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The Inside Diameter of Copper Pipe

Copper piping has been used successfully since the building of the Great Pyramid. In fact, ancient Egyptians built copper plumbing for conveying water to baths. This durable and corrosion-resistant material is still used today for modern plumbing systems. However, copper piping comes in many different shapes, including its inside diameter, based on the intended application.

Type L Copper Pipe
- Type L Copper Pipe offers a durable wall thickness, used mainly for ground drainage and water distribution, either above or below the soil. It is also used for building sewers. Type L has an inside diameter of 0.545 inches for a 1/2-inch standard size piping. However, the inside diameter varies as the pipe becomes larger. A 2-inch Type L copper pipe has an inside diameter of 1.985 inches. As the pipe size increases, the wall thickness increases for holding larger liquid volumes, affecting the overall inside diameter value.
Type K Copper Pipe
- Type K piping offers the thickest wall size of all the copper piping choices. As a result, Type K is used in moving gasses or fuel, and even some HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air-Conditioning) applications. A 1/2-inch copper pipe has an inside diameter of 0.527 inches. Type K has a thicker wall for moving volatile liquids or gas compared to Type L. In fact, a large 12-inch Type K pipe will have a 11.315 inch inside diameter with a 0.405 inch wall thickness.
Type M Copper Pipe
- Type M is common in residential plumbing systems. It has relatively thin wall structures, making it a low-cost option for extensive plumbing applications. A 1/2-inch copper pipe has a 0.569 inch inside diameter. The wall thickness is considerably thinner compared to Type L and K. Even a large 12-inch Type M copper pipe has an inside diameter of 11.617 inches, making its wall thickness only 0.254 inches.
DWV Copper Pipe
- DWV (Drainage, Waste, Vent) piping removes waste water from a plumbing system. This piping is above ground only, typically within a building's structure. These pipes tend to be relatively large, between 1.25 and 8-inches standard size. Even a large 8-inch DWV pipe has only a 7.907-inch inside diameter, making the wall thickness relatively thin.
Benefits
- Copper piping, with the proper inside diameter and wall thickness, offers an economical choice for plumbing and HVAC systems. Workers can easily join the piping together, as well as form it into a particular shape for the best installation.

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