Butt Fusion Saddles Butt Fusion Service Saddles (Rectangle Base)
Molded HDPE service saddles with a rectangle base and ½" FNPT outlet — heat-fused to the pipe crown for permanent, leak-free lateral taps.
A butt fusion service saddle — also called a branch saddle, tapping saddle, or threaded outlet saddle — is a molded HDPE fitting that creates a permanent branch connection on the wall of an HDPE pipe. The saddle’s rectangle base is contoured to the pipe’s outside diameter; heat-fusing that base onto the pipe crown bonds the two into a single monolithic piece of polyethylene, with no clamps, gaskets, straps, or mechanical seals to loosen or corrode. The outlet carries a ½” FNPT (female NPT) thread, so a threaded drop, riser, or fitting screws straight into the fused saddle.
Innovative Plastics molds these saddles in HDPE in four sizes, fitting 4”, 6”, 8”, and 10” HDPE pipe. Installation uses the same butt-fusion equipment crews already carry for joining HDPE pipe: heat the saddle base and a matching spot on the pipe crown, press the two surfaces together, and hold until the joint cools. Unlike electrofusion saddles — which dominate the off-the-shelf threaded-saddle market but require embedded heating wire and a dedicated electrofusion processor — a butt fusion saddle needs no special processor and has no embedded hardware, keeping both the part cost and the installation simple.
The ½” female threaded outlet in these pipe sizes makes this saddle the standard lateral tap in HDPE aeration systems. Aeration installers fuse a row of saddles along the crown of an air-header lateral, then thread in the drops that feed fine-bubble diffusers in wastewater lagoons, treatment ponds, and lake or pond aeration systems. The same fitting works as a general-purpose small service tap wherever an HDPE line needs a threaded ½” connection — sensor ports, blow-offs, sample taps, and small branch services.
All four sizes are molded in the USA and ship by the case, with volume and OEM pricing available for aeration system builders, contractors, and distributors. We ship nationwide from South Texas and export to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Browse the butt fusion saddles family page for a comparison overview, or add the sizes you need to a quote request directly from the table above.
Features
- Rectangle base contoured to the pipe crown for full-surface butt fusion
- ½" FNPT female threaded outlet accepts standard drops, risers, and diffuser connections
- Joins with standard butt-fusion tooling — no electrofusion processor, clamps, or gaskets
- Fused joint becomes a permanent, monolithic part of the pipe wall
- Molded HDPE for long buried and submerged service life
- Made in the USA
Price range: $26.70–$27.84 each
Prices in USD, effective 2026-07-02, subject to change. Minimum order one case; shipping quoted separately. Volume & distributor pricing available — contact us.
Specifications
Sizes & part numbers
| Product image | Product Number | Pipe Size (in) | Pipe Size (mm) | Outlet | Base Style | Case Qty | Price (USD) | Order (cases) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | BFSS-0405 | 4 | 100 | ½" FNPT | Rectangle | 50 | $27.84 | |
| | BFSS-0605 | 6 | 150 | ½" FNPT | Rectangle | 50 | $27.84 | |
| | BFSS-0805 | 8 | 200 | ½" FNPT | Rectangle | 50 | $26.70 | |
| | BFSS-1005 | 10 | 250 | ½" FNPT | Rectangle | 50 | $27.84 | |
Materials & standards
Material
Molded HDPE (PE4710)
Country of origin & shipping
Manufactured in Texas, USA. Ships across the US and exports to Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean.
Compliance
Manufactured to industry standards. Certification details available on request.
Documentation
Download spec / submittal sheet (PDF) · CAD files (.dwg / .step) available on request.
Product photos
Every size, pictured
-
BFSS-0405 -
BFSS-0605 -
BFSS-0805 -
BFSS-1005
Also referred to as
- HDPE Branch Saddles
- Service Saddles
- Tapping Saddles
- Threaded Outlet Saddles
- Aeration Saddles
- Butt Fusion Branch Saddles
- Sidewall Fusion Saddles
- HDPE Saddle Fittings
- HDPE Saddle
- HDPE Pipe Saddle
- HDPE Service Saddle
- Pond Aeration Saddle
- Airline Saddle Fittings
- Diffuser Drop Saddle
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What is a butt fusion service saddle?
- A molded HDPE fitting with a curved base that is heat-fused onto the outside wall of an HDPE pipe, creating a permanent branch outlet. The ½" FNPT female thread accepts a threaded drop, riser, or diffuser connection.
- How is the saddle installed?
- With standard butt-fusion tooling — heat the saddle base and the pipe crown, then press them together and hold until the joint cools. The fused saddle becomes a monolithic part of the pipe wall, with no clamps, gaskets, or electrofusion processor required.
- What pipe sizes are available?
- Four sizes fitting 4", 6", 8", and 10" HDPE pipe, all with a ½" FNPT outlet and a rectangle fusion base.
- What are these saddles used for?
- They are the standard lateral tap in HDPE aeration systems — connecting diffuser drops to air-header laterals in wastewater lagoons and pond aeration — and serve as general-purpose small service taps on HDPE pipelines.
- How is this different from an electrofusion saddle?
- An electrofusion saddle contains embedded heating wire and needs an electrofusion processor to install. A butt fusion saddle joins with ordinary butt-fusion heating tools, making it simpler and more economical where fusion equipment is already on site.