Measuring and Using Steel Pipe

When you think of pipes, you probably think of something industrial—the pipes that are buried underneath our roads, businesses, and houses that transport things like water or natural gas from one place to another. If you are considering a project that involves steel pipe, it’s best if you have a basic understanding of the different types and sizes of steel pipe available so you can get the correct one for your needs.

Common Types of Steel Pipe
There are two common types of steel pipes that are used almost interchangeably—galvanized steel and wrought iron. Both have great corrosion resistance and look similar, so they are often used in place of one another. For most plumbing and other projects the one you choose will depend on what is available from Wasatch Steel and what sizes you need to complete the job.

Steel Pipe Sizes
When you are planning to use steel pipes you need to know how to get the size that will work for your project. The right steel pipe size from the steel supermarket ensures that it will fit in the area where you plan to use it, and it has the appropriate diameter to transport the materials that will pass through it regularly without causing too much pressure build-up, which can lead to burst pipes.

The diameter of steel pipes comes in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from just ⅛ of an inch all the way to 20 inches or more. When measuring steel pipe, the measurement listed is for the interior diameter—remember that the exterior diameter will be slightly larger depending on how thick the walls of the pipe are. It is available in ⅛ inch increments up to ½ inch, then in ¼ and ½ inch increments up to 5 inches, then even inches up to 20.

Common Uses for Steel Pipe
Steel pipe can be used for a wide variety of things, including underground lines, as well as cold water and hot water plumbing. You can also use steel pipe for natural gas or other underground transport systems into and out of a home or business.

Creative Uses for Steel Pipe
You don’t have to limit yourself to just the most common ways to use steel pipe. In fact, with the variety of sizes and styles to choose from at Wasatch Steel, it’s the perfect place to get creative with this material.

• Use wide steel pipes to create outdoor planters in your yard, cut to various heights
• Use very large steel pipes fastened together (and painted) to create a DIY shoe rack 
• Use smaller steel pipes to build shelving or as the support for tables and shelves around your house
• Create unique door handles or chandeliers with steel pipe

If you need some help finding just the right steel pipe for your next project, come to the steel supermarket at Wasatch Steel. We have all the shapes and sizes you need, including the materials to put it together. We can even cut it to your exact specifications to save you time and hassle. See what we have to offer in steel pipe today.

Tips for Getting the Right Steel Pipe

Steel pipe is a critical components of many of the things that we use today, making it possible to transport fluids and other goods from public utilities and private companies to our homes and businesses. Getting the right pipe for the job is important—the wrong pipe size or the wrong material can have a detrimental impact. Wasatch Steel has a wide variety of pipe sizes and options so you can get the correct steel pipe for every project that you have.

Efficient Operation
Fluid transport is made possible by an intricate network of pipes, and the most efficient transport requires the right size steel pipe. Pipes come in a variety of diameters, with different wall thicknesses to suit several project types. If you have pipes that are too small, the high fluid velocity created can cause damage to suction lines through cavitation, it can result is too much heat, friction losses and turbulence in pressure lines, and it can cause the moving parts in your pipe system to wear out prematurely, damaging the seals and hoses, which results in higher maintenance costs. On the flip side, if you have pipes that are too large, your system costs will increase due to inefficient flow.

Choosing the Right Material
There are several different options that you have for pipe material. Generally you can choose from metal pipe, non-metal (plastic), or nonmetallic-lined metallic pipe. When your project requires a pipe that is durable and long-lasting, metal is often the correct option. Metal pipes are advantageous because they can withstand much higher pressure, and significant changes in external temperatures don’t impact the pipes. Finally, steel and other metals are sturdier than plastic, so when you lay pipe with metal it means you have the opportunity to put space hangers farther apart, so both your labor costs and your installation costs will go down.

Selecting the Perfect Steel
When you determine that steel is the best option for your project, the next step is to figure out what kind of steel you should use. Wasatch Steel has a huge selection of options for steel pipe, giving you a steel supermarket where you can shop and compare all the options. Here are some of the factors that can impact your choice:

• Corrosive environment, including humidity, chemicals, acidity in the surrounding area, and presence of water or salt water.
• Temperature, since high temperatures can accelerate corrosion and require a higher-grade steel, while low temperatures will require a tougher steel.
• Steel strength required, so you can choose more durable steel if necessary. 
• Whether welding is needed, so you can opt for a more weldable steel such as austenitic steels. Ferritic, duplex, martensitic, and PH grades are harder to weld.
• Non-magnetic properties, if any are preferred or required.
• Formability, if you need to be able to make detailed or intricate shapes.
• Surface finish, for applications that require aesthetic appeal.
• Availability of the material you need.
• Cost of the material you want to use, and your available budget.

Determining Size and Thickness
The final component of getting the right steel pipe from Wasatch Steel is figuring out the size and diameter you need, including the wall thickness. You can figure out the size you need based on projected flow velocities, measured in ft/sec or m/sec. The benefit of shopping for your pipe at the steel supermarket is the wide selection of high quality steel available at Wasatch Steel. You can find several different sizes, thicknesses, and any lengths to suit your needs.