Dimensions
Cross-check: the standard plain-end weight formula W = 10.6802 x t x (OD - t) gives 20.98 lb/ft here, 0.1% from the published 21.00 lb/ft. The published figure is the one printed above.
NPS 12 schedule 5 in numbers
NPS 12 schedule 5 pipe measures 12.750 in (323.85 mm) across the outside with a 0.156 in wall, so the bore is 12.438 in (315.93 mm). That bore gives a flow area of 121.5 in² and holds 6.312 US gallons per foot (78.39 litres per metre). The outside diameter is 81.7 times the wall, and the steel itself has a cross-section of 6.172 in² and weighs 21.00 lb per foot plain end. One trade size up, NPS 14 in the same schedule carries 1.21 times the flow area.
Schedule 10 is the next heavier wall at NPS 12: 0.180 in, 0.024 in thicker, which narrows the bore to 12.390 in and cuts 0.8% from the flow area, for 15% more weight per foot.
Next trade size up in this schedule: NPS 14 schedule 5, bore 13.688 in.
Worked out from the dimensions
Plain geometry of a hollow circle with OD = 12.750 in and ID = 12.438 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 12 inch pipe is not 12 inches
Nominal Pipe Size is a label, not a measurement. NPS 12 pipe has an outside diameter of 12.750 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 0.156 inches, so the bore comes out at 12.438 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 12
Same outside diameter of 12.750 inches throughout - only the wall and the bore move.
Frequently asked questions
What is the wall thickness of 12 inch schedule 5 pipe?
0.156 inches (3.96 mm). The outside diameter is 12.750 inches (323.85 mm) whatever the schedule, so this wall leaves an inside diameter of 12.438 inches.
What is the inside diameter of 12 inch schedule 5 pipe?
12.438 inches (315.93 mm). Inside diameter is outside diameter minus twice the wall: 12.750 - 2 x 0.156 = 12.438 inches.
Is 12 inch pipe actually 12 inches?
No. NPS 12 is a trade size, not a measurement. The pipe measures 12.750 inches across the outside and 12.438 inches across the bore in this schedule. Only the outside diameter is fixed across schedules.
How much does 12 inch schedule 5 pipe weigh?
21.00 pounds per foot plain end (31.24 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 12. 5S is the same 0.156 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: