Short definition
A pipe strap is a flat hanger strap that wraps over the pipe and is fastened on either side to framing — usually a 2-hole strap (one nail or screw per side) or a perforated rolled strap cut to length. It’s the flat-strap variant within the broader pipe hanger category.
What it is
Two main forms. The 2-hole strap comes pre-formed for nominal pipe diameter (1/2, 3/4, 1 inch) — copper for copper, galvanized steel for galvanized, plastic for PEX or CPVC. The perforated rolled strap (sometimes called “plumber’s tape”) comes on a 25-foot roll and is cut to length for irregular jobs.
Spacing matches the pipe support spacing rule for the pipe material — every 32 inches for PEX, every 6 feet for copper horizontal, every 4 feet for plastic DWV.
Why it matters to a homeowner
Same material-match rule as the broader pipe-hanger category: copper on copper, plastic on plastic. Mixing creates a galvanic-corrosion site at every contact point. In WA’s soft Cedar / Tolt water, that’s a contributor to pinhole leaks decades later.
For full context — failure modes, code spacing, inspector concerns — see the pipe hanger entry.
Common variants and not the same as
- 2-hole strap vs. J-hook. Strap is fixed; J-hook allows lateral movement. See pipe hanger.
- Pipe strap vs. hose clamp. Hose clamp seals a hose / barbed joint. Pipe strap supports a pipe. Different products.
- Pipe strap vs. perforated steel strapping. Same family, different form factor — pre-formed strap vs. cut-to-length roll.