During the construction of small architectural forms When making canopies, awnings, or installing heating (water supply) systems, home craftsmen are faced with the need to bend a corrugated pipe.
In the mass production of metal structures, especially in specialized workshops, industrial pipe benders are used.
Such devices allow you to quickly and without defects bend a corrugated pipe measuring from 20 to 40 mm. However, purchasing pipe bending equipment for a one-time use is unprofitable; in some cases it is cheaper to go to a workshop and pay for the work of forming the profile. If this option does not suit you, consider ways to bend profile pipe at home.
Features of molding pipes with a square (rectangular) cross-section
Unlike round pipe, in which the tension of the material occurs relatively evenly, the profile has angles of 90°. Interior the profile cannot bend without deforming the side walls. As a result, folds are formed on the inner radius, and tears are possible on the outside. 
Without going into the technology of how to bend a pipe without a pipe bender, many “homemade” craftsmen spoil the workpieces or damage the strength structure of the material.
The basic rule is to avoid critical bends, or to force (programmed) deformation of the material.
In industrial pipe benders, to evenly distribute the load, a stamping is formed on inside radius. For this purpose, a special boss is provided on the rollers or mandrel (depending on the design of the pipe bender). 
All “excess” metal is bent inward without forming folds. As a result, the load is distributed evenly, and the square pipe can be bent to a fairly small radius.
We bend profiled pipes correctly without additional costs
There are many ways to bend a profile pipe at home without using an industrial pipe bender.
Sector welding
This method is available subject to availability. welding machine. You will also need a grinder, but you can get by with a hacksaw. The essence of the method is to make evenly distributed sector cuts along the inside.
The amount of material is reduced, and you don’t have to worry about the formation of folds and tears in the metal. After cutting out the sectors, the profile easily takes the given shape, and the resulting cuts can be welded using any in an accessible way.
The method is labor-intensive, but you can bend the pipe to any radius, including a variable radius. If you are an experienced welder, the tightness and strength characteristics of the workpiece will not deteriorate.
The only drawback is that the finished product does not look very aesthetically pleasing. The technique is not suitable for a decorative canopy over a porch, but you can bend a profile pipe for a greenhouse built with your own hands. Again, a welding machine is required.
Hot forming as a way to bend a pipe without a pipe bender
In this case you will need gas burner or a blowtorch. When heated, the metal becomes soft and malleable to tension or compression. The likelihood of wrinkles and tears is practically reduced to zero.
How the method works:
The basis of the technology is local heating of the bend using a torch. 
Profile pipes are represented by products that have a cross section of various shapes. These include round, flat-oval, square and oval pipes. This range of products makes it possible to create lightweight arched structures for various purposes. They are used both in domestic buildings and in production. The most popular profiles include square products. A bent profile pipe of this cross-section makes it easy to attach any external covering to a flat wall. Before you start bending profile pipes at home, you should familiarize yourself with them technical parameters and working methods.
The main difficulties when bending rolled profiles
Profile pipes produced by industry have certain geometric parameters, which are the determining factor for their plastic capabilities. The permissible minimum bending radius depends on the thickness of the rolled metal walls and the transverse area. This parameter gives the value of rounding the corrugated pipe without its mechanical damage.
At mechanical impact For rolled metal products, they are given full or partial bending. In this case, the metal profile is subject to a compression force (on the internal section) and a tensile force (on the outer surface). It is they that cause the main difficulties when bending metal profiles, which result in the following problems:
- segments of pipe material when bending a metal profile product may lose their alignment, which will lead to the location of sections of rolled pipe in different planes;
- the outer wall of the rolled profile may burst during stretching under the influence of increased load;
- folds resembling corrugation may appear on the inside of the bent profile.
For corrugated pipes with a height (h) of up to 20 mm, the length of the bending section must be more than 2.5 × h. Rolled metal with a profile height of more than 20 mm is painlessly bent in areas with a minimum length of 3.5 × h. Determination of minimum bending radii can be determined from the table.
Properly carried out process will allow you to get a perfectly even bend in the rolled product and will prevent the product from becoming crushed or bursting. By selecting suitable option technology, it is necessary to take into account the geometric parameters, as well as the characteristics of the material of the product. There are two ways to bend a profile pipe: with preheating and in a cold state.
Using Preheat
This operation is carried out for products with a profile height of more than 40 mm. Sand is poured inside the corrugated pipe, and wooden plugs are installed at the ends. Bulk material will allow the metal to receive uniform heating along its entire length. Special holes are made in one of the plugs to remove the gas formed during heating.
Sand for filling metal profiles is used purified, with medium grain size. If this is not available, material from a yard sandbox, which must be pre-prepared, is also suitable. To begin with, it is sifted through a sieve with cells no larger than 2.5 mm to remove small pebbles and gravel. To obtain high-quality filler, it is additionally passed through cells with a size of up to 0.7 mm. This process will prevent sintering of dust inclusions in the sand when heated. The prepared material is calcined at a temperature of + 150 °C. When pouring sand into a pipe, it is recommended to tap the surface for better distribution of the bulk material.
Before bending a profile for a greenhouse with your own hands, it is necessary to ensure the safety of the work being performed. Use special gloves made of thick tarpaulin that will protect your hands from contact with hot metal, and also place fire extinguishing equipment nearby. The area of the product that needs to be bent is pre-annealed. The metal profile itself is fastened in a special clamp or in a vice along with a prepared template. Rental connection available weld must be located on the side of the product. This will protect it from excessive loads when compressing or stretching the material.
The area previously marked with chalk is heated red-hot with a burner. A fully heated metal profile slowly and smoothly bends in one go. The applied forces must be strictly in one plane (horizontal or vertical). The cooled product is compared with the template, after which the sand filler is removed from it.
This method, which is easy to use in the garage, is used when it is necessary to obtain a single corner bend. Repeated heating of a metal product will reduce its strength. This should be taken into account when preparing various parts of the arched structure of a gazebo, greenhouse, canopy or other structure with your own hands at home.
Cold bending
Bent metal profile when used cold technology obtained with a height of up to 40 mm. You can bend such rolled products either manually or mechanized way. When the metal profile size is up to 10 mm, there is no need to fill it with sand. You can bend the corrugated pipe without using preheating using additional devices. For small, thin-walled products, a flexible spring placed inside is used. It allows you to bend rolled metal without mechanical damage.
Before bending the pipe profile, the edges of the spring are fixed with wire at the ends of the pipe. This will secure it inside the product and prevent it from jumping out under mechanical stress. At the same time simple method the main condition must be observed: the spring must have a size only slightly smaller than the inside of the pipe. You can bend the corrugated pipe in this way without damaging the metal. The correctly selected spring size will allow it to be removed at the end of the process quickly and easily.
The presence of a pipe bender will allow you to work with products minimum size profile 10 mm and maximum up to 40 mm. Before bending a profile for a greenhouse with your own hands, determine the method of working with metal. A small simple experiment will show whether it will be necessary to preheat the metal or not. To do this, the pipe end is clamped with a vice, and a profile with a large internal size. If you can manually force rolled steel to bend, you can do the work without using preheating. In addition to manual or electric profile bending, numerous mandrels and bending tables are used. They are suitable for producing arcs of aluminum or steel metal profiles with maximum height up to 10 mm.
Using a pipe bender
For significant volumes, to obtain a bent metal profile, you will need a special machine - a profile bender. With its help, bending of various profile pipes is easy and quick. Using a pipe bender, you can prepare a light frame for a canopy, greenhouse or other dacha construction. Sheet metal or corrugated sheets can be conveniently attached to the walls of the profile.
Powerful universal machine bending type will be needed for working with large cross-section pipes. Structurally, it consists of three rollers, two of which have a fixed fixation. The changing position of the third roller forces the product to bend to the desired radial size. This powerful device is driven by chain drive and a handle rotated by the operator.
The pipe benders offered in stores have a manual, hydraulic, and also electric drive, in which the profile is bent along a radius with high accuracy. The most powerful manual profile bending machines that allow you to bend a large profile pipe include PG-6. This device can simultaneously bend a set of profiles up to 120 mm wide.
The presence of a large number of options for pipe bending devices provides the opportunity for their full use in the manufacture of numerous products. With their help, greenhouse frames, canopies and numerous arched structures are created. steel structures. They make it possible to obtain a corrugated pipe bent to a certain degree, a metal profile bent into an arc, as well as a circle.
Making a profile bending machine yourself
Making a roll forming device with your own hands will allow you to significantly save personal funds. Using drawings and special videos, the process of creating a device will not take much time. The availability of drawings provides an opportunity to add some improvements to the standard design. Shown images and dimensions for self-made profile bending can be adjusted to suit personal needs.
Drywall has already become an integral part modern renovation. From this finishing material you can create various complex shaped elements for walls and ceilings, as well as assemble beautiful partitions. And everywhere you will need to bend profiles, which are an integral part of the frame necessary for installing plasterboard sheets.
Therefore, the question “how to bend a profile?” remains very relevant. If everything is done correctly, then in the end you can get exactly what you wanted.
Structures made today from plasterboard often contain a variety of curved and shaped elements. They are especially often used when installing suspended ceilings. Here you can find the following options:
- circles and ovals;
- squares and rectangles;
- various geometric shapes;
- waves, steps, flowers, sun and much more.
Complex ceiling
Besides this, bend metal profile will be needed in other situations:
- arch installation. Here the profile should be bent into an arc;
- creating a unified composition of walls and ceiling when the figured elements of the ceiling flow onto the wall;
- installation of niches with curved elements;
- creation of a figured partition. It can be decorative, contain complex curves and curls, or be straight.
Drywall arch
In any of the above situations, in order for the installation of drywall to proceed according to the specified pattern, it is necessary to bend the profile. If you do the whole process correctly, then the subsequent installation of plasterboard sheets will be quick and easy, and the end result will be pleasing to the eye for many years.
As you can see, in almost any repair using drywall, bending profiles at different angles is a load-bearing necessity.
Flexion metal elements frame for plasterboard sheets is carried out according to the diagram. Therefore, in order to correctly bend the profile, you need to read the corresponding instructions. We will present it below.
What is required for bending?
Working with metal profiles for drywall requires a certain set of tools. In order to bend metal elements and make cuts on them, as well as carry out their further installation, you will need the following tools:
- screwdriver;
- screwdriver;
- pencil, tape measure and building level;
- scissors for working with metal.
Add to list necessary materials in this situation will include:
- metal profiles;
- fasteners. Here you will need self-tapping screws.
Don’t forget to protect yourself when carrying out work. So, you will need protective gloves that will prevent wounds and scratches on your hands. In addition, you may need safety glasses.
Having such a set of materials and tools at hand, as well as taking all precautions, the procedure for giving the profiles the required shape will take you 20 minutes at most.
Let's get started
At the moment, there are two main types of profiles: guides and rack-mount.
Pay attention! Only the profile guides can be bent, since the rack ones are used to support the main weight of the plasterboard structure.
In addition, when creating an arched opening, you can use a special arched profile.
Regardless of which frame element will be used, bending methods can be applied to all of them. It is necessary to bend the profiles before they are installed.
The bending of the element is achieved through cuts at right angles. The angle here should be 90 degrees, i.e. direct.
There are two options for making cuts, which depend on which part will be used for further installation of the frame element:
Side cut
- a cut at a right angle of 90 degrees is made on both side parts of the profile. The base of the element remains intact, which allows the stiffeners to be preserved intact. This method is great for making arches, semicircular elements or a circle;
Pay attention! When using this method, you need to remember that the smaller the bend radius is needed, the more often you need to make cuts at an angle of 90 degrees.
- the incision is made at the base of the frame element. It is also necessary to cut one of the side parts of the profile. This method used to make ovals or wavy elements.
Often, shaped elements are made on the ceiling. Therefore, it is necessary to begin their formation only after the frame of the first level has been assembled and sheathed with plasterboard sheets.
The procedure for forming a bend is as follows:
Cut on the side and base
- We apply markings along the first level of the frame or wall surface (in the manufacture of decorative shelves). This stage is mandatory, since without marking it is impossible to make complex shaped elements;
- take the guide profile and shorten it to the length we need;
- to shorten the element you need to use metal scissors;
- Next, depending on the cutting method, we make a cut at a right angle of 90 degrees. The cuts must be strictly parallel to each other, otherwise the element will not be able to bend. The pitch for the cuts may vary depending on your needs. But often it is 5-8 cm;
- We make cuts where you need to make a curl or along the entire length of the profile;
- apply the cut profile to the marking line;
- after that we fasten finished item, bending it as the action progresses. You need to fasten it with self-tapping screws. Here you should be extremely careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges of the metal product;
- the element must be secured sequentially, carefully giving it the required form.
Attaching a curved element
Pay attention! Self-tapping screws are installed whenever a bend needs to be made. This will give the final design more fluidity.
When attaching a frame with curved elements, be sure to check each profile building level. It is necessary that all frame elements are in the same plane. Only in this way will you be able to do flat surface ceiling or walls.
To give greater rigidity and strength to the figured element, we install rack profiles inside it.
After this, you can install the drywall. The main thing here is that the pieces from a single sheet are cut exactly to the required size. If they don't fit slightly, they can be cut to the correct length with a drywall knife.
By following these instructions, you can correctly bend any metal profile and give it absolutely any shape.
Things to remember
In order for the procedure to give elements metal frame the required form was completed correctly, it is necessary to adhere to some rules and recommendations, because only in such a situation will you be satisfied with the end result:
Fastening sheets
- There are several types of profiles that differ in purpose and size. You need to choose a frame element based on what kind of structure you plan to construct;
- strictly follow the steps given in the instructions;
- To create shaped elements, you can use two types of guides - “UW” and “UD”. These elements do not have profiled sides. Therefore, it will be possible to make a couple of cuts on their sides without any problems;
- in rare cases, the use of “CD” profiles is allowed. But only if they do not carry a load and are part of a small shaped element. Cutting their sides at right angles will be a little more difficult;
- curvilinear frame construction must correspond to the parameters of the element that were drawn on the drawing;
- installation of drywall on a curved profile should be carried out using self-tapping screws;
- The greater the bend of the profile, the smaller the step will need to be taken when installing drywall. This way you will achieve maximum attachment of the sheets to the frame, without the formation of cracks;
- use the right tools, especially for forming cuts on profiles. This way you will avoid damage to your hands and quickly cope with the entire volume of work.
By adhering to these rules, you can easily create unique shaped elements from plasterboard at home, giving your home a new, original look.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated about bending the metal frame elements. The process of giving the desired shape plasterboard sheets much more difficult than for profiles. You just need to strictly follow all the steps in the above instructions and the result will be great!
One of the popular types of construction metal products is a profile, which is pipes of oval, square or rectangular cross-section. Widely used in the manufacture of metal structures, load-bearing structures, canopies, prefabricated frames received rectangular and square steel pipes. They are used in private housing construction (for the construction of fences, greenhouses, various gazebos and canopies).
The only drawback is more complex process bending them and giving them the desired shape. Let's take a closer look at how to bend a profile pipe yourself.
Manual bending
Let's talk about how you can bend pipes manually.
Hot bending method
The simplest manually is “hot bending”. This method allows you to obtain fairly smooth lines and the required shape without significant changes in the profile geometry. To prevent flattening during bending, the pipe is filled with dried quartz sand. To do this, a wooden wedge plug is hammered into one end and, after filling it with dried sand, the other end is also plugged with a similar plug. A small hole is drilled at one end of the pipe so that air can escape freely. Next, the required area is locally heated using gas welding and given the desired shape. As a replacement for gas welding for heating, you can use blowtorch or a gas burner.
The pipe should not be overheated, as this will inevitably lead to the appearance of scale and a decrease in the quality of the metal. Repeated heating also degrades the quality of the metal, so try to bend the metal the first time.
After obtaining the required shape, remove the plugs and pour out the sand (it can be reused if necessary). The easiest way to remove plugs is to heat the ends of the pipe with a torch. As they burn, the wedges fall out easily.
Using sand for packing avoids breaks and improper deformation. With a certain skill, you can bend the profile quickly enough, so you shouldn’t even try to do it without filling it with sand - you’ll just ruin the material.
It should be remembered that galvanized pipes cannot be bent in this way, because during heating, the zinc layer will burn and cease to perform its anti-corrosion function.
Bending method using welding
An alternative way to do manual bending at home is to use welding and a grinder. In this case, the work is done as follows:
- First you need to calculate the required radius of curvature.
- Next, to facilitate the process, using a grinder, uniform transverse cuts are made along the entire length of the bend on three sides of the profile (with outside planned bend).
- At the next step, the profile pipe is given the required shape, the cuts are welded and the weld seams are ground.
Bending using pipe benders
A pipe bender is a device or machine designed to change the shape of a pipe. The equipment allows you to perform bending in accordance with the required shape and dimensions. Its correct use allows you to maintain the strength characteristics of the material, while avoiding flattening and creases.
Depending on the type of drive, pipe benders are:
- Manual.
- Electromechanical.
- Hydraulic.
Main advantage hand tools is simplicity and relative cheapness. But working with them requires significant physical effort, so using them for large volumes of work is quite tiring.
Hydraulic and electromechanical equipment does not require significant effort during operation, which allows you to bend pipes quickly and accurately.
Choosing the optimal bending method
If the amount of work is one-time and small, then it would be optimal to use “hot bending” or manual machine. As an option, you can not purchase a manual pipe bender for one-time work, but rent it.
If you constantly need to bend profile pipes, then it makes sense to purchase equipment or make it yourself.
You can also find a company that has specialized equipment - profile benders, which allow you to quickly and efficiently complete any amount of work and give pipes a complex and intricate shape. If the price of services suits you, then this option is most preferable for a large volume of work.
By selecting the best way and by carefully completing the work, you will get more attractive and easy-to-use pipes (compared to round ones), which will be widely used in the process of improving the area of your home.
Video
We bring to your attention a story that shows the work of a homemade pipe bender.
