How to Calculate Steel Pipe Weight by Size and Chart

Steel pipe unit weight (kg/m or lb/ft) is an important description that should be specified in the purchase order.

Then how to calculate the steel pipe weight per foot or per meter?

Through pipe weight and total quantity meters, we will get the whole weight for the pipe request. Another way to find out this information is through the steel pipe chart (Below the article is the steel pipe weight chart).

Steel pipe unit weight is another way to express the pipe size schedule, calculate the maximum pressure of the pipe, and do the budget for the whole line pipe project.

How to calculate steel pipe per foot or meter

Basically, there are two ways to calculate steel pipe weight per foot or per meter.
One is to calculate according to the steel pipe weight formula.
Another way is to search for the information from the steel pipe weight chart.

How to calculate the weight of steel pipe by formula

The steel pipe unit weight (kg/m or lb/ft) should be calculated according to the below formula.

kg/m is kilograms per meter

lb/ft is pounds per foot

P1= t(D-t)*C

Where
D is the specified outside diameter, expressed in millimeters (inches)
t is the specified wall thickness, expressed in millimeters (inches)
C is 0.02466 for calculations in SI units and 10.69 for calculations in USC units.

Please note: The nominal weight of a steel pipe is calculated by multiplying its length by its mass per unit length (per foot or per meter).

For example: The description of API 5L seamless steel line pipe, Outer Diameter is 6 5/8 inch (168.3 mm), Pipe Wall Thickness is SCH 40 (7.11 mm or 0.280 inch), length 12 meters.
Then the unit pipe weight kg/m, 7.11 x (168.3-7.11) x 0.02466 = 28.26 kg/m

Unit steel pipe weight lb per foot is 0.28 x (6-0.28) x 10.69 = 18.99 lb/ft

How to get pipe weight from steel pipe weight chart

Another method to find out pipe weight per foot is through steel pipe Dimensions and Weight chart, this chart is very useful in the pipeline activities.

This chart includes the information of pipe nominal diameters, wall thickness, Schedule (SCH) Class, as well as corresponding inf of pipe weight lb per foot or kg per meter.

Steel pipe wall thickness description

1). The wall thickness of API 5L line pipe has three representing method as following:

a. Pipe schedule number “Sch”

b. Steel pipe wall thickness in mm

c. Pipe weight kg/m or lb/ft

According to pipe weight, the pipe wall thickness is generally applied for three types:

Standard weight pipe in STD, the thickened pipe in XS, and extra thick pipe in XXS. (More pipe schedule is applicable here)

For pipes with DN≤250 mm, Sch40 is equivalent to STD,

For pipes with DN<200mm, Sch80 is equivalent to XS

2). Tolerances for pipe wall thickness

Pipe diameter

Tolerances for pipe diameter

Common unit conversation table applied in steel line pipe description

2. Steel pipe dimensions and weight chart

Steel pipe weight chart for download: