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Commercially available garden hose manifolds are, well, convenient to obtain but sometimes they are not as sturdy and hard working for your homestead. Commercially purchased garden hose water control manifolds are built to break so you will buy another one the following year. It is just how companies make their money.

There is an easier way to avoid these disappointments and save a few bucks while doing so. One method is to build one for yourself. It is very easy to build and can be completed within 10 minutes only. Also, you can make any number of changes if needed. There are a few things required to build the hose at home.

To build this, you will need just a few parts and less than 10 minutes. Here’s the list:

(3) 1/2″ slip x 3/4″ MHT PVC fittings – these are what the garden hoses will attach to

(1) 1/2″ slip x 3/4″ FHT PVC fitting – this is what attaches to the hose bib coming out of your house

(3) 1/2″ solvent shut-off valves – I prefer these little jobbies that turn off/on with a 90 degree turn.

(1) 1/2″ solvent PVC cross – forms the main body of the manifold

(2) 1/2″ PVC street elbow 90 degree solvent

(7) 1/2″ x 2″ PVC pipe (my photo shows gray electrical conduit b/c that’s what I had on hand)

(1) can of PVC cement

The basic things that are needed include three ½” slip by ¾” MHT PVC fittings to which the garden hoses get attached, one FHT PVC fitting with the same dimensions to attach to the hose bib, three ½” solvent shut-off valves (preferably the ones with 90 degree turns), one ½” solvent PVC cross for the main body, two ½” PVC street elbow (90 degree), seven ½” by 2” PVC pipes and a can of PVC cement. Building is not very complicated as you just need to start off with the ½” slip by ¾” FHT PVC fitting and continue joining the pieces.

The middle shut-off valve could be attached with a handle on top and the two outer ones could be adjusted at right angles to each other. The outer valves are arranged in this way to avoid these outer valves getting in way of the shut-off valve in center.

Click here to read about how to make garden hose water control manifold DIY project:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Garden-Hose-Manifold/