Stainless steel tube weight calculator
A 42.4×2 stainless tube weighs 2.005 kg/m, 48.3×2 2.298, 25×1.5 0.875 kg/m (1.4301). Three tables — pressure tube to EN 10217-7, structural and handrail tube to EN 10296-2, and DIN 11850 hygienic tube — with the mass for 304 and 316L, plus a calculator for any diameter and wall.
Short answer
The weight of stainless tube is π · s · (D − s) · 7.90 / 1000 kg/m (D outside diameter, s wall, both in mm), i.e. 0.02482·s·(D − s). A 42.4×2 tube weighs 2.005 kg/m and a 6 m length 12.0 kg; 29×1.5 hygienic tube (DN25) 1.024 kg/m. For 316L add 1.3 %. The size tables are below.
Stainless tube to EN 10217-7: 21.3–114.3 mm
Welded tube for pressure service has the same outside diameters as carbon steel pipe (21.3 = DN15, 33.7 = DN25, 60.3 = DN50, 114.3 = DN100), only with thinner walls. A 2 mm wall is the one you meet most; 1.5 and 2.6 mm are in the catalogues too — enter them in the calculator.
American pipe to ASME B36.19M (5S, 10S, 40S, 80S) has other diameters — 33.4 instead of 33.7, 73.0 instead of 76.1 mm; its walls and weights are in the pipe schedule chart.
| Size, mm | Cross-section, mm² | kg/m — 1.4301 (304) | kg/m — 1.4404 (316L) | 6 m length, kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.3×2 | 121 | 0.958 | 0.970 | 5.75 |
| 26.9×2 | 156 | 1.236 | 1.252 | 7.42 |
| 33.7×2 | 199 | 1.573 | 1.593 | 9.44 |
| 42.4×2 | 254 | 2.005 | 2.031 | 12.03 |
| 48.3×2 | 291 | 2.298 | 2.327 | 13.79 |
| 60.3×2 | 366 | 2.894 | 2.930 | 17.36 |
| 76.1×2 | 466 | 3.678 | 3.725 | 22.07 |
| 88.9×2 | 546 | 4.313 | 4.368 | 25.88 |
| 114.3×2 | 706 | 5.574 | 5.645 | 33.45 |
Structural and handrail tube: EN 10296-2
Balustrades, handrails, frames and furniture use welded tube to EN 10296-2. Handrails and posts are usually 42.4×2 or 48.3×2, infill rails 12–25 mm.
| Size, mm | Cross-section, mm² | kg/m — 1.4301 (304) | kg/m — 1.4404 (316L) | 6 m length, kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12×1 | 35 | 0.273 | 0.276 | 1.64 |
| 16×1 | 47 | 0.372 | 0.377 | 2.23 |
| 20×1.5 | 87 | 0.689 | 0.697 | 4.13 |
| 25×1.5 | 111 | 0.875 | 0.886 | 5.25 |
| 30×1.5 | 134 | 1.061 | 1.074 | 6.37 |
| 32×1.5 | 144 | 1.135 | 1.150 | 6.81 |
| 40×1.5 | 181 | 1.433 | 1.451 | 8.60 |
| 50×1.5 | 229 | 1.806 | 1.828 | 10.83 |
Example: a 6 m balustrade with a 42.4×2 handrail, two 12×1 infill rails and seven 1 m posts in 42.4×2: handrail 12.03 kg, rails 2 × 1.64 kg, posts 14.04 kg — about 29 kg of tube in all, without anchors and end caps.
Hygienic tube DIN 11850 (EN 10357)
Dairies, breweries and food plants use a series of their own: DIN 11850, replaced in 2014 by EN 10357 with the same dimensions. Series 2 holds the sizes you meet most; note that DN is not the diameter here — DN25 is a 29×1.5 tube and DN50 a 53×1.5.
| Size, mm | DN | Cross-section, mm² | kg/m — 1.4301 (304) | kg/m — 1.4404 (316L) | 6 m length, kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13×1.5 | DN10 | 54 | 0.428 | 0.434 | 2.57 |
| 19×1.5 | DN15 | 82 | 0.651 | 0.660 | 3.91 |
| 23×1.5 | DN20 | 101 | 0.800 | 0.811 | 4.80 |
| 29×1.5 | DN25 | 130 | 1.024 | 1.037 | 6.14 |
| 35×1.5 | DN32 | 158 | 1.247 | 1.263 | 7.48 |
| 41×1.5 | DN40 | 186 | 1.471 | 1.489 | 8.82 |
| 53×1.5 | DN50 | 243 | 1.917 | 1.942 | 11.50 |
| 70×2 | DN65 | 427 | 3.375 | 3.418 | 20.25 |
| 85×2 | DN80 | 522 | 4.120 | 4.172 | 24.72 |
| 104×2 | DN100 | 641 | 5.063 | 5.127 | 30.38 |
Hygienic tube is usually 1.4404 (316L) or 1.4307 (304L) — pick the right mass column. With a 1.5 mm wall a DN50 tube weighs 1.92 kg/m, under 40 % of a 60.3×3.6 steel pipe to EN 10255.
Where the number comes from
The cross-section of a tube is π/4·(D² − d²) = π·s·(D − s). For 42.4×2: π · 2 · 40.4 = 253.8 mm², times 7.90 / 1000 = 2.005 kg/m. The weld seam does not change the mass. Grade densities (EN 10088-1):
| EN grade | Designation | AISI / UNS | Structure | Density, g/cm³ | Difference from 1.4301 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4301 | X5CrNi18-10 | 304 | austenitic | 7.90 | 0 |
| 1.4307 | X2CrNi18-9 | 304L | austenitic | 7.90 | 0 |
| 1.4541 | X6CrNiTi18-10 | 321 | austenitic | 7.90 | 0 |
| 1.4401 | X5CrNiMo17-12-2 | 316 | austenitic | 8.00 | +1.3 % |
| 1.4404 | X2CrNiMo17-12-2 | 316L | austenitic | 8.00 | +1.3 % |
| 1.4571 | X6CrNiMoTi17-12-2 | 316Ti | austenitic | 8.00 | +1.3 % |
| 1.4016 | X6Cr17 | 430 | ferritic | 7.70 | −2.5 % |
| 1.4462 | X2CrNiMoN22-5-3 | 2205 | duplex | 7.80 | −1.3 % |
The actual wall can differ from nominal within the tolerance of the product standard, so the delivered weight may be a few per cent off the table. Stainless square and rectangular hollow sections are in the general stainless steel weight calculator.
The same tube in another material
A 42.4×2 tube weighs 1.993 kg/m in mild steel, 2.005 in stainless and 0.685 kg/m in aluminium. Calculators: steel tube and hollow section, aluminium tube, stainless round bar. Welding thin-wall stainless tube with a root purge — welding stainless steel.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a metre of 42.4×2 stainless tube weigh?
2.005 kg in 1.4301 (304) and 2.031 kg in 1.4404 (316L). A 6 m length is 12.0 kg. A 48.3×2 tube weighs 2.298 kg/m.
What is the difference between DIN 11850 tube and EN 10217-7 tube?
The size series and the purpose. EN 10217-7 is pressure tube with the diameters of carbon steel pipe (33.7; 42.4; 60.3…); DIN 11850 (now EN 10357) is hygienic tube with round-number diameters of 29, 41, 53, 70 mm and a thin 1.5–2 mm wall. DN25 is a 33.7 tube under EN 10217-7 but 29×1.5 under DIN 11850.
How much does DN50 hygienic tube weigh?
Under DIN 11850 series 2 it is a 53×1.5 tube: 1.917 kg/m in 304L and 1.942 kg/m in 316L.
How much does a stainless handrail weigh?
A 42.4×2 handrail weighs 2.005 kg/m, 48.3×2 2.298 kg/m. A 6 m balustrade with a handrail, two 12×1 infill rails and seven posts takes about 29 kg of tube.
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