REFERENCE TABLE · CONSTRUCTION · PVC
Every common PVC pipe size from 1/2″ to 4″ with the published ASTM D1785 numbers: outside diameter, wall thickness, inside diameter, and weight per foot — for Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 side by side. Pick a size and length above and the calculator returns the full spec plus total weight: 2″ Schedule 40 × 10 ft = 7.20 lb. The full printable chart is under the calculator.
Pick a nominal size, a schedule, and the total length in feet. The calculator returns the pipe’s published specs — outside diameter, inside diameter, wall thickness, and weight per foot — plus the total weight. Values come straight from the ASTM D1785 standard table.
Nominal ≠ actual; schedule = wall. A “2-inch pipe” has a 2.375″ outside diameter — the nominal size is a name, not a measurement. The OD never changes between schedules; Schedule 80 just adds wall thickness, which shrinks the inside (2″ Sch 40: 2.067″ ID; 2″ Sch 80: 1.939″ ID) and adds weight (0.720 vs 0.95 lb/ft). Default check: 2″ Sch 40 × 10 ft = 0.720 × 10 = 7.20 lb. ID on this page is always the calculated ID — OD minus twice the wall, applied to every row; some published tables print a slightly different “average ID,” which is why numbers vary a few hundredths between charts. Use Schedule 40 for drainage and cold water; step up to 80 when the pipe carries real pressure or lives exposed. And always build to your local plumbing code, not to this chart alone.
Setup: 2″ Schedule 40 PVC and 10 feet of it.
Line 1 — the specs. From the ASTM D1785 table: OD 2.375″, wall 0.154″, ID 2.067″, weight 0.720 lb/ft. The ID is OD minus twice the wall — 2.375 − 2 × 0.154 = 2.067 — the calculated-ID convention this page uses on every row, so you can verify any cell yourself.
Line 2 — the total. 0.720 lb/ft × 10 ft = 7.20 lb — one 10-ft stick you can carry under one arm.
Branch — pressure service (1″ Sch 80 × 25 ft): thicker wall 0.179″, ID 0.957″, 0.41 lb/ft × 25 ft = 10.25 lb — typical for a well-pump drop line.
Branch — a sewer main (3″ Sch 40 × 10 ft): OD 3.500″, ID 3.068″, 1.488 lb/ft × 10 ft = 14.88 lb — the drain-waste-vent workhorse.
Branch — a full irrigation run (1/2″ Sch 80 × 100 ft): 0.20 lb/ft × 100 ft = 20.00 lb — the thicker wall earns its keep where a lawnmower or a shovel might find the pipe.
| Nominal | OD (in) | Schedule 40 — wall / ID / lb-ft | Schedule 80 — wall / ID / lb-ft | Typical use | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2″ | 0.840 | 0.109 | 0.622 | 0.170 | 0.147 | 0.546 | 0.20 | Irrigation laterals, pool returns, drip lines |
| 3/4″ | 1.050 | 0.113 | 0.824 | 0.226 | 0.154 | 0.742 | 0.27 | Sprinkler heads, pool equipment, cold-water branches |
| 1″ | 1.315 | 0.133 | 1.049 | 0.333 | 0.179 | 0.957 | 0.41 | Main water service lines, well drop pipe |
| 1-1/4″ | 1.660 | 0.140 | 1.380 | 0.450 | 0.191 | 1.278 | 0.52 | Pump discharge lines, well pump columns |
| 1-1/2″ | 1.900 | 0.145 | 1.610 | 0.537 | 0.200 | 1.500 | 0.67 | Drain branches, pump suction lines |
| 2″ | 2.375 | 0.154 | 2.067 | 0.720 | 0.218 | 1.939 | 0.95 | Building drains, pool circulation mains |
| 2-1/2″ | 2.875 | 0.203 | 2.469 | 1.136 | 0.276 | 2.323 | 1.45 | Commercial drain stacks |
| 3″ | 3.500 | 0.216 | 3.068 | 1.488 | 0.300 | 2.900 | 1.94 | Sewer mains, DWV stacks |
| 4″ | 4.500 | 0.237 | 4.026 | 2.118 | 0.337 | 3.826 | 2.75 | Building sewers, main drains |
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Total weight (lb) | weight per foot × length | 7.20 lb at the defaults — the number your supplier bills by. |
| Outside diameter | from the standard table | 2.375 in for 2″ — the dimension fittings are made to; identical for both schedules. |
| Inside diameter | from the standard table | 2.067 in for 2″ Sch 40 — the bore the water actually sees; shrinks to 1.939 in Sch 80. |
| Wall thickness | from the standard table | 0.154 in for 2″ Sch 40 — the schedule’s whole identity. |
| Typical use | industry convention | Building drains, pool circulation mains for 2″ — a starting point, not a code ruling. |
All ODs, walls, and weights are the ASTM D1785 published nominal values — nominal wall is a minimum, so real pipe can run slightly thicker (and heavier) within tolerance. IDs are the calculated ID (OD − 2 × wall), applied consistently; some tables print an “average ID” that reads a few hundredths smaller, which is the usual reason two charts disagree. Weights are for the pipe body only — fittings, glue, and hangers aren’t included. This page covers PVC Schedule 40 and 80, 1/2″ through 4″ only — it does not cover CPVC, ABS, SDR-series pipe, or pressure ratings (PVC derates above 73°F and is not for hot water). Typical-use column is industry convention. Pipe selection is code work: always build to your local plumbing code and your engineer’s spec.
Bright Side Kit. "PVC Pipe Chart: Schedule 40 & 80 Specs | Bright Side Kit." https://brightoolbox.com/pvc-pipe-size-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.Data sources“Schedule” is the wall-thickness family. For the same nominal size, Schedule 80 has a thicker wall (2″: 0.218″ vs 0.154″), a smaller inside diameter (1.939″ vs 2.047″), and more weight per foot (0.95 vs 0.720 lb/ft) — while the outside diameter is identical (2.375″), so both use the same fittings. Use 40 for drainage and cold water; use 80 for pressure and exposed work. And don’t judge by color: color does not tell you the schedule — white, gray, and even blue pipe are all made in both schedules. Read the print on the pipe wall.
No. Nominal size is a name, not a measurement — a “2-inch” pipe has a 2.375″ outside diameter and a 2.047″ inside diameter (Schedule 40). The same naming applies across the chart: “1-inch” is really 1.315″ OD. Always look up the real numbers before drilling holes or sizing pumps.
Most residential zones run 3/4″ or 1″ — 3/4″ for the laterals feeding the heads, 1″ for the main line from the valve box. Drip and micro-spray laterals often drop to 1/2″. Size by flow and pressure loss, not by habit — and check your local code for backflow-prevention rules before you dig.
No. PVC is rated to 140°F maximum, and its pressure rating derates as temperature rises — it is a cold-water and drain material. For hot-water distribution, CPVC (rated to ~200°F) or another code-approved material is the standard choice.
Residential building drains and sewers are typically 3″ or 4″ Schedule 40 — 4″ (4.500″ OD, 3.998″ ID) is the common building-sewer size. Minimum sizes, slopes, and cleanout spacing are code items, not chart items: confirm with your local plumbing code before trenching.
Because nominal size is a legacy name, not a measurement — it dates to early pipe dimensions and the name stuck while the standards moved on. A “1-inch” PVC pipe has a 1.315″ outside diameter and a 1.049″ inside diameter (Schedule 40). Drill holes, size pumps, and buy fittings by the OD, never by the name on the shelf tag.
Both — for different jobs. Fittings, OD-based tools, and hole saws work off the outside diameter (which is identical for Schedule 40 and 80, so fittings are interchangeable between schedules). Flow calculations work off the inside diameter. One more trap: this chart is IPS (iron pipe size); CTS (copper tube size) pipe used for indoor supply lines has smaller ODs at the same nominal size — never mix the two systems on one run.
7.20 lb: 0.720 lb/ft × 10 ft (2″ Schedule 40). The same stick in Schedule 80 weighs 9.50 lb (0.95 lb/ft) — the thicker wall’s price, in pounds.