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68mm downpipe leaf guard

Updated: 23 October 2026

You want a 68mm downpipe leaf guard that meets the hole in a half-round gutter. On a typical UK domestic system, 68 mm is the name of the round downpipe, about 2.68 inch and 6.8 cm. In this amazon.co.uk set only the Merriway balloon prints 68 mm. Every other size line has to be checked against the opening you measured, not against the word universal. The [gutter protection comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/gutter-protection) holds the seven listings. The saved listings and the makers' size pages are from 21 October 2026. Your outlet was not measured for this page. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You want a 68mm downpipe leaf guard that meets the hole in a half-round gutter. On a typical UK domestic system, 68 mm is the name of the round downpipe, about 2.68 inch and 6.8 cm.

Our top picks

PATIKIL PATIKIL stainless dome

Best overall

PATIKIL PATIKIL stainless dome
6.0/10about £9.99
View offer
LAOJU LAOJU aluminium strainer

Best value

LAOJU LAOJU aluminium strainer
9.0/10about £6.99
View offer
Merriway Merriway 68 mm balloon

Rank 3

Merriway Merriway 68 mm balloon
8.8/10about £5.25
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What 68 mm refers to
  2. 2.The one listing that says 68 mm
  3. 3.Inch ranges and 7.5 cm
  4. 4.Sizes that do not meet 68 mm
  5. 5.Square outlets and mini gutters

What 68 mm refers to

FloPlast describes its half-round as a gutter about 112 mm wide with a 68 mm round downpipe. Osma's RoundLine manual gives a nominal 68 mm circular pipe an outside dimension of about 68.3–68.7 mm. That is the pipe wall, not a promise that every outlet hole is 68 mm. Measure the hole at the eaves, not the pipe you can reach from the ground. One inch is 25.4 mm, so 68 mm is about 2.68 inch.

The one listing that says 68 mm

Merriway BH03114 is two black plastic balloons at £5.25. The title says 68 mm round, not 65 mm square. Across 1,118 reviews the line is 4.4, score 88, which is why it is the top pick for a measured 68 mm round hole. Screwfix sells a FloPlast balloon described as 65 mm square and 68 mm round. That part is not this ASIN. Who should skip the balloon even on a 68 mm round hole is on best gutter guard.
PATIKIL PATIKIL stainless dome

Testsieger

PATIKIL PATIKIL stainless dome
6.0/10about £9.99
View offer

Inch ranges and 7.5 cm

LAOJU is four aluminium strainers at £6.99. Up to 7.5 cm is 75 mm, larger than a 6.8 cm hole, and the listing still does not say 68 mm. Reviews say wedged pieces can blow out. Katai's title says adjustable 2–4 inch and another field says 2 inches. A 68 mm hole is about 2.68 inch, inside one line and not the other. You cannot average them. Graplan also prints 2–4 inch and never prints 68 mm. The title says six pieces and the components line says four.

Sizes that do not meet 68 mm

The PATIKIL dome is stated for 2.4–2.6 inch, about 61–66 mm. A 68 mm hole is about 2.68 inch, outside that band. The caps are 45 mm outside diameter. DIVCHI's 15 cm is a trough-mesh width, not a downpipe diameter, so it stays out of this sum.

Square outlets and mini gutters

A 65 mm square outlet is not the same sentence as a 68 mm round pipe. Trade balloons often state both. Merriway does not. If you measure a square hole, the round 68 mm line is not a verified match. Once the printed line and the taped hole agree, how to fit a gutter guard is clear, seat, pour, and get down. Forcing a short band into a 68 mm hole is not a measurement.

Common questions

What is a 68 mm downpipe?
It is the usual round rainwater pipe on a UK half-round system. FloPlast pairs a gutter about 112 mm wide with a 68 mm round downpipe. Osma gives the outside of a nominal 68 mm pipe as about 68.3–68.7 mm. The hole can still differ, so you measure the opening the guard enters. It is not a size for square or cast-iron outlets.
Is 68 mm the same as 2 inch, 3 inch, or 4 inch?
No. One inch is 25.4 mm, so 68 mm is about 2.68 inch and 6.8 cm. Two inches is about 51 mm. Three inches is about 76 mm. Four inches is about 102 mm. A 2–4 inch title is a wide band. It has not printed 68 mm. Do not use a US 2 by 3 inch downspout chart for this pipe.
Which listing in this set actually says 68 mm?
Only Merriway BH03114, two plastic balloons at £5.25. The title and the bullets say 68 mm round. They do not say 65 mm square. The star line is 4.4 from 1,118 reviews. LAOJU says up to 7.5 cm. Katai and Graplan say inch ranges. The PATIKIL dome says 2.4–2.6 inch, and the other PATIKIL pair says 45 mm.
Does up to 7.5 cm cover 68 mm?
Seven and a half centimetres is 75 mm, larger than 6.8 cm, so the printed maximum is high enough to discuss. LAOJU still does not say 68 mm. Measure the hole. If it is inside that maximum, shape the aluminium and secure it, because a wedge alone can blow out. If the hole is larger than 75 mm, or square, the maximum does not cover it.
Does 2.4–2.6 inch cover 68 mm?
No. That band is about 61–66 mm. A 68 mm opening is about 2.68 inch, outside 2.6 inch. The PATIKIL dome at £9.99 states that band and does not print 68 mm. A 5.0 from two reviews does not change the arithmetic. The dome matches a hole you measured inside 61–66 mm. It does not match an unchecked 68 mm outlet.
Will a 45 mm cap fit a house downpipe?
Not a 68 mm one. The pair states 45 mm outside diameter, at £11.99 for two. The listing says match the cap to the inside of the pipe and wear gloves. Reviews describe a pipe or a retaining wall, not a domestic 68 mm outlet. It can suit a small pipe. It is a no for this page's job.
Is the outside of the pipe the same as the hole?
Not always. Osma's outside dimension for a nominal 68 mm pipe is about 68.3–68.7 mm. The outlet can be a different piece, a square hopper, or a reducer. Measure the hole the guard enters. A tape on the downpipe at ground level can miss that. If those two numbers disagree, the hole wins.

Related pages

Gutter guard buying guide

Gutter protection

Best gutter guard UK: the 68 mm pick and best value

How to fit a gutter guard and when you should stop

Gutter mesh or balloon when the front lip overflows

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 21 October 2026. Updated 23 October 2026.

  1. Approved Document H (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  2. Scottish technical handbook 3.6 (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  3. HSE: working at height (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  4. HSE: ladders (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 9 and 11 (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  6. FloPlast half-round gutter (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  7. HR Wallingford SR620 (retrieved 23 October 2026)
  8. Screwfix FloPlast balloon, 65 mm and 68 mm (retrieved 23 October 2026)