Technical

Steel Tube Weight Chart

Tube mass per metre is a calculated figure, not a measured one. It depends on the cross-sectional area derived from the ordered dimensions and on the density assumed for the material — so the same size in two alloy families does not give the same number.

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Method

How a tube mass figure is arrived at

Two inputs, in this order: the cross-sectional area from the dimensions, then the density assumed for the material. Change either and the figure changes.

1Take the ordered dimensions — OD and wall, or OD and ID — from the purchase specification, not from a nominal size label.
2Derive the cross-sectional area of the metal, treating the bore as a void.
3Multiply by the density assumed for the material family and grade.
4Convert to the unit your commercial basis uses, and state which unit it is.
5Treat the result as a theoretical figure and confirm the commercial basis separately.

What changes the figure

Whether OD and wall or OD and ID were the ordered dimensions
The material family and grade, through its density
Whether the figure is per metre, per piece or per bundle
Whether end preparation or machining removes material
Whether the commercial basis is theoretical or weighed

Density by family

Density is a property of the material, not of the size

Two tubes of identical dimensions in different material families do not have the same mass. Reusing a carbon-steel figure for an alloy or stainless grade is the commonest error in a tube mass estimate.

Carbon and carbon-manganese steel

The usual nominal figure for general carbon steel tube.

Confirm the density basis with the governing standard or the mill.

Low-alloy ferritic steel

Alloying additions change the nominal density slightly from plain carbon steel.

Do not reuse a carbon-steel figure for an alloy grade without confirming it.

Austenitic stainless and high-alloy steel

Austenitic grades are typically denser than carbon steel at the same dimensions.

Use the density appropriate to the actual grade when handling or freight matters.

The dimensional basis

Mass per metre follows from the cross-sectional area, which depends on OD and wall together.

Confirm whether OD and wall or OD and ID are the ordered dimensions.

No density value is published on this page. Density varies by grade within a family, so the figure to use comes from the governing standard edition or from the mill — not from a general table.

Limits

What a theoretical mass figure does not establish

A calculated mass is a planning aid. It is not a measurement and not a commercial basis unless the contract says so.

Limits of a theoretical tube mass figure: the claim and the reality
The claim	The reality	What to do instead
It equals the delivered mass	Dimensional variation within the permitted tolerances changes the actual mass, and a theoretical figure assumes nominal dimensions throughout.	Treat it as an estimate and confirm the commercial basis in writing.
It is an invoicing basis	Unless the contract specifies a theoretical basis, invoicing follows the agreed commercial terms, not a page calculation.	State the quantity basis and the weighing or theoretical basis on the enquiry.
It covers the whole order	A per-metre figure says nothing about cutting allowance, end preparation or the mass removed by machining.	Add the processing scope before using it for handling or freight.
It is grade-independent	Density varies by family and grade, so an alloy tube and a carbon tube of the same size differ.	Use the density for the actual material, not a default.

Continue from a mass estimate to the specification

Mass is a handling input, not an acceptance basis. The dimensional and material decisions come first.