How to Calculate the Wall for Tubing

Knowing the wall measurement of a tube helps you determine how strong a tube is for your project. Tubes have both an inside (ID) and outside diameter (OD). The difference between these two measurements is the wall thickness. It's difficult to tell how wide a tube's wall is by looking at it -- because a pipe with a large width may have a large inside diameter or a narrow one.

Calipers

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the outside diameter of the tube with calipers. Note the measurement on a piece of paper. Open the caliper jaws, close them around the tube as you would with pliers. Ensure the calipers are even on the tube, and then read the measurement. On digital models, you can reset the calipers by closing them and setting the reading to zero. Open and close the calipers again to ensure the reading goes back to zero when they're in the closed position.
- 2
  Select a tubing chart that has the different sizes used for pipes (see Resources section). Find the inside diameter that refers to the outside diameter. Only use a chart that records the same material you're working with. For example, if you're working with steel pipe, use a chart that refers to steel pipe.
- 3
  Subtract the inside diameter from the outside diameter to get the wall size. For example, a 2-inch wide pipe with a 1 3/4-inch inside diameter will have a 1/4-inch wall.

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