ASME B36.10M (welded and seamless wrought steel pipe) · DN 100

4 inch Schedule 40 pipe

Outside diameter 4.500" (114.30 mm), wall 0.237" (6.02 mm), inside diameter 4.026" (102.26 mm), 10.80 lb per foot.

Inside diameter
4.026"
102.26 mm · wall 0.237"

Dimensions

Published dimensions for 4 inch Schedule 40 pipe.
Trade sizeNPS 4 · DN 100
ScheduleSchedule 40 · same wall as STD, 40S
StandardASME B36.10M (welded and seamless wrought steel pipe)
Outside diameter4.500" · 114.30 mm
Wall thickness0.237" · 6.02 mm
Inside diameter4.026" · 102.26 mm
Weight, plain end10.80 lb/ft · 16.08 kg/m

Cross-check: the standard plain-end weight formula W = 10.6802 x t x (OD - t) gives 10.79 lb/ft here, 0.1% from the published 10.80 lb/ft. The published figure is the one printed above.

NPS 4 schedule 40 in numbers

NPS 4 schedule 40 pipe measures 4.500 in (114.30 mm) across the outside with a 0.237 in wall, so the bore is 4.026 in (102.26 mm). That bore gives a flow area of 12.73 in² and holds 0.6613 US gallons per foot (8.213 litres per metre). The outside diameter is 19.0 times the wall, and the steel itself has a cross-section of 3.174 in² and weighs 10.80 lb per foot plain end. One trade size up, NPS 5 in the same schedule carries 1.57 times the flow area.

Schedule 30 is the next lighter wall at NPS 4: 0.188 in, 0.049 in thinner, which opens the bore to 4.124 in and adds 4.9% to the flow area, for 20% less weight per foot.

Schedule 80 is the next heavier wall at NPS 4: 0.337 in, 0.100 in thicker, which narrows the bore to 3.826 in and cuts 9.7% from the flow area, for 39% more weight per foot.

Next trade size up in this schedule: NPS 5 schedule 40, bore 5.047 in.

Worked out from the dimensions

Section properties and capacity of 4 inch Schedule 40 pipe, computed from the outside diameter and bore.
Flow area12.73 in²
Capacity0.6613 US gal/ft · 8.213 L/m
Metal area3.174 in²
Moment of inertia7.233 in⁴
Section modulus3.214 in³
Radius of gyration1.510 in
Outside surface1.178 ft² per foot

Plain geometry of a hollow circle with OD = 4.500 in and ID = 4.026 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 4 inch pipe is not 4 inches

Nominal Pipe Size is a label, not a measurement. NPS 4 pipe has an outside diameter of 4.500 inches, and it keeps that outside diameter in every schedule made. What the schedule number changes is the wall: at schedule 40 the wall is 0.237 inches, so the bore comes out at 4.026 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the wall thickness of 4 inch schedule 40 pipe?

0.237 inches (6.02 mm). The outside diameter is 4.500 inches (114.30 mm) whatever the schedule, so this wall leaves an inside diameter of 4.026 inches.

What is the inside diameter of 4 inch schedule 40 pipe?

4.026 inches (102.26 mm). Inside diameter is outside diameter minus twice the wall: 4.500 - 2 x 0.237 = 4.026 inches.

Is 4 inch pipe actually 4 inches?

No. NPS 4 is a trade size, not a measurement. The pipe measures 4.500 inches across the outside and 4.026 inches across the bore in this schedule. Only the outside diameter is fixed across schedules.

How much does 4 inch schedule 40 pipe weigh?

10.80 pounds per foot plain end (16.08 kg per metre), for carbon steel. The figure excludes coatings, linings and fittings.

Is schedule 40 the same as STD or 40S at this size?

Yes, at NPS 4. STD and 40S are the same 0.237 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:

Nearby sizes

Schedule 40 in other trade sizes