Dimensions
Cross-check: the standard plain-end weight formula W = 10.6802 x t x (OD - t) gives 0.54 lb/ft here, 0.4% from the published 0.54 lb/ft. The published figure is the one printed above.
NPS 1/2 schedule 5 in numbers
NPS 1/2 schedule 5 pipe measures 0.840 in (21.34 mm) across the outside with a 0.065 in wall, so the bore is 0.710 in (18.04 mm). That bore gives a flow area of 0.3959 in² and holds 0.02057 US gallons per foot (0.2554 litres per metre). The outside diameter is 12.9 times the wall, and the steel itself has a cross-section of 0.1583 in² and weighs 0.54 lb per foot plain end. One trade size up, NPS 3/4 in the same schedule carries 1.68 times the flow area.
Schedule 10 is the next heavier wall at NPS 1/2: 0.083 in, 0.018 in thicker, which narrows the bore to 0.674 in and cuts 9.9% from the flow area, for 24% more weight per foot.
Next trade size up in this schedule: NPS 3/4 schedule 5, bore 0.920 in.
Worked out from the dimensions
Plain geometry of a hollow circle with OD = 0.840 in and ID = 0.710 in: flow area π/4·ID², metal area π/4·(OD² − ID²), moment of inertia π/64·(OD⁴ − ID⁴), section modulus I ÷ (OD/2), radius of gyration √(I ÷ metal area), capacity flow area × 12 ÷ 231 (231 in³ to the US gallon). Nominal dimensions, so mill tolerance and corrosion allowance are not included.
Why 1/2 inch pipe is not 1/2 inches
Nominal Pipe Size is a label, not a measurement. NPS 1/2 pipe has an outside diameter of 0.840 inches, and it keeps that outside diameter in every schedule made. What the schedule number changes is the wall: at schedule 5 the wall is 0.065 inches, so the bore comes out at 0.710 inches.
That is the practical consequence. Fittings, flanges, supports and threading dies are sized to the outside diameter, so they fit any schedule of the same trade size. Flow, pressure drop and anything that has to pass through the pipe depend on the inside diameter, which changes with every schedule. Order by trade size and schedule; work your hydraulics from the bore.
Other schedules in NPS 1/2
Same outside diameter of 0.840 inches throughout - only the wall and the bore move.
Frequently asked questions
What is the wall thickness of 1/2 inch schedule 5 pipe?
0.065 inches (1.65 mm). The outside diameter is 0.840 inches (21.34 mm) whatever the schedule, so this wall leaves an inside diameter of 0.710 inches.
What is the inside diameter of 1/2 inch schedule 5 pipe?
0.710 inches (18.04 mm). Inside diameter is outside diameter minus twice the wall: 0.840 - 2 x 0.065 = 0.710 inches.
Is 1/2 inch pipe actually 1/2 inches?
No. NPS 1/2 is a trade size, not a measurement. The pipe measures 0.840 inches across the outside and 0.710 inches across the bore in this schedule. Only the outside diameter is fixed across schedules.
How much does 1/2 inch schedule 5 pipe weigh?
0.54 pounds per foot plain end (0.8 kg per metre), for carbon steel. The figure excludes coatings, linings and fittings.
Is schedule 5 the same as 5S at this size?
Yes, at NPS 1/2. 5S is the same 0.065 inch wall here. That coincidence is per size and does not hold everywhere: standard wall and schedule 40 part company above NPS 10, and extra strong and schedule 80 part company above NPS 8.
Where this table stops
This table runs from NPS 1/8 to NPS 24 and stops there. ASME B36.10M itself continues to NPS 80; those larger sizes are not carried here, so a size above NPS 24 is missing rather than undefined.
Where these figures come from
Dimensions are as defined by ASME B36.10M (welded and seamless wrought steel pipe). This site is an independent reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by any standards body.
Every value on this page was cross-checked against 5 independent published sources: