Rigid PVC (Type I) Round Tube Weight
Mass per metre and per foot for rigid pvc (type i) round tube at 1,400 kg/m³ (ASTM D1784 Cell Classification 12454). Every figure is for the section as drawn. A 6 m length of this size weighs 3.7 kg (8.3 lb per 20 ft).
At the reference dimensions (D = 50 mm, t = 3 mm) this section has a cross-sectional area of 443.0 mm², giving 0.620 kg/m (0.417 lb/ft). Against carbon steel's 7,850 kg/m³ that is -82.2 % — the same section in steel would be 3.477 kg/m.
Round Tube — formula and derivation
Area of a round tube
A = π/4 · (D² − d²), d = D − 2t
A = π/4 × (D² − d²), where D is the outside diameter, d the inside diameter, and d = D − 2t for wall thickness t
Worked through with the default dimensions:
A = π/4 × (D² − d²)d = 50 − 2 × 3 = 44.0 mmA = 0.785398 × (50² − 44.0²)A = 0.785398 × 564.0A = 443.0 mm²
- D
- Outside diameter
- t
- Wall thickness — Must be less than half the outside diameter.
Weight follows from the area with no further geometry: m = A × 10⁻⁶ × ρ, where A is in mm², ρ in kg/m³ and m in kg/m. At 1,400 kg/m³ that is 0.6202 kg/m for the reference size above.
PVC round tube — size series
| Outside diameter | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | 0.048 kg/m · 0.033 lb/ft | 0.069 kg/m · 0.047 lb/ft | 0.088 kg/m · 0.059 lb/ft | 0.119 kg/m · 0.080 lb/ft | 0.141 kg/m · 0.095 lb/ft | 0.154 kg/m · 0.103 lb/ft | 0.158 kg/m · 0.106 lb/ft | 0.141 kg/m · 0.095 lb/ft |
| 16 mm | 0.066 kg/m · 0.044 lb/ft | 0.096 kg/m · 0.064 lb/ft | 0.123 kg/m · 0.083 lb/ft | 0.172 kg/m · 0.115 lb/ft | 0.211 kg/m · 0.142 lb/ft | 0.242 kg/m · 0.163 lb/ft | 0.264 kg/m · 0.177 lb/ft | 0.281 kg/m · 0.189 lb/ft |
| 20 mm | 0.084 kg/m · 0.056 lb/ft | 0.122 kg/m · 0.082 lb/ft | 0.158 kg/m · 0.106 lb/ft | 0.224 kg/m · 0.151 lb/ft | 0.281 kg/m · 0.189 lb/ft | 0.330 kg/m · 0.222 lb/ft | 0.369 kg/m · 0.248 lb/ft | 0.422 kg/m · 0.284 lb/ft |
| 25 mm | 0.106 kg/m · 0.071 lb/ft | 0.155 kg/m · 0.104 lb/ft | 0.202 kg/m · 0.136 lb/ft | 0.290 kg/m · 0.195 lb/ft | 0.369 kg/m · 0.248 lb/ft | 0.440 kg/m · 0.296 lb/ft | 0.501 kg/m · 0.337 lb/ft | 0.598 kg/m · 0.402 lb/ft |
| 32 mm | 0.136 kg/m · 0.092 lb/ft | 0.201 kg/m · 0.135 lb/ft | 0.264 kg/m · 0.177 lb/ft | 0.383 kg/m · 0.257 lb/ft | 0.493 kg/m · 0.331 lb/ft | 0.594 kg/m · 0.399 lb/ft | 0.686 kg/m · 0.461 lb/ft | 0.844 kg/m · 0.567 lb/ft |
| 40 mm | 0.172 kg/m · 0.115 lb/ft | 0.254 kg/m · 0.171 lb/ft | 0.334 kg/m · 0.225 lb/ft | 0.488 kg/m · 0.328 lb/ft | 0.633 kg/m · 0.426 lb/ft | 0.770 kg/m · 0.517 lb/ft | 0.897 kg/m · 0.603 lb/ft | 1.126 kg/m · 0.757 lb/ft |
| 50 mm | 0.216 kg/m · 0.145 lb/ft | 0.320 kg/m · 0.215 lb/ft | 0.422 kg/m · 0.284 lb/ft | 0.620 kg/m · 0.417 lb/ft | 0.809 kg/m · 0.544 lb/ft | 0.990 kg/m · 0.665 lb/ft | 1.161 kg/m · 0.780 lb/ft | 1.478 kg/m · 0.993 lb/ft |
| 63 mm | 0.273 kg/m · 0.183 lb/ft | 0.406 kg/m · 0.273 lb/ft | 0.537 kg/m · 0.361 lb/ft | 0.792 kg/m · 0.532 lb/ft | 1.038 kg/m · 0.697 lb/ft | 1.275 kg/m · 0.857 lb/ft | 1.504 kg/m · 1.011 lb/ft | 1.935 kg/m · 1.300 lb/ft |
| 76 mm | 0.330 kg/m · 0.222 lb/ft | 0.492 kg/m · 0.330 lb/ft | 0.651 kg/m · 0.437 lb/ft | 0.963 kg/m · 0.647 lb/ft | 1.267 kg/m · 0.851 lb/ft | 1.561 kg/m · 1.049 lb/ft | 1.847 kg/m · 1.241 lb/ft | 2.393 kg/m · 1.608 lb/ft |
| 89 mm | 0.387 kg/m · 0.260 lb/ft | 0.577 kg/m · 0.388 lb/ft | 0.765 kg/m · 0.514 lb/ft | 1.135 kg/m · 0.763 lb/ft | 1.495 kg/m · 1.005 lb/ft | 1.847 kg/m · 1.241 lb/ft | 2.190 kg/m · 1.472 lb/ft | 2.850 kg/m · 1.915 lb/ft |
| 114 mm | 0.497 kg/m · 0.334 lb/ft | 0.742 kg/m · 0.499 lb/ft | 0.985 kg/m · 0.662 lb/ft | 1.465 kg/m · 0.984 lb/ft | 1.935 kg/m · 1.300 lb/ft | 2.397 kg/m · 1.611 lb/ft | 2.850 kg/m · 1.915 lb/ft | 3.730 kg/m · 2.506 lb/ft |
| 168 mm | 0.735 kg/m · 0.494 lb/ft | 1.098 kg/m · 0.738 lb/ft | 1.460 kg/m · 0.981 lb/ft | 2.177 kg/m · 1.463 lb/ft | 2.885 kg/m · 1.939 lb/ft | 3.585 kg/m · 2.409 lb/ft | 4.275 kg/m · 2.873 lb/ft | 5.630 kg/m · 3.783 lb/ft |
Rows: outside diameter (mm). Columns: wall thickness (mm). Computed for Rigid PVC (Type I) at 1400 kg/m³.
| Outside diameter | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | 34.6 | 49.5 | 62.8 | 84.8 | 100.5 | 110.0 | 113.1 | 100.5 |
| 16 mm | 47.1 | 68.3 | 88.0 | 122.5 | 150.8 | 172.8 | 188.5 | 201.1 |
| 20 mm | 59.7 | 87.2 | 113.1 | 160.2 | 201.1 | 235.6 | 263.9 | 301.6 |
| 25 mm | 75.4 | 110.7 | 144.5 | 207.3 | 263.9 | 314.2 | 358.1 | 427.3 |
| 32 mm | 97.4 | 143.7 | 188.5 | 273.3 | 351.9 | 424.1 | 490.1 | 603.2 |
| 40 mm | 122.5 | 181.4 | 238.8 | 348.7 | 452.4 | 549.8 | 640.9 | 804.2 |
| 50 mm | 153.9 | 228.6 | 301.6 | 443.0 | 578.1 | 706.9 | 829.4 | 1,055.6 |
| 63 mm | 194.8 | 289.8 | 383.3 | 565.5 | 741.4 | 911.1 | 1,074.4 | 1,382.3 |
| 76 mm | 235.6 | 351.1 | 465.0 | 688.0 | 904.8 | 1,115.3 | 1,319.5 | 1,709.0 |
| 89 mm | 276.5 | 412.3 | 546.6 | 810.5 | 1,068.1 | 1,319.5 | 1,564.5 | 2,035.8 |
| 114 mm | 355.0 | 530.1 | 703.7 | 1,046.2 | 1,382.3 | 1,712.2 | 2,035.8 | 2,664.1 |
| 168 mm | 524.6 | 784.6 | 1,043.0 | 1,555.1 | 2,060.9 | 2,560.4 | 3,053.6 | 4,021.2 |
Area is a property of the geometry alone, so this table is the same for every material. It is what you enter into a stress calculation; the mass table is what you enter into an order.
Each row is one nominal size. Because the area is computed from your dimensions rather than read from a mill table, a non-standard size is just as accurate — put it into the calculator above rather than interpolating between rows.
The same round tube in every material
Geometry is fixed and only density changes, so this table is the whole material-selection question in one view. Rigid PVC (Type I) is highlighted. The percentage column is against carbon steel, which is the figure most quotations are built on.
| Material | Density kg/m³ | lb/in³ | Mass / length kg/m | lb/ft | vs carbon steel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Steel | 7,850 | 0.2836 | 3.477 | 2.337 | +0.0 % |
| Stainless Steel 304 | 8,000 | 0.2890 | 3.544 | 2.381 | +1.9 % |
| Stainless Steel 316 | 8,000 | 0.2890 | 3.544 | 2.381 | +1.9 % |
| Stainless Steel 316L | 8,000 | 0.2890 | 3.544 | 2.381 | +1.9 % |
| Stainless Steel 430 | 7,700 | 0.2782 | 3.411 | 2.292 | -1.9 % |
| Aluminum 6061-T6 | 2,700 | 0.0975 | 1.196 | 0.804 | -65.6 % |
| Aluminum 5052-H32 | 2,680 | 0.0968 | 1.187 | 0.798 | -65.9 % |
| Aluminum 7075-T6 | 2,810 | 0.1015 | 1.245 | 0.836 | -64.2 % |
| Copper C11000 | 8,940 | 0.3230 | 3.960 | 2.661 | +13.9 % |
| Brass C36000 | 8,500 | 0.3071 | 3.765 | 2.530 | +8.3 % |
| Bronze C93200 | 8,800 | 0.3179 | 3.898 | 2.619 | +12.1 % |
| Titanium Grade 2 | 4,510 | 0.1629 | 1.998 | 1.342 | -42.5 % |
| Gray Cast Iron | 7,200 | 0.2601 | 3.189 | 2.143 | -8.3 % |
| Lead | 11,340 | 0.4097 | 5.023 | 3.375 | +44.5 % |
| Rigid PVC (Type I) | 1,400 | 0.0506 | 0.620 | 0.417 | -82.2 % |
| HDPE (PE 100) | 960 | 0.0347 | 0.425 | 0.286 | -87.8 % |
Same geometry throughout, so the only variable is density. Carbon steel is highlighted as the baseline.
A note on using this table for costing: mass is not price. Aluminium is roughly a third of steel's mass here, but per kilogram it costs several times more, so a straight swap rarely saves money — what it buys is reduced load on a structure or a vehicle.
About rigid pvc (type i)
Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, the standard solvent-welded pipe and duct material. At 1,400 kg/m³ it is 82 % lighter than carbon steel — the single biggest mass saving available in the catalogue — which is why PVC pipe is specified for drainage, irrigation and fume ducting where nothing structural is asked of it. The figure assumes rigid, unplasticised compound; flexible PVC contains plasticiser and runs 1,200–1,500 kg/m³, and foamed PVC is far lower again.
- Density
- 1,400 kg/m³ = 0.0506 lb/in³ · 0.1783× carbon steel · typical spread ±3 %
- Specification
- ASTM D1784 Cell Classification 12454
- Equivalents
- EN PVC-U · JIS PVC · GB PVC-U
- Typical uses
- Drainage and soil pipe · Irrigation and fume duct · Chemical process pipework · Electrical conduit
Density is formulation-dependent: rigid compound 1,380–1,450 kg/m³, plasticised grades are lighter and foamed grades much lighter. Strength falls sharply above about 60 °C.
About round tube
Hollow sections are the most efficient way to buy stiffness by weight, and the numbers are stark: a 50 mm outside diameter tube with a 3 mm wall has the same area as a 22.6 mm solid bar — about 20 % of the mass — but its second moment of area is roughly 2.4 times larger. The catch is local: a thin wall buckles and dents long before it yields, so tube is chosen for stiffness and stability, never for where impact or crushing is expected.
Specified as outside diameter × wall thickness. State the standard (e.g. EN 10219) and whether the tube is welded or seamless.
Download this data
PVC round tube — CSV
Both buttons below read the tables rendered on this page, so the file matches what you are looking at. The full catalogue — all 16 materials across all 10 sections — is on the downloads page.
Fields are quoted per RFC 4180, with a UTF-8 byte-order mark so Excel reads the mm² and · characters correctly. Blank lines separate the weight matrix from the area matrix.
Frequently asked questions
How much does rigid pvc (type i) round tube weigh?
At the reference dimensions (D = 50 mm, t = 3 mm) a rigid pvc (type i) round tube of this size weighs 0.620 kg/m, or 0.417 lb/ft. The table above lists the figure for every standard size so you can read your size directly instead of scaling.
How is the weight of round tube calculated?
Weight is cross-sectional area × length × density. For this shape the area is A = π/4 · (D² − d²), d = D − 2t. At the reference dimensions that gives 443.0 mm², and multiplying by rigid pvc (type i)'s density of 1,400 kg/m³ gives 0.620 kg/m. Nothing is looked up in a table — which is why a non-standard size is calculated just as accurately as a standard one.
Why does rigid pvc (type i) weigh more or less than steel?
It is lighter than carbon steel for the same section — about 82 % lighter at 1,400 kg/m³. Density is the only variable: the cross-sectional area depends purely on geometry, so a round tube of the same dimensions has the same area in every material and the mass simply scales with density. In this case the ratio is 0.1783× carbon steel.
What is the cross-sectional area of a round tube?
The area depends only on the dimensions, not on the material, so it is identical whichever material you select: at the reference dimensions it is 443.0 mm² (0.6866 in²). That is the number you would enter into a stress or deflection calculation, and it is why changing material on this page never changes the area column.
Does a pvc round tube weigh the same as a pvc part of a different shape?
No, and the difference is larger than most people expect. At equal nominal size, a square bar is 27.3 % heavier than a round bar, and a hollow section is typically 60–80 % lighter than the solid bar it replaces. Weight follows area, and area changes faster than dimensions do — which is exactly why this needs calculating rather than estimating.
Should I use PVC weight or carbon steel weight for costing?
Use the material you are actually buying. At 1,400 kg/m³ against carbon steel's 7,850 kg/m³, the same round tube differs by 82.2 % in mass. On a per-metre quote that is invisible; on a fabricated tonnage it is the difference between a margin and a loss. This page computes the steel figure as 3.477 kg/m for comparison.
Other materials, same round tube
The same geometry in every material, so the only variable is density.
- Carbon steel round tube — 7850 kg/m³
- SS 304 round tube — 8000 kg/m³
- SS 316 round tube — 8000 kg/m³
- AL 6061 round tube — 2700 kg/m³
- Copper round tube — 8940 kg/m³
- Brass round tube — 8500 kg/m³
- HDPE round tube — 960 kg/m³
- AL 5052 round tube — 2680 kg/m³
Other PVC sections
The same density applied to every shape the site covers.
- PVC round bar — A = π/4 · d²
- PVC square bar — A = a²
- PVC hexagonal bar — A = (√3/2) · AF² ≈ 0.8660 · AF²
- PVC flat bar — A = w · t
- PVC plate — A = w · t
- PVC square tube — A = a² − (a − 2t)²
Reference data and tools
- Metal weight overview — how the calculation works
- All 16 materials — densities and specifications
- All 10 sections — formulas and size series
- Density chart — lightest to heaviest
- Metal weight calculator — any size, any material
- All calculators — metal weight and pipe weight
- Download the data — CSV, generated from the same source
- Cross-reference tables — DN / NPS / material equivalents
- Methodology and sources — where every number comes from
Round Tube area from A = π/4 · (D² − d²), d = D − 2t. Mass computed as area × length × density at 1,400 kg/m³ (ASTM D1784 Cell Classification 12454). No weight on this page is copied from a published table — which is why figures can differ in the last significant digit from a mill's chart calculated at a nominal density.
- Elementary plane geometry. The circle, polygon and hollow-section area formulas.
- ASTM material specifications for each grade named in the material entry (A36, A240/A276, B209/B211/B221, B152/B16/B505, B265/B348, A48, B29, D1784, D3350).
- BIPM / NIST definitional constants: international inch = 25.4 mm, foot = 0.3048 m, pound = 0.45359237 kg.
Dataset version 2026.09.1 · dimensions last verified against source 2026-09-21. Found an error? Report it — corrections are issued with a version bump.