Why 6 inch pipe is not 6 inches
Nominal Pipe Size is a label, not a measurement. NPS 6 pipe has an outside diameter of 6.625 inches, and it keeps that outside diameter in every schedule made. What the schedule number changes is the wall: at schedule 80s the wall is 0.432 inches, so the bore comes out at 5.761 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 6 inch schedule 80s pipe?
0.432 inches (10.97 mm). The outside diameter is 6.625 inches (168.27 mm) whatever the schedule, so this wall leaves an inside diameter of 5.761 inches.
What is the inside diameter of 6 inch schedule 80s pipe?
5.761 inches (146.33 mm). Inside diameter is outside diameter minus twice the wall: 6.625 - 2 x 0.432 = 5.761 inches.
Is 6 inch pipe actually 6 inches?
No. NPS 6 is a trade size, not a measurement. The pipe measures 6.625 inches across the outside and 5.761 inches across the bore in this schedule. Only the outside diameter is fixed across schedules.
Is schedule 80s the same as XS at this size?
Yes, at NPS 6. XS is the same 0.432 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.