FedEx Ground, FedEx 2Day and FedEx Standard Overnight. You'll see the price for each option at checkout before you pay.

In-stock orders placed by 2:30pm ET on a business day generally ship the same day. Later orders ship the next business day.

Carriers charge by package size as well as weight. Pipe up to 3 ft ships like a normal package; 4 to 7 ft lengths ship as long packages with a surcharge; 8 ft lengths are oversize and cost the most. Several pieces of the same length usually ship together in one tube, so ordering them together helps. Pipe may ship separately from your fittings, and from a different location. For larger pipe orders, call us for a freight quote.

We'll email you a FedEx tracking number as soon as your order ships. If you have an account, you'll also find it under your orders.

Call us. Stock moves quickly, and we can often tell you when more is coming or suggest an alternative.

Local pickup may be available. Call us before you order and we'll set it up.

Unused fittings in their original condition can be returned within 30 days of delivery. A restocking and handling fee of up to 20% may apply unless the return is due to our mistake. Pipe is cut to order and can't be returned. Call us to start a return. Full return policy.

Call us right away with your order number (and a photo if something's damaged). We'll make it right.

Yes. Fittings carry Hollaender's standard 12-month warranty. Read the warranty (PDF) or call us with any questions.