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Interactive mechanical engineering reference

Pipe Size Chart

Look up common steel pipe dimensions by NPS, DN, and schedule; compare outside diameter, wall thickness, calculated inside diameter, and bore area in inch or metric units.

Basis
ASME B36.10 system
Range
NPS 1/2–8
Schedules
40 and 80
Use
Dimensions, not pressure

Dimension selector

Interactive Pipe Size and Schedule Lookup

Choose a nominal size and schedule to see the actual nominal OD, wall, calculated bore, and internal area.

NPS 2 · DN 50 · Schedule 40Common wrought-steel dimensional excerpt
NPS 2 Schedule 40 pipe cross-sectionProportional circular pipe cross-section showing outside diameter, calculated inside diameter, and nominal wall thickness. OD 2.375 in ID 2.067 in Wall 0.154 in
The drawing preserves the selected OD-to-ID ratio. It is proportional, not a printable full-size template.
Outside diameter
2.375 inSource-controlled nominal dimension
Wall thickness
0.154 inSource-controlled nominal dimension
Inside diameter
2.067 inCalculated as OD − 2t
Internal flow area
3.356 in²Calculated as πID² ÷ 4

Schedule is not a pressure rating

Schedule identifies a dimensional wall series. Allowable pressure also depends on material specification, temperature, manufacturing tolerance, corrosion allowance, joining method, the applicable piping code, and project conditions.

Server-rendered reference

Pipe Size and Schedule Dimensions

26 common steel-pipe size and schedule combinations.

Search NPS or DN, filter by schedule, select up to four rows for comparison, or choose View to send a row to the diagram.

Scroll horizontally to view additional columns and vertically to view more rows. Column headers remain visible while scrolling.

Limited educational excerpt of common wrought-steel NPS sizes and Schedule 40/80 nominal dimensions. Inside diameter and bore area are calculated from nominal values.
ComparePipe dimensions (in) (in²)Action
NPS 1/2 DN 15 Schedule 40 0.840 in 0.109 in 0.622 in 0.304 in²
NPS 1/2 DN 15 Schedule 80 0.840 in 0.147 in 0.546 in 0.234 in²
NPS 3/4 DN 20 Schedule 40 1.050 in 0.113 in 0.824 in 0.533 in²
NPS 3/4 DN 20 Schedule 80 1.050 in 0.154 in 0.742 in 0.432 in²
NPS 1 DN 25 Schedule 40 1.315 in 0.133 in 1.049 in 0.864 in²
NPS 1 DN 25 Schedule 80 1.315 in 0.179 in 0.957 in 0.719 in²
NPS 1-1/4 DN 32 Schedule 40 1.660 in 0.140 in 1.380 in 1.496 in²
NPS 1-1/4 DN 32 Schedule 80 1.660 in 0.191 in 1.278 in 1.283 in²
NPS 1-1/2 DN 40 Schedule 40 1.900 in 0.145 in 1.610 in 2.036 in²
NPS 1-1/2 DN 40 Schedule 80 1.900 in 0.200 in 1.500 in 1.767 in²
NPS 2 DN 50 Schedule 40 2.375 in 0.154 in 2.067 in 3.356 in²
NPS 2 DN 50 Schedule 80 2.375 in 0.218 in 1.939 in 2.953 in²
NPS 2-1/2 DN 65 Schedule 40 2.875 in 0.203 in 2.469 in 4.788 in²
NPS 2-1/2 DN 65 Schedule 80 2.875 in 0.276 in 2.323 in 4.238 in²
NPS 3 DN 80 Schedule 40 3.500 in 0.216 in 3.068 in 7.393 in²
NPS 3 DN 80 Schedule 80 3.500 in 0.300 in 2.900 in 6.605 in²
NPS 3-1/2 DN 90 Schedule 40 4.000 in 0.226 in 3.548 in 9.887 in²
NPS 3-1/2 DN 90 Schedule 80 4.000 in 0.318 in 3.364 in 8.888 in²
NPS 4 DN 100 Schedule 40 4.500 in 0.237 in 4.026 in 12.730 in²
NPS 4 DN 100 Schedule 80 4.500 in 0.337 in 3.826 in 11.497 in²
NPS 5 DN 125 Schedule 40 5.563 in 0.258 in 5.047 in 20.006 in²
NPS 5 DN 125 Schedule 80 5.563 in 0.375 in 4.813 in 18.194 in²
NPS 6 DN 150 Schedule 40 6.625 in 0.280 in 6.065 in 28.890 in²
NPS 6 DN 150 Schedule 80 6.625 in 0.432 in 5.761 in 26.067 in²
NPS 8 DN 200 Schedule 40 8.625 in 0.322 in 7.981 in 50.027 in²
NPS 8 DN 200 Schedule 80 8.625 in 0.500 in 7.625 in 45.664 in²

Data scope: common NPS 1/2 through 8 wrought-steel dimensions for Schedules 40 and 80 only. Other B36.10 schedules, stainless S schedules, PVC, copper tube, HDPE, ductile iron, tolerances, pressure ratings, and product availability are outside this table.

Table actions and selection controls

Bulk CSV download is intentionally unavailable because the controlling ASME dimensional table is copyrighted. Copy only the limited row needed and verify it against the official standard or approved project documentation.

How to Read a Pipe Size Chart

NPS and DN are nominal designations, not measured diameters. For a given NPS, the outside diameter stays fixed while schedule changes nominal wall thickness and therefore the calculated inside diameter.

NPS
Nominal Pipe Size, a standardized size designation for pipe and matching components.
DN
Diameter Nominal, a nominal metric designation—not an exact millimeter measurement.
OD
Actual nominal outside diameter used for fit-up, supports, and clearances.
ID
Calculated bore from OD minus twice the nominal wall thickness.

Key takeaways

What the Dimensions Mean

  • NPS is a designation: NPS 2 steel pipe has a 2.375-inch nominal outside diameter in this system.
  • OD stays fixed by NPS: Schedule 80 increases wall thickness inward and reduces ID compared with Schedule 40.
  • Use ID for bore geometry: Flow area, velocity, capacity, and friction calculations depend on inside diameter—not the nominal label.
  • Keep dimensional systems separate: Steel NPS, stainless S schedules, PVC schedules, copper tube types, and HDPE SDR are not interchangeable.

Important Pipe Size Chart Limitations

Do not use this chart as a pressure rating

The displayed OD and wall values are nominal dimensional references for a limited set of common steel-pipe sizes. They do not establish allowable pressure, corrosion allowance, mill tolerance, material grade, product availability, code compliance, or fitness for a particular service.

Calculated ID and area exclude wall-thickness tolerance, lining, deposits, corrosion, coatings, and out-of-roundness. Use approved manufacturer data and the governing project specification when minimum bore or fit is critical.

How Pipe ID and Flow Area Are Calculated

  1. Select the NPS or associated DN designation.
  2. Select Schedule 40 or 80 to obtain nominal wall thickness.
  3. Calculate nominal inside diameter from ID = OD − 2t.
  4. Calculate circular bore area from A = πID² ÷ 4.
  5. Verify tolerances, material, service, and code requirements before design use.

Why Schedule Changes Flow Area

At one NPS, Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 share the same OD in this table. The thicker Schedule 80 wall moves inward, reducing ID. Because area varies with the square of ID, a modest bore reduction creates a larger percentage decrease in flow area.

Reverse Lookup Limitation

A measured OD can identify the closest listed NPS candidate, but it generally cannot identify schedule because schedules for the same NPS share OD. Coatings, corrosion, ovality, manufacturing tolerance, and measurement technique may also shift a field reading.

Worked dimensional examples

Pipe Size Chart Examples

NPS 2 Schedule 40 ID

Given: OD = 2.375 in and t = 0.154 in.

Method: ID = 2.375 − 2(0.154) = 2.067 in.

Result: Nominal internal area is about 3.356 in².

Check: Confirm tolerances and the project specification when minimum bore matters.

NPS 2 Schedule 40 vs. 80

Given: Both use 2.375 in OD; wall is 0.154 in versus 0.218 in.

Result: ID falls from 2.067 in to 1.939 in, and nominal area decreases by about 12.0%.

Interpretation: At equal volumetric flow, the smaller bore produces higher average velocity before friction and fittings are evaluated.

Scope and error prevention

Selection Guidance and Common Mistakes

Use this chart for

  • Common steel NPS and DN lookup
  • Schedule 40/80 dimensional comparison
  • Preliminary clearances and bore geometry

Verify separately

  • Material grade and temperature
  • Pressure design and corrosion allowance
  • Wall tolerance and manufacturer availability

Do not mix with

  • PVC or CPVC schedule tables
  • Copper Types K, L, M, or DWV
  • HDPE SDR or tubing OD systems

Common mistakes

  • Treating NPS as the actual ID or OD.
  • Converting NPS directly to millimeters instead of using its associated DN designation.
  • Assuming one schedule has the same wall thickness at every NPS.
  • Using OD to calculate internal fluid capacity.
  • Treating Schedule 80 as a complete pressure rating.

Pipe Size Chart Sources, Scope, and Data Rights

Common wrought-steel NPS dimensions · Schedules 40 and 80 · Dataset version 1.0

This page publishes a limited educational dimensional excerpt and original derived calculations. It does not reproduce the complete ASME B36.10 table and does not provide a bulk standards-derived download.

Dataset and Source-Check Details

Primary standard basis
ASME B36.10-2022, Table 2-1 scope
Displayed scope
NPS 1/2–8; Schedules 40 and 80
Source-controlled fields
NPS, DN, nominal OD, nominal wall
Calculated fields
Nominal ID and circular bore area
Known exclusions
Other schedules, S schedules, tolerances, pressure ratings, grades, and non-steel systems
Rights status
Limited educational excerpt; no complete ASME table or bulk CSV
Rounding
Inch dimensions to 0.001 in; metric to 0.01 mm; areas to 0.001 in² or 0.1 mm²
Publisher
Turn2Engineering

Pipe Size Chart FAQs

No. NPS is a nominal designation. Actual nominal ID changes with wall thickness, so Schedule 80 has a smaller calculated ID than Schedule 40 at the same NPS.

Pipe Size Chart Summary

Use the selector to connect an NPS or DN designation to a common Schedule 40 or 80 steel-pipe cross-section. Read nominal OD and wall thickness, then use the clearly labeled calculated ID and flow area for preliminary geometric checks.

For final design, verify the complete current standard, material specification, manufacturing tolerance, applicable piping code, project conditions, and approved product data.

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