FAQs
Have questions about our products, capabilities or services? Explore the answers to some of the questions we hear most often about hose selection, custom assemblies, applications and ordering. Have a spec question we didn’t cover? Contact All Hose Inc. for hose selection, PTFE liner options (SSMP, BPCV, LWHP), and custom assembly support.
PTFE-lined hose carries fluids and gases that would attack rubber or plastic liners: strong acids and caustics, solvents, chlorine and bleach, steam, fuels, hydraulic fluid, and pharmaceutical or food-grade transfers that require a non-reactive, easy-to-clean bore. It shows up in chemical processing, hydraulics, transfer lines, paint and ink systems, and any line where the media, temperature, or cleanliness requirement rules out a standard rubber hose.
Yes, functionally. PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is the chemical name for the polymer; Teflon is DuPont’s registered trade name for it. When a hose is described as “Teflon-lined” or “PTFE-lined,” it’s the same fluoropolymer liner material either way.
It depends on the job. PTFE hose beats rubber on chemical resistance, temperature range, non-permeation, and service life in aggressive media. Rubber hose beats PTFE on cost, flexibility, and bend radius in tight spaces. For chemical transfer, high-purity, or high-temperature service, PTFE is usually the right call. For general-purpose fluid transfer with mild media, rubber is often the more economical choice.
PTFE liner material itself doesn’t really degrade in service the way rubber does; it resists nearly all chemicals and doesn’t dry out or crack from age. In practice, hose assembly life is limited by the braid, fittings, and how it’s used, not the liner. Hoses that are properly sized, routed without kinking, and kept within rated pressure and temperature typically run for many years, and in low-flex, low-vibration service can outlast the equipment around them. Real-world life still depends on duty cycle, bend frequency, temperature swings, and abrasion against nearby structures, so a hose flexed constantly at max pressure will wear out faster than one in a static run.
Solid PTFE, as used in hose liners, seals, and cookware, is chemically inert and doesn’t react with skin or leach into fluids under normal conditions, which is why it’s approved for food and pharmaceutical contact. The health concerns in the news are mostly about older manufacturing chemicals like PFOA, which were historically used to produce PTFE and have since been phased out by major manufacturers, and about fumes released if PTFE is overheated well beyond its rated temperature (as with an empty pan left on a burner). In normal industrial and hose applications, run within rated temperature limits, PTFE is considered safe to handle.
In its finished, solid form, no, PTFE is not considered toxic to touch or handle, and it’s widely used in food, medical, and pharmaceutical equipment for that reason. The toxicity concerns tied to PTFE production relate to processing aids like PFOA that older manufacturing methods once used, not to the cured polymer itself. The one real hazard is thermal decomposition: if PTFE is heated far above its normal service range, it can release fumes that cause flu-like symptoms in humans and are dangerous to birds. That’s a reason to respect a hose’s rated temperature limit, not a reason to avoid PTFE hose in normal service.
PTFE tubing is the unreinforced fluoropolymer tube itself, before it becomes a hose assembly. It can be smoothbore (a plain, straight bore, best for high pressure and low-turbulence flow) or convoluted (a corrugated wall that adds flexibility and tighter bend radius at some cost to peak pressure). To make a usable hose assembly, that tube is braided, usually with stainless steel, and terminated with crimped or reusable fittings.
Start with your pressure requirement and routing. For pressures above roughly 3,000 psi, a lightweight high-pressure (LWHP) smoothbore construction rated up to 5,000 psi is typically the right choice. For pressures at or below 3,000 psi with a straight or gently curved run, a standard smoothbore medium-pressure (SSMP) hose is usually the simplest and most cost-effective option. If the routing needs a tight bend radius or has to absorb vibration, a convoluted construction (BPCV) trades some pressure capacity for flexibility. From there, confirm whether the line needs static-dissipative (conductive) construction for fuel or solvent service, and check the media against an abrasion or gas-permeation requirement before finalizing the spec.
Yes. PTFE hose fittings are matched to the specific liner and braid construction, and they’re not generally interchangeable with rubber hose fittings. Reusable fittings allow field assembly and inspection; crimped fittings give a more compact, permanent termination for high-volume production. Either way, a clean, square hose cut and correctly torqued or crimped fitting is what keeps a PTFE assembly leak-free, since the liner itself rarely fails on its own.
