This free pipe weight calculator works as an MS pipe weight tool, a steel tube weight calculator, and a hollow-section weight calculator for round pipe, square tube and rectangular tube. Enter the outer diameter (or side), wall thickness and length, choose the material, and read the weight per metre and total weight in kilograms — instantly, with no sign-up.
How to calculate pipe weight
A pipe is hollow, so its weight is the weight of just the metal in the wall — the ring between the outer and inner diameter. The whole calculation rests on the wall’s cross-section area. For a round pipe:
A (mm²) = π × t × (OD − t)
where OD is the outer diameter and t the wall thickness, both in millimetres. Once you have the area, the weight per metre is:
W (kg/m) = π × t × (OD − t) × ρ / 1000
with density ρ in g/cm³ (7.85 for mild steel). Multiply weight-per-metre by the length in metres to get the total weight.
Worked example. Take a mild-steel round pipe of 100 mm OD with a 5 mm wall. The wall area is π × 5 × (100 − 5) = π × 5 × 95 ≈ 1492 mm². Multiply by density and divide by 1000: 1492 × 7.85 / 1000 ≈ 11.71 kg/m. A 6-metre length therefore weighs about 70.3 kg. The calculator above runs exactly this math live as you type.
For square and rectangular hollow sections the area formula changes but the rest is identical: square uses A = 4 × t × (B − t) and rectangular uses A = (W × H) − ((W − 2t) × (H − 2t)).
Pipe weight chart
Indicative theoretical weights for common MS pipe sizes at typical wall thicknesses (density 7.85 g/cm³). Use these as a quick cross-check; the calculator gives the exact figure for your wall.
| Outer dia (mm) | Wall t (mm) | Weight (kg/m) | Per 6 m length (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21.3 (1/2") | 2.6 | 1.20 | 7.2 |
| 26.9 (3/4") | 2.6 | 1.56 | 9.4 |
| 33.7 (1") | 3.2 | 2.41 | 14.5 |
| 48.3 (1.5") | 3.2 | 3.56 | 21.4 |
| 60.3 (2") | 3.6 | 5.03 | 30.2 |
| 88.9 (3") | 4.0 | 8.38 | 50.3 |
| 100.0 | 5.0 | 11.71 | 70.3 |
| 114.3 (4") | 4.5 | 12.19 | 73.1 |
| 168.3 (6") | 4.5 | 18.18 | 109.1 |
MS vs SS vs aluminium pipe
The cross-section math is the same for every material — only the density changes, so the weight scales directly with it. That is why a stainless tube is marginally heavier than the same mild-steel tube, while an aluminium tube weighs roughly a third.
| Material | Density (g/cm³) | 100 mm OD × 5 mm wall |
|---|---|---|
| Mild Steel | 7.85 | 11.71 kg/m |
| SS 304 / SS 316 | 8.00 | 11.94 kg/m |
| Aluminium | 2.70 | 4.03 kg/m |
| Brass | 8.50 | 12.68 kg/m |
| Copper | 8.96 | 13.37 kg/m |
| PVC | 1.40 | 2.09 kg/m |
From calculator to ERP — automatically
A tube weight calculator answers one line. Running a fabrication or pipe-trading business means getting the pipe weight per meter right on every purchase, every cutting plan and every customer quote, then valuing stock by weight. Inside OEMup ERP this same weight engine sits inside the item master: enter the section and wall once and the calculated weight flows straight into per-kg costing, stock valuation and BOM rollups — no re-keying, no spreadsheet drift. Start a free trial at app.oemup.app/register or explore the full feature set to see weight, costing and GST handled end to end.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate pipe weight?
Find the wall cross-section area — for a round pipe that is A = π × t × (OD − t) in mm² — then multiply by the material density and the length. A 100 mm OD mild-steel pipe with a 5 mm wall weighs about 11.71 kg/m. The tool above does it the moment you type the dimensions.
What is the formula for MS pipe weight per metre?
W(kg/m) = π × t × (OD − t) × ρ / 1000, with OD and t in mm and density ρ in g/cm³ (7.85 for mild steel). For OD 100 mm and 5 mm wall: π × 5 × 95 = 1492 mm², × 7.85 / 1000 = 11.71 kg/m.
How is pipe weight different from solid bar weight?
A pipe is hollow, so only the wall ring is weighed, not the full cross-section. A solid round bar uses A = π × D² / 4, while a pipe uses A = π × t × (OD − t). Use this tool for pipes, tubes and hollow sections, and the metal weight calculator for solid bars and sheet.
Does this work for SS and aluminium tube?
Yes. Only the density changes — pick SS304/SS316 (8.00 g/cm³), aluminium (2.70), brass (8.50), copper (8.96) or PVC (1.40), or enter a custom density. An aluminium tube weighs roughly a third of a steel tube of the same size.
Need another shop-floor tool? Try the free calculators hub, the Metal Weight Calculator for solid bars & sheet, or the Tank Volume Calculator.
Stop weighing pipe in spreadsheets
OEMup turns section weight into costing, stock value and GST invoices automatically — built for Indian manufacturing & fabrication SMEs.
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