How to Fit a Strap Boss to a Soil Pipe: Step-by-Step

Last updated on October 13th, 2024

Fitting a strap boss to a soil pipe is often needed to connect a waste pipe or condensate pipe to a soil stack pipe. It doesn’t matter if the soil pipe is cast iron or plastic, this process is exactly the same and can be drilled with the same hole saw and drill.

I have been a full-time plumber fitting waste pipes and strap bosses for over a decade. Here I’ll show you how to fit a strap boss to a soil pipe based on my experiences over the years.

Tools and Materials

The tools and materials needed to fit a strap boss: (with links to gear on Amazon)

Tools

• Combi drill
• 54mm bi-metal hole saw
• Arbour and pilot bit
• Silicone gun
• Water pump pliers (not necessary but gets it tighter)

Materials

• Strap boss
• Silicone

How to Fit a Strap Boss Steps

Here is my step-by-step process for fitting a strap boss to a plastic or cast iron soil pipe:

1. Drill a hole in the soil pipe

Using a hole saw and combi drill, drill a hole in the soil pipe, it’ll need to be 54mm for most bosses. You should go slow if it’s a plastic pipe you’re drilling as it can be damaged easily.

2. Clean the hole

Clean all the plastic bits off the edges in the hole you’ve just drilled, and clean any dirt and grease off the pipe. The cleaner it is, the better for the silicone sticking to, and for the water to flow as smoothly as possible.

3. Put some silicone on the boss

Add a bed of silicone around the strap boss where it sits on the soil pipe. It takes practice to get the right amount but it’s better to err on the side of too much than not enough. You can clean any excess silicone away when you’re finished.

4. Fit the boss to the soil pipe

Open up the strap and fit it over the pipe and press the clip together with hands or water pump pliers. Or, you might need to screw in the screw with a screwdriver depending on which type of strap boss you have.

5. Clean excess silicone off

Use some toilet roll and clean off any excess silicone from the soil pipe, as much as possible. You can then fit the waste pipe into the boss using a rubber connector, you might need to use some silicone grease to get it in as they can be tight and tricky to fit.

Summary

Fitting a strap-on boss to a soil stack pipe is fairly easy if you know how to use a drill as this is the hardest part. Although it takes longer to drill through a cast iron pipe than a plastic pipe, drilling a cast iron pipe is easier as you can’t really go wrong with it.

With a plastic pipe you have to be more careful as it's a lot more fragile and can be damaged by the hole saw in the drill.

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to help. If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it.

FAQs

What size hole do you drill for a strap boss?

The most common size hole you need to drill for strap bosses is 54mm but it can vary for different ones. There is a lip on the strap boss that needs to sit inside the drilled hole and is easy to measure if you’re not sure about the one you have.

What is a soil pipe?

A soil pipe carries soiled water typically from your toilet to the sewer. They can also be used to run waste pipes from baths, showers, sinks and boilers if needed.

How do you cut cast iron soil pipe?

You can cut a cast iron soil pipe a few different ways but my go to way is to use an angle grinder. You can also use a reciprocating saw, a chain pipe cutter, or even a standard hack saw will do the job (eventually).