What Is a Line Pump? How It Differs From a Boom Pump
By PumpX Team ·
If you have seen a small concrete pump on a trailer with hoses snaking across a yard, you have seen a line pump. The name describes how it works: concrete goes into a hopper and is pushed down a "line" of steel pipe and rubber hose to where it is needed.
How a line pump works
Concrete from the mixer truck is discharged into the hopper of the pump. Inside, hydraulic cylinders push the concrete, typically in alternating strokes, through a valve and into the pipeline. The pipeline can be laid across the ground, up stairs, along scaffold or through a building. The operator or a helper holds the flexible end hose and places the concrete.
There is no boom. The reach is the length of the line you lay, within the pump's pressure and output limits.
Line pump versus boom pump
| Line pump | Boom pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Pipe and hose laid out | Hydraulic folding boom with pipe |
| Setup | More manual line handling | Fast once outriggers are down |
| Access | Tight sites, backyards, interiors | Open sites with room for the truck |
| Typical jobs | Slabs, driveways, pools, basements, footings | Large slabs, high-rise, long reach |
| Labour | More hands for pipe and hose | Fewer people at the pump |
| Size | Often smaller, trailer or truck-mounted | Larger truck-mounted machine |
Neither is better. They suit different sites. Some operators run both.
Trailer-mounted and truck-mounted
- Trailer line pumps are towed to the site and set up in place. They are compact and good for restricted access.
- Truck-mounted line pumps have the pump on a truck, giving faster setup and more built-in storage for pipes and hoses.
Where line pumps shine
- Backyard slabs and driveways with no truck access to the pour.
- Swimming pool shells and shotcrete-adjacent work.
- Basements and below-ground pours.
- Interior floors and renovation work.
- Long horizontal runs.
Limits to know
- Line length and bends. More length, more bends and smaller diameter all increase friction and the chance of a blockage.
- Output. Line pumps are generally smaller than big boom pumps, so very large pours may take longer.
- Labour. Setting up and breaking down the line takes manual work.
- Mix. The concrete must be pumpable. A poor mix is the most common cause of trouble.
Safety
Concrete pipelines are pressurised. A blocked line stores energy, and releasing a coupling can eject material. Keep clear of the end hose, secure the line, and only clear blockages by the manufacturer's recommended procedure.
Buying or hiring one
Hire is the norm for most people. If you are weighing up buying a pump, think about the work volume, who will operate it, maintenance, and wear parts such as pipes and hoses. Our machine specs library shows capacities and specs for different models, and you can browse pumps and parts for sale if you are looking at second-hand machines.
Reading the spec sheet
When you look at a line pump, the numbers that matter are maximum output (volume per hour), maximum pressure at the concrete, hopper capacity and the pipe or hose diameter it is designed for. Output tells you how fast you can place, pressure tells you how far and how high the pump can push, and diameter limits the aggregate size. Also look at the drive type and how easy the machine is to clean and service, because wear parts and cleaning time are major running costs for a line pump.
Key takeaways
- A line pump pushes concrete through a pipeline and flexible hose laid out on site.
- It suits tight access, interiors and small to medium pours.
- Boom pumps are faster to set up on open sites and reach higher.
- Line length, bends and mix quality drive blockages.
- Treat pressurised lines with respect.
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Original question on Reddit: r/Concrete: Line pump