Quick answer
Pipe mass per length = π ÷ 4 × (outside diameter² − inside diameter²) × density, with inside diameter = OD − 2 × wall. A 60.3 mm OD steel pipe with 3.91 mm wall weighs 5.437 kg/m, or 32.62 kg for 6 m.
Enter the outside diameter, wall thickness, length and material. The calculator returns total and per-length weight.
Related tools: Glass Weight Calculator: Weight of a glass pane from its dimensions. Gold Weight Calculator: Mass of pure gold from its volume. Metal Weight Calculator: Weight of a plate, round bar or square bar in common metals.
How to use the Pipe Weight Calculator
- Enter outside diameter (above 0).
- Enter wall thickness (above 0).
- Enter length (above 0).
- Choose units: Millimeters (length in meters) and Inches (length in feet).
- Choose material: Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³), Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³), Copper (8,960 kg/m³), Lead (11,340 kg/m³), Zinc (7,140 kg/m³) and Titanium (4,506 kg/m³).
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Outside diameter | A number | > 0 |
| Wall thickness | A number | > 0 |
| Length | A number | > 0 |
| Units | Choose one: Millimeters (length in meters); Inches (length in feet) | Starts at Millimeters (length in meters) |
| Material | Choose one: Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³); Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³); Copper (8,960 kg/m³); Lead (11,340 kg/m³); Zinc (7,140 kg/m³); Titanium (4,506 kg/m³) | Starts at Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³) |
Formula and method
Formula
mass per length = π/4 × (OD² − ID²) × density, ID = OD − 2 × wall
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Density values are typical for the pure metal or common grade; alloys differ by a few percent. Plan geometry only; confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Outside diameter = 60.3; Wall thickness = 3.91; Length = 6; Units = Millimeters (length in meters); Material = Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³).
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Pipe weight | 32.62 kg |
| In pounds | 71.93 |
| Per meter | 5.437 kg/m |
Example 2
Inputs: Outside diameter = 2.375; Wall thickness = 0.154; Length = 20; Units = Inches (length in feet); Material = Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³).
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Pipe weight | 33.17 kg |
| In pounds | 73.14 |
| Per meter | 5.442 kg/m |
Example 3
Inputs: Outside diameter = 50; Wall thickness = 3; Length = 4; Units = Millimeters (length in meters); Material = Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³).
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Pipe weight | 4.78 kg |
| In pounds | 10.55 |
| Per meter | 1.196 kg/m |
The first line is the headline result (pipe weight). Below it the pipe Weight Calculator lists in pounds and per meter, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
The calculation
Inside diameter is 60.3 − 7.82 = 52.48 mm. The metal cross-section is π ÷ 4 × (60.3² − 52.48²) = 693 mm², times 7,850 kg/m³ gives 5.44 kg per metre. This matches the nominal 2-inch Schedule 40 pipe.
Contents and coatings
The result is the empty pipe. Add the weight of water or contents for supports and galvanising or insulation if relevant. The wall must be less than half the diameter.
How the result changes with outside diameter
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only outside diameter. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Outside diameter | Pipe weight | In pounds | Per meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30.15 | 15.18 kg | 33.47 | 2.53 kg/m |
| 60.3 | 32.62 kg | 71.93 | 5.437 kg/m |
| 120.6 | 67.51 kg | 148.84 | 11.252 kg/m |
| 241.2 | 137.29 kg | 302.66 | 22.881 kg/m |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Wall thickness: entering "30" shows "The wall thickness must be less than half the outside diameter." beside that field and no result.
- Outside diameter: entering "0" shows "Outside diameter must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Pipe Weight Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Glass Weight Calculator](/construction/glass-weight/) | length, width and thickness | Glass weight |
| [Gold Weight Calculator](/construction/gold-weight/) | volume and unit | Mass |
| [Metal Weight Calculator](/construction/metal-weight-calculator/) | material, shape and dimension A | Weight |
| [Rebar Weight Calculator](/construction/rebar-weight-calculator/) | bar size, length of each bar and number of bars | Total weight |
| [Money Weight Calculator](/construction/money-weight/) | denomination and amount | Weight |
Background: construction estimates
Material quantities are geometry plus a margin. Calculate the exact volume or area, add an allowance for waste, spillage, cuts and uneven ground (calculator pages commonly mention 5 to 10 percent, a rule of thumb that varies by material and job) and round up to whole units. One cubic yard is exactly 27 cubic feet.
Suppliers often have minimum order sizes and may charge for small loads, so confirm quantities, product yields and local code with your supplier or a qualified estimator before ordering.
Assumptions and limitations
- Wall must be less than half the diameter
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for wall thickness and outside diameter to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
Is weight per metre or per foot?
Per metre is shown, and pounds for the total.
Does it apply to PVC?
Choose the right material density.
What is Schedule 40?
A standard wall-thickness series for pipe.
What does the Pipe Weight Calculator calculate?
Weight of a hollow round pipe from its outside diameter, wall thickness and length. It returns Pipe weight, In pounds and Per meter.
What formula does the Pipe Weight Calculator use?
mass per length = π/4 × (OD² − ID²) × density, ID = OD − 2 × wall. Density values are typical for the pure metal or common grade; alloys differ by a few percent.
What do I need to enter in the pipe Weight Calculator?
You enter Outside diameter, Wall thickness, Length, Units and Material.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Wall must be less than half the diameter.
What does the “Units” option change?
It sets how the pipe Weight is worked out. The choices are Millimeters (length in meters) and Inches (length in feet).
What is an example of a pipe Weight result?
With outside diameter 60.3, wall thickness 3.91, length 6, units Millimeters (length in meters) and material Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³), the pipe weight is 32.62 kg.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: Handbook densities: carbon steel 7,850, aluminum 2,700, copper 8,960, lead 11,340, zinc 7,140, titanium 4,506 kg/m³ (e.g. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics; AISC).
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work. For this calculator in particular: Wall must be less than half the diameter.
Related calculators
- Glass Weight Calculator — Weight of a glass pane from its dimensions.
- Gold Weight Calculator — Mass of pure gold from its volume.
- Metal Weight Calculator — Weight of a plate, round bar or square bar in common metals.
- Rebar Weight Calculator — Weight of reinforcing bar by size and length.
- Money Weight Calculator — Weight of an amount of US bills or coins.
- Steel Plate Weight Calculator — Weight of a carbon steel plate from its dimensions.
Sources
- Handbook densities: carbon steel 7,850, aluminum 2,700, copper 8,960, lead 11,340, zinc 7,140, titanium 4,506 kg/m³ (e.g. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics; AISC)
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.