In North America the guideline for hydraulic hose is the SAE J517 Standard. This standard defines pressure as well as construction, dimension and temperature for the most common hoses used in hydraulic systems. The guidelines assign a maximum working pressure for hose relative to its size measured in sixteenths of an inch. For safety purposes, the SAE J517 Standard for hydraulic hose burst pressure is 4 times that of the maximum operating pressure.

Basic hydraulic hose construction consists of an inner tube (usually made of PTFE), a reinforcement layer (coil or braided wire) and an outer layer to protect the inside of the hose. There are different types of hydraulic hose constructions each with different performance capabilities.

Reinforced: This type of hose contains extra buffers in the reinforcement layer. The buffers are usually made of a wire helix, a textile braid or a wire braid.

Coiled: This is a semi-rigid hose that is capable of being expanded and contracted into a coil without compromising the materials and the pressure of the hose. It is commonly used to connect the tractor to the trailer on semi-trucks.

Corrugated: Corrugated hoses use small accordion-like folds to help the tubing expand and contrast.

Articulated: In articulated hoses, sections of rigid tubes are connected by flexible joints allowing the hose to turn corners or swivel around other parts of the system.

Burst pressure limits are hose-size and manufacturer specific. All limits should be referenced against the system working pressure and surge and spike pressures.