How to Bend EMT Conduit: 90s, Offsets & Saddles
Bending · Take-up, deduct & marks · Updated 2026-07-10
Every EMT bend comes down to the same three things: where you put the mark, where you put the bender, and how far you pull. Get those right and the pipe lands where the print says.
This guide covers the four bends that make up most of a day's work - the 90° stub, the back-to-back, the offset, and the 3-point saddle - with the numbers you need for each.
90° stub-ups: take-up (deduct) by conduit size
A 90 doesn't bend at a point - it sweeps. Take-up (the "deduct") is how much of your stub height the sweep consumes. Subtract it from the stub height, mark there, line the mark with the bender's arrow, and bend to vertical.
| EMT size | Take-up |
|---|---|
| 1/2" | 5" |
| 3/4" | 6" |
| 1" | 8" |
| 1-1/4" | 11" |
- Measure the stub height: Say you need a 12" stub in 3/4" EMT.
- Subtract the take-up: 12" − 6" = 6". Square a mark 6" from the end of the pipe.
- Bend to 90°: Arrow on the mark, pipe on the floor, steady foot pressure on the heel, pull until the level or the bender's 90 mark says stop.
Back-to-back 90s
For a U between two walls or struts, bend the first 90 normally, then measure the exact back-to-back distance and mark it from the back of the first bend. On the second bend, line the mark with the bender's star point (the back-of-bend indicator) - not the arrow - and bend the opposite way.
Offsets: multiplier × depth, minus nothing, plus shrink
An offset is two equal bends that jog the pipe over an obstruction. Multiply the offset depth by the angle's multiplier to get the distance between marks; the run also gets shorter by the shrink. Full chart and the trigonometry behind it in the bending multipliers guide.
| Offset depth | Distance between marks (×2.0) | Shrink (1/4" per inch) |
|---|---|---|
| 3" | 6" | 3/4" |
| 4" | 8" | 1" |
| 6" | 12" | 1-1/2" |
3-point saddles
For a pipe crossing your path, the classic recipe is a 45° center bend flanked by two 22.5° bends. Mark the center of the obstruction, then add 3/16" of shrink per inch of saddle depth to the center mark, and set the outer marks 2.5 × depth to each side. Center bend uses the bender's saddle notch; outer bends use the arrow, pipe flipped.
Or skip the mental math: bend marks from the app
- Pick one of 11 bend types: Offsets, rolling offsets, 3- and 4-point saddles, kicks, 90s, back-to-back, and more.
- Enter the measurements: The app returns every tape mark in 1/16ths (or 1/8ths), using your bender's real deduct - Greenlee, Klein, IDEAL, Milwaukee presets, or the number stamped on yours.
- Follow "How to bend this": A step-by-step guide for every mark, arrow, and flip. Plan a whole stick with Full Stick Layout and its cut mark, and check angles live with the Site Protractor - lay the phone on the pipe and read the degrees.
Tape-ready bend marks, no memorized multipliers. Conduit Fill & Bending Calc turns measurements into exact marks with a how-to for every bend - and it's the same app that checks your fill. Free on the App Store. Download Conduit Fill & Bending Calc on the App Store.
Frequently asked questions
What does the deduct on a conduit bender mean?
It's the take-up: the amount of stub height the 90° sweep consumes. Subtract it from your target stub height and mark the pipe there. Typical values are 5" for 1/2" EMT, 6" for 3/4", 8" for 1" - but trust the number stamped on your bender.
How do I avoid dog-legged offsets?
Both bends must be in exactly the same plane. Keep the bender head oriented the same way for both marks, sight down the pipe between bends, and correct small rotation before the second pull - not after. The app's step-by-step view tells you when to flip and when not to.
What's the minimum bend radius for EMT?
NEC Chapter 9, Table 2 sets minimum bend radii (one-shot/full-shoe benders) - for example about 4" of centerline radius for 1/2" EMT and 4.5" for 3/4". Hand and mechanical benders meet these automatically; the table is in the app's NEC reference library.
How many bends are allowed between pull points?
The equivalent of four quarter bends - 360° total - between pull points (boxes, conduit bodies) per NEC 358.26 for EMT. The same 360° rule applies to most raceway types in their respective articles.