Brass Olives

Brass olives are the compression rings that seal a compression fitting onto pipe, and this range covers barrel olives in metric and imperial sizes. The guide below explains how they work and how to choose the right one.

What an olive does — In a compression joint, the olive sits between the fitting body and the nut. As the nut is tightened it squeezes the olive onto the pipe, forming the watertight seal. It is the part that actually makes the joint, so using the correct olive matters as much as the fitting itself.

Barrel olives — A barrel olive has a rounded, symmetrical profile and is the common type used across general plumbing fittings. It seals evenly around the pipe and suits copper tube and compatible pipework.

Metric or imperial — This is the decision to get right. Metric olives are sized to metric copper pipe in millimetres, while imperial olives suit older imperial pipework, and the two are not interchangeable. Measure your pipe and match the olive to it, keeping metric and imperial stock clearly separated so the wrong size does not end up on a joint.

Choosing and fitting — Match the olive size to the pipe and fitting, and use a replacement olive rather than reusing an old one, as an olive deforms onto the pipe when first tightened. Order the sizes you use most, or a mixed selection to cover common pipework.

Order before our daily cut-off for fast UK dispatch.