MS square pipe and rectangular tube weight chart

40 × 40 × 2 mm: 2.31 kg/m

Weight per metre of cold-formed square (SHS) and rectangular (RHS) hollow sections, often called MS square pipe and MS rectangular pipe. 40 × 40 × 2 mm weighs 2.31 kg/m and 100 × 100 × 5 mm weighs 14.41 kg/m.

Download PDF Common sizes, 6 m lengths FAQ

Square hollow sections (kg/m)

Size (mm)	1.6	2	2.5	3	4	5	6	8	10	12.5
20 × 20	0.87	1.05	1.25
25 × 25	1.12	1.36	1.64	1.89
30 × 30	1.38	1.68	2.03	2.36
40 × 40	1.88	2.31	2.82	3.30	4.20	4.99
50 × 50	2.38	2.93	3.60	4.25	5.45	6.56	7.56
60 × 60	2.88	3.56	4.39	5.19	6.71	8.13	9.45
70 × 70	3.38	4.19	5.17	6.13	7.97	9.70	11.33	13.85
80 × 80	3.89	4.82	5.96	7.07	9.22	11.27	13.21	16.36	19.28
90 × 90		5.45	6.74	8.01	10.48	12.84	15.10	18.87	22.42
100 × 100		6.07	7.53	8.96	11.73	14.41	16.98	21.39	25.56	29.08
120 × 120			9.10	10.84	14.25	17.55	20.75	26.41	31.84	36.93
140 × 140				12.72	16.76	20.69	24.52	31.43	38.12	44.78
150 × 150				13.67	18.01	22.26	26.40	33.95	41.26	48.70
160 × 160					19.27	23.83	28.29	36.46	44.40	52.63
180 × 180					21.78	26.97	32.05	41.48	50.68	60.48
200 × 200					24.29	30.11	35.82	46.51	56.96	68.33
250 × 250						37.96	45.24	59.07	72.66	87.95
300 × 300							54.66	71.63	88.36	107.58

Rectangular hollow sections (kg/m)

Size (mm)	1.6	2	2.5	3	4	5	6	8	10	12.5
40 × 20	1.38	1.68	2.03
50 × 25	1.75	2.15	2.62	3.07
50 × 30	1.88	2.31	2.82	3.30
60 × 40	2.38	2.93	3.60	4.25	5.45	6.56
80 × 40	2.88	3.56	4.39	5.19	6.71	8.13
100 × 50	3.64	4.50	5.56	6.60	8.59	10.48	12.27
100 × 60	3.89	4.82	5.96	7.07	9.22	11.27	13.21
120 × 60	4.39	5.45	6.74	8.01	10.48	12.84	15.10
120 × 80	4.89	6.07	7.53	8.96	11.73	14.41	16.98	21.39	25.56
150 × 100		7.64	9.49	11.31	14.87	18.33	21.69	27.67	33.41	38.89
160 × 80	5.90	7.33	9.10	10.84	14.25	17.55	20.75	26.41	31.84
200 × 100		9.21	11.45	13.67	18.01	22.26	26.40	33.95	41.26	48.70
250 × 150				18.38	24.29	30.11	35.82	46.51	56.96	68.33
300 × 200					30.57	37.96	45.24	59.07	72.66	87.95

Column headings are wall thicknesses in mm. Calculated at 7850 kg/m³ with the EN 10219-2 corner radii (outside 2t up to 6 mm wall, 2.5t to 10 mm, 3t above). Indian IS 4923 and producers' tables can differ by about 1 %. For American sizes see the HSS square tubing chart. steelweight-calculator.com

Common sizes: 6 m lengths and paint area

Square and rectangular pipe is usually sold in 6 m lengths. The table gives the weight of one length, the number of lengths in a tonne, and the outside surface to paint per metre.

Size H × B × t (mm)	kg/m	6 m length (kg)	Lengths per tonne	Paint area (m² per m)
20 × 20 × 2	1.05	6.3	159	0.073
25 × 25 × 2	1.36	8.2	122	0.093
30 × 30 × 2	1.68	10.1	99	0.113
40 × 40 × 2	2.31	13.8	72	0.153
40 × 40 × 3	3.30	19.8	50	0.150
50 × 50 × 3	4.25	25.5	39	0.190
60 × 60 × 3	5.19	31.1	32	0.230
80 × 80 × 4	9.22	55.3	18	0.306
100 × 100 × 4	11.73	70.4	14	0.386
100 × 100 × 5	14.41	86.5	12	0.383
40 × 20 × 2	1.68	10.1	99	0.113
50 × 25 × 2	2.15	12.9	78	0.143
60 × 40 × 3	4.25	25.5	39	0.190
80 × 40 × 3	5.19	31.1	32	0.230
100 × 50 × 3	6.60	39.6	25	0.290
100 × 50 × 4	8.59	51.6	19	0.286
120 × 60 × 4	10.48	62.9	16	0.346
150 × 100 × 5	18.33	110.0	9	0.483

How the weight is calculated

The cross-section of a hollow section is a rectangular ring with rounded corners. Its area is the perimeter of the wall centreline times the wall thickness, less the material missing at the four rounded corners. EN 10219-2 sets the outside corner radius at 2t for walls up to 6 mm, 2.5t up to 10 mm and 3t above that. Weight per metre is the area in mm² × 0.00785.

If you ignore the corners you get a handy quick formula:

kg/m ≈ 0.0157 × t × (H + B − 2t)

It slightly overestimates, more so for thick walls:

Size (mm)	Exact (kg/m)	Quick formula	Difference
40 × 40 × 2	2.31	2.39	+3.5 %
50 × 50 × 3	4.25	4.43	+4.3 %
100 × 100 × 5	14.41	14.91	+3.5 %
200 × 200 × 10	56.96	59.66	+4.7 %

Wall thickness in gauge

Light square pipe is often sold by gauge rather than millimetres. These are the sheet steel gauge thicknesses, with the weight of a 40 × 40 mm pipe in that wall:

Gauge	Wall (mm)	40 × 40 mm (kg/m)
18 gauge	1.21	1.45
16 gauge	1.52	1.79
14 gauge	1.90	2.20
12 gauge	2.66	2.97
11 gauge	3.04	3.34
10 gauge	3.42	3.69

Full gauge table: sheet metal gauge chart.

Standards and names

MS square pipe, square tube, box section and SHS are the same product; rectangular ones are called RHS. Cold-formed (welded from strip and shaped cold) sections follow EN 10219 in Europe, IS 4923 in India and ASTM A500 in the US. Hot-finished sections (EN 10210) have tighter corners, so they are slightly heavier for the same size and wall.

Square pipe is used for gates, grilles, fences, sheds, trusses, furniture, racks, vehicle bodies and columns. For round pipe see the pipe schedule chart; for flat bar, the MS flat weight chart.

Frequently asked questions

What is the weight of a 40 × 40 × 2 mm square pipe?

2.31 kg per metre, so a 6 m length weighs about 13.8 kg.

What is the weight of a 100 × 100 × 5 mm square tube?

14.41 kg per metre; a 6 m length is about 86.5 kg and a 12 m length about 172.9 kg.

What is the formula for square pipe weight?

A quick formula is kg/m = 0.0157 × t × (H + B − 2t), with the outside sizes H, B and the wall t in mm. It ignores the rounded corners and overestimates by about 3 to 5 %. This chart uses the exact cross-section with the EN 10219 corner radii.

How many 6 m lengths of 40 × 40 × 2 square pipe are in a tonne?

About 72 lengths: 1000 kg ÷ 13.8 kg per length.

What thickness is 16 gauge or 18 gauge square pipe?

Sheet steel gauges: 18 gauge is about 1.2 mm, 16 gauge about 1.5 mm, 14 gauge about 1.9 mm and 12 gauge about 2.7 mm. Producers round these to their own nominal walls, so check the actual thickness in mm.

Is MS square pipe the same as SHS?

Yes. MS square pipe, square tube, box section and SHS (square hollow section) are names for the same product. Rectangular ones are RHS. Cold-formed sections are made to EN 10219, IS 4923 in India or ASTM A500 in the US; hot-finished ones to EN 10210.