Handrails, boat rails, brewery lines, process piping and mechanical frames all start with stainless tube or pipe, but they are not the same product. We source 304 and 316 ornamental, sanitary and mechanical tube plus schedule pipe, arrange cutting to length, and deliver across Texas. Get the right one on the quote and the fittings will actually fit.
What stainless tube and pipe are used for and how to choose
Tube is sized by its actual outside diameter. A 1-1/2 inch tube measures 1.500 inches across, and its wall is called out in gauge or decimal inches. Pipe is sized by nominal pipe size (NPS) and schedule. A 1-1/2 inch pipe actually measures 1.900 inches OD, and its wall comes from the schedule. Mix them up and your rail fittings or pipe fittings will not go on.
Within tube, pick by job. Ornamental tube (ASTM A554) is welded tube with a polished outside for handrails, furniture and boat rails. Sanitary tube (ASTM A270) has a smooth, polished inside for food, dairy, brewing and pharmaceutical lines, and it is joined with clamp fittings or orbital welds. Mechanical and pressure tube covers instrumentation, heat exchangers and structural frames. For pipe, ASTM A312 is the common spec for stainless pipe, made either welded or seamless. Welded pipe covers most fab and process work; no-seam pipe goes where pressure or code demands it.
Grade follows the environment: 304 indoors and in fresh water, 316 for boat rails, coastal handrail and chloride service. Welded systems call for the L grades.
Stainless tube and pipe grades and finishes
| Grade/finish | Why pick it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 304 / 304L | Indoor rail, food lines, fresh-water piping and frames. | Tea staining and pitting near salt water. |
| 316 / 316L | Marine rail, coastal handrail, brine and chemical piping. | Higher cost. Worth it within sight of salt water. |
| Ornamental polished (#180, #320) | Ready-to-install satin or bright finish on rail and furniture tube. | Finish is outside only. Match the grit when blending welds. |
| Sanitary (A270) polished ID | Smooth inside for cleanable food and beverage lines. | Uses OD tube sizes, not pipe sizes. Fittings must match. |
| Pipe, A312 welded or no-seam | Pressure and process piping with standard fittings. | Pick the schedule for pressure, not just what is handy. |
Common stainless tube and pipe sizes
| Product | Common sizes | Wall or schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Ornamental round tube | 3/4, 1, 1-1/4, 1-1/2, 2 in OD | 16 ga (0.065 in) most common; 14 ga and 18 ga available |
| Ornamental square and rectangular | 1 x 1 to 2 x 2 in; 1 x 2 and 2 x 3 in | 16 ga and 14 ga |
| Sanitary tube | 1, 1-1/2, 2, 2-1/2, 3, 4 in OD | 16 ga (0.065 in) typical |
| Pipe NPS 1/2 in (0.840 in OD) | 20 ft random lengths | Sch 10, 40, 80 |
| Pipe NPS 1 in (1.315 in OD) | 20 ft random lengths | Sch 10, 40, 80 |
| Pipe NPS 2 in (2.375 in OD) | 20 ft random lengths | Sch 10, 40, 80 |
| Pipe NPS 4 in (4.500 in OD) | 20 ft random lengths | Sch 10, 40, 80 |
Sizes only. Metal prices move daily, so every order is quoted. Other NPS sizes from 1/8 in up, and Sch 5 and 160, are available on request.
Cut-to-size options for stainless tube and pipe
Tube and pipe are saw cut to length. Standard cuts hold roughly a sixteenth of an inch, square to the axis, with a small burr to dress. Polished tube should be cut with its protective sleeve or wrap in place so the finish arrives unmarked.
Give us a cut list and we arrange the cuts through our supply network, quoted with the material, so a rail job arrives as posts and top rails instead of 20 foot sticks you have to cut and haul. For rail with bends, tell us the centerline lengths and we allow for the bend.
What to include in your stainless tube or pipe quote request
- Tube or pipe, and the spec if you know it (A554, A270, A269, A312)
- Grade: 304, 304L, 316 or 316L
- Tube OD and wall, or pipe NPS and schedule
- Welded, or no weld seam
- Outside or inside finish (for example #180 polished, or sanitary ID)
- Cut lengths and quantity, or full lengths
- Delivery location, and whether mill certs are needed