Spin-Cast Mortar Lining vs CIPP Tube Liners: Which Trenchless Rehab Method Is Best?

Trenchless rehab usually comes down to two big families of solutions:

• CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) tube liners: a resin-impregnated tube installed (often by inversion) and cured to form a tight-fitting new pipe.

• Spin-cast / spray-applied linings: cementitious or geopolymer mortars applied centrifugally (spin-cast) or by spray to rebuild/restore the inside surface and, depending on design, provide structural capacity and sealing.

Both can extend asset life dramatically—but they’re not interchangeable. “Best” depends on pipe size, condition, access, hydraulics, and what the spec is actually asking for.

Quick definitions

What is CIPP?

CIPP is installed by inserting a resin-impregnated flexible tube into an existing pipe, then curing it (hot water, steam, or UV) to form a continuous, tight-fitting liner. ASTM F1216 is the classic practice for this method.

What is spin-cast / spray-applied mortar lining?

Spin-cast uses centrifugal force to apply restoration mortar inside a pipe as equipment is pulled through at a controlled rate—creating a monolithic liner. In the “spray-applied” family, ASTM F3706 specifically covers in-field spray-applied mortar linings for large diameter stormwater and sewer conduits, including cementitious and geopolymer materials that may be fully structural, partially structural, or protective depending on design.

Madewell, for example, markets a Horizontal Mortar Spinner & Cable Puller for lining horizontal pipes without entry (a common production approach in this category).

Spin-cast vs CIPP at a glance

Category	Spin-cast / spray-applied mortar (cementitious/geopolymer)	CIPP tube liner
What you get	Rebuilt interior (often 360° monolithic liner); can be protective/structural by design	“Pipe within a pipe” continuous cured liner, tight-fitting
Best sweet spot	Often large diameter storm/sewer conduits; culverts; pipes needing profile restoration	Common for sanitary gravity mains and long runs manhole-to-manhole
Handling bad host pipe	Can rebuild missing wall/profile; design varies by system/spec	Often needs prep/point repairs if host pipe is severely deformed
Cure/logistics	Mortar/geopolymer cure; equipment pull-rate critical	Cure via hot water/steam/UV; bypass + curing logistics can be more intensive
Common spec anchors	ASTM F3706 (spray-applied mortar for large diameter conduits)	ASTM F1216 (resin-impregnated tube)

Where spin-cast can outperform CIPP

1) Large diameter stormwater and culverts

Spin-cast/spray-applied mortar linings are frequently chosen for large diameter stormwater and sewer conduits, especially culverts where you need to restore the interior surface and mitigate corrosion/abrasion.

ASTM F3706 explicitly addresses spray-applied mortar linings for these large-diameter conduits and recognizes that systems may be designed as fully structural, partially structural, or protective depending on the rehab goal.

2) Profile restoration and “rebuilding” the host

If the pipe has corrosion loss, rough internal surfaces, or geometry issues that need reshaping, mortar/geopolymer solutions can be strong because they’re inherently “buildable.” Some geopolymer product literature even describes the result as essentially creating a “pipe within a pipe.”

3) Access and no-entry workflows

Horizontal spinner/cable-puller approaches can line pipes without entry, which can reduce confined-space exposure (still requiring proper safety programs and method-specific controls). Madewell’s horizontal spinner/cable puller is an example of the kind of equipment used for centrifugal application in pipes.

Where CIPP usually wins

1) Sanitary gravity sewers (typical municipal work)

For many municipalities, CIPP is the default trenchless rehab method for standard sanitary sizes because the spec ecosystem is mature and widely understood.

ASTM F1216 covers inversion and curing of resin-impregnated tubes for pipeline rehab and defines the basic process and outcomes. Industry specifications also emphasize that CIPP can be designed for partially deteriorated or fully deteriorated conditions and must meet chemical resistance requirements tied to relevant ASTM standards.

2) Long continuous runs, bends, and service lateral workflows

CIPP generally integrates cleanly with manhole-to-manhole rehab programs and can be adapted to different installation/cure methods. For many contractors, the production and inspection workflows are highly repeatable across city specs.

“Is spin-cast just as good as CIPP?” — the honest engineering answer

Spin-cast can be “as good” when the design intent matches the method.

• If the owner needs a structural standalone liner, both methods can be engineered to meet that intent, but they do so differently. ASTM F3706 recognizes fully structural spray-applied mortar linings (designed to support imposed loads independent of the host conduit).

• If the owner’s spec is written tightly around ASTM F1216 CIPP, then spin-cast is not a drop-in substitute—you’re in “alternate product” territory and you’ll need clear equivalency language and acceptance criteria.

In practice, the right question is: What is the rehab goal?

• sealing/infiltration control

• corrosion protection

• partial structural

• fully structural standalone

Then you match method + design + QC to that goal.

Selection checklist for contractors and owners

Use this as a fast pre-bid filter:

1. Pipe size & type

   1. Large culvert/storm conduit → spin-cast/spray-applied often pencils well

   2. Typical sanitary gravity main → CIPP often specs more cleanly

2. Host condition

   1. Severe section loss / need to rebuild profile → spin-cast can be a better technical fit

   2. Host generally intact but leaking/cracked → CIPP frequently efficient

3. Access constraints & bypass plan

   1. Limited access / no-entry approach desired → evaluate centrifugal/spinner methods

   2. Cure logistics acceptable + established bypass plan → CIPP is straightforward

4. Spec acceptance

   1. If the owner cites ASTM F1216, assume CIPP unless alternates are allowed

   2. If the owner cites spray-applied practices (ex: ASTM F3706) you’re likely in mortar/geopolymer territory

Bottom line: how to choose

• Choose CIPP tube liners when you want a widely standardized, continuous liner solution that fits most sanitary gravity rehab programs and is clearly anchored to ASTM F1216.

• Choose spin-cast / spray-applied mortar when diameter is large, the host needs rebuilding, or the project is aligned to spray-applied practices like ASTM F3706 for large diameter conduits.

Need help sourcing trenchless rehab support in Chicagoland?

If you’re bidding rehab work and want to sanity-check method fit (spin-cast vs CIPP), material categories, or what documentation typically gets accepted in submittals, contact A&A Equipment & Supply Co. at aa.equipment. We’ll help you match the rehab approach to the pipe, the spec, and the schedule—so you win the job and avoid rework.