Pipe Weight Calculator
Calculate the weight of pipe from its diameter, wall thickness, length and material.
Knowing a pipe's weight matters for shipping costs, structural loads, and handling on site, and it comes straight out of the geometry once you know the material. This calculator works out the weight of a length of pipe from its outer diameter, wall thickness, and material density, in either metric or imperial units. It handles common metals and PVC from a built-in list or a custom density, multiplies up for quantity, and also reports the outer surface area for coating or insulation. Everything runs in your browser.
How pipe weight is calculated
A pipe is a hollow cylinder, so its weight comes from the ring-shaped cross-section — the metal between the outer and inner walls — multiplied by length and density. The calculator first finds the inner diameter, then the cross-sectional area, then the weight:
Inner diameter = Outer diameter − (2 × Wall thickness) • Cross-section = π × (R²outer − R²inner) • Weight = Cross-section × Length × Density
Because it subtracts the hollow centre, it reflects the actual metal present rather than treating the pipe as a solid bar. Multiply by the number of lengths and you get the total order weight, along with a per-unit figure. The surface area shown is the outer curved area (2 × π × radius × length), which is what you'd use to estimate paint, coating, or lagging.
Materials and units
The material list carries realistic densities: carbon steel at 7,850 kg/m³, stainless 304 and 316 slightly higher, aluminium at 2,700, copper at 8,960, cast iron at 7,200, and PVC at 1,400. Pick one and the density is filled in automatically, or choose "custom" to enter your own for an alloy or grade that isn't listed. Switching between metric and imperial changes the expected inputs — millimetres and metres versus inches and feet — and converts the density accordingly, so the weight comes out in kilograms or pounds to match. Results assume a uniform, straight pipe; fittings, flanges, and threaded ends aren't included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I enter the outer or inner diameter?
The outer diameter, along with the wall thickness. The calculator subtracts twice the wall thickness to find the inner diameter itself, then uses the ring between them to compute the weight.
Can I use a material that is not in the list?
Yes. Select the custom option and type in the density directly. That lets you handle specific alloys, plastics, or grades whose density differs from the built-in values.
Why does it also show surface area?
The outer surface area is useful for estimating paint, protective coating, or insulation. It is the curved outer area of the pipe, calculated as 2 × π × radius × length and multiplied by the quantity.
Does it include fittings or flanges?
No. It calculates the weight of straight, uniform pipe. Valves, flanges, couplings, and threaded ends add weight that you would need to account for separately.
Is anything I enter saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing you type is uploaded or stored.