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How to fit a 50m garden hose

Updated: 22 October 2026

You have a bare 50 m coil on the path and the outside tap is still bare metal, so fitting is the job, not another product search. A how to fit a 50m garden hose sequence is the same for the Faithfull, Hozelock Select, TW Wholesale, and Draper hoses in our comparison: none of those amazon.co.uk listings includes a connector. Peter F., editor for DIY and tools, used those UK listings, Hozelock’s fitting notes, and WaterSafe’s backflow advice. We did not pressure-test a joint. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The hoses themselves are on the [50m garden hose comparison](/hub/garden-watering/50m-garden-hose).

You have a bare 50 m coil on the path and the outside tap is still bare metal, so fitting is the job, not another product search.

Our top picks

TW Wholesale TW Wholesale (50 m)

Best overall

TW Wholesale TW Wholesale (50 m)
7.8/10about £32.99
View offer
Draper Draper (56315)

Alternative

Draper Draper (56315)
7.8/10about £33.78
View offer
Faithfull Faithfull (50 m)

Rank 3

Faithfull Faithfull (50 m)
8.1/10about £34.30
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Match the connector to the bore and the tap
  2. 2.Seat a stiff wall without splitting it
  3. 3.Load 50 m so it will rewind
  4. 4.Drain it and know when to stop

Match the connector to the bore and the tap

The hose bore and the tap thread are different sizes. These titles, where they state a bore, sit around 12 to 12.7 mm. The outside tap is often a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch BSP male thread. You need a tap connector for that thread, and a hose-end connector whose tail is about 12.5 mm. Hozelock’s traditional hose FAQ describes those two pieces, then a click joint between them. Nothing in these four boxes does that job. Faithfull and Draper list the hose only. Hozelock Select and TW do not list included components. If the hose will not start on the tail, warm the end. Do not cut a slice off and hope the next centimetre is softer.

Seat a stiff wall without splitting it

Draper reviews say the wall is tight for some Hozelock-style fittings. TW reviews say there is very little give. One Hozelock Select review found the outer ribs hard to seal with a Hozelock connector. That is one account, not a rule for every Select hose. Hozelock’s Auto Reel sheet says to dip the hose end in hot water for about 30 seconds before it goes into a connector. Do not copy that sheet’s wall-mount measurements onto a bare hose. Warm the last few centimetres, push the tail fully home, and tighten the clamp until the hose cannot be pulled off by hand. Do not use a naked flame. A weep at the tail usually means the connector is not fully on. Stop if the tap body leaks from the brickwork. That leak is plumbing.
TW Wholesale TW Wholesale (50 m)

Testsieger

TW Wholesale TW Wholesale (50 m)
7.8/10about £32.99
View offer

Load 50 m so it will rewind

Uncoil the hose in a wide loop before you expect it to lie flat. Hozelock Select reviews say it twists and kinks when fully extended, so a drum is the practical storage. TW reviews call it awkward to rewind once it is fully out. Draper reviews say it holds a curl and is stiff when cold. Check the reel’s stated capacity first. Draper is the heaviest printed coil here at 6.6 kg. Faithfull is listed at 4.95 kg and Hozelock at 5.35 kg. TW prints no weight. A reel sold for 30 m will not swallow 50 m without a tail on the path. Leave enough free hose for a gentle curve into the tap. If the reel flange is already bulging, the reel is too small.

Drain it and know when to stop

Empty the hose before a frost. Disconnect both ends, walk the coil so water runs out, and store the reel in a frost-free place. Hozelock’s care notes say frost damage can invalidate a guarantee. Faithfull’s temperature line of −10°C to +40°C is a listing claim, not a reason to leave a full hose on a frozen patio. A house-garden tap needs a double check valve, inside and frost-protected on a new install, so water in the hose cannot be drawn back into the supply. Do not leave the hose submerged in a pond, a water butt, or a bucket. Insecticide mixing needs stronger protection than that valve. Call a plumber for a new outside tap or a leak from the brickwork. Fitting the connector does not create an exemption where mains use is restricted.

Common questions

What connector size fits a 12.5 mm hose?
Use a hose-end connector with a tail of about 12.5 mm, sometimes sold as a half-inch hose tail. Match a separate tap connector to the BSP thread on the outside tap, which may be 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch. The two sizes are not interchangeable. These four listings do not include either piece.
How do I get a stiff end into the fitting?
Dip the last few centimetres in hot water for about 30 seconds, the step Hozelock prints for seating hose into a connector, then push the tail fully home and tighten the clamp. Do not cut pieces off until it fits, and do not heat the PVC with a flame. Draper and TW reviews both describe a tight wall, so a tired connector is the wrong shortcut.
Which end of the coil should go on the reel first?
Lay the whole hose out in a wide loop before you rewind it. Leave enough free length at the tap for a gentle curve into the connector, not a kink against the wall. One Draper review found that taking an end from the middle of a tight coil made the hose harder to straighten. Sun on an opened coil helps a stiff PVC wall relax.
How do I leave it over winter?
Disconnect both ends, drain the water by walking the hose, and store the reel indoors or in a frost-free shed. Hozelock says frost damage can invalidate a guarantee. Do not leave the hose full, and do not leave an end submerged in a butt or a pond. A double check valve on the tap stays in place all year.
When should a plumber touch the tap?
When you need a new outside tap, when water is coming out of the wall rather than the hose joint, or when you are connecting irrigation into the supply. Fitting a click connector on an existing tap is a household job. Mixing pesticide, or running a pressure washer, is outside this hose fitting and needs its own protection.

Related pages

50 metre garden hose buying guide

Hosepipe ban and the outside tap

Hose reel

50m garden hose

Best 50m garden hose shortlist for a long UK garden

Reinforced garden hose versus expandable hose length

Sources

Public UK sources used for hosepipe bans, BS 3746, backflow and the maker pages. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved on 19 October 2026. No laboratory test.

  1. Water Industry Act 1991, section 76 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Ofwat — hosepipe bans (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Water UK — hosepipe ban FAQ (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Thames Water — temporary hosepipe ban (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. BSI — BS 3746:1990 PVC garden hose (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. WaterSafe — hosepipe backflow (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Draper — 56315 reinforced watering hose (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Hozelock hose comparison table (retrieved 22.10.2026)