IS 1239
/glossary/is-1239BIS series for steel tubes and tubulars, and matching wrought-steel fittings, used for water, gas, air and steam.
IS 1239 is the two-part BIS series for steel tubes (Part 1) and wrought-steel fittings (Part 2). Kanpur PWD and JJM bidders order Part 1 by NB and Light, Medium, or Heavy class from 15 to 150 mm NB. At 100 NB, Medium wall on the site class chart is 4.5 mm and 12.18 kg/m. Quotes leave the Bartan Bazar yard ex-warehouse Kanpur, with GST 18% extra on the invoiced steel.
In detail
IS 1239 is a two-part BIS series. Part 1:2004 (reaffirmed 2019) covers steel tubes; Part 2:2011 (reaffirmed 2021) covers wrought-steel pipe fittings. Part 2 is not a size extension of Part 1. Part 1 orders tubes by nominal bore and Light, Medium, or Heavy class. The series name alone is not a pressure rating. Select part, edition, class, coating, ends, joining, and authority requirements from the approved design.
What IS 1239 is, and what it is not
IS 1239 is a two-document series under technical committee MTD 19. The BIS e-sale listing records IS 1239 : Part 1 : 2004, reaffirmed 2019, as Steel Tubes, Tubulars and Other Wrought Steel Fittings, Part 1 Steel Tubes. Status is Active.
Part 2 is a different book. IS 1239 : Part 2 : 2011, reaffirmed 2021, covers steel pipe fittings. The BIS preview states that Part 2 covers butt-welded and seamless sockets, tubulars, and other welded and seamless steel pipe fittings intended for water, non-hazardous gas, air, and steam. Pipe nuts sit on IS 3468, not on Part 2.
Part 1 is not IS 3589. IS 3589 covers electrically welded steel pipes from 168.3 mm to 2540 mm OD for water and sewage. Part 1 is not an ASME schedule pipe. It is not a boiler-material rule. It is not IS 1161 circular structural tube, even though this site takes YST 210, YST 240, and YST 310 yield names from that structural series.
Class and grade are separate fields. Light, Medium, and Heavy (Class A, B, and C) describe wall at a given NB. YST 210, YST 240, and YST 310 describe minimum yield. An RFQ that writes Heavy grade has mixed the two.
Who should buy IS 1239, and who should not
Buy Part 1 when the approved water, sewage, gas, air, steam-utility, plumbing, or fire-service specification names IS 1239 tubes. Kanpur JJM house connections, PWD building services, and sugar-mill utility water all sit here when the drawing says so.
Buy Part 2 when the BOQ names IS 1239 fittings: sockets, elbows, tees, and other wrought fittings made from Part 1 tube. The BIS Part 2 product manual requires tubulars to be made from tubes that comply with Part 1.
Do not buy IS 1239 for a boiler pressure part when the drawing names SA192, SA210, SA213, or SA-106. For an IBR scope, classify the component and use Form III-A, III-B, or III-C as the official index assigns. Do not stretch Part 1 past 150 mm NB to close an IS 3589 trunk main.
Do not pick Medium or Heavy from a burial or gas habit. Copy the class from the design pressure, surge, corrosion allowance, joint, and approved specification. On fire-service work, the CPWD General Specifications for Electrical Works Part V (2020) name mild steel Heavy (C-class) pipe to IS 1239 up to 150 mm within that specification's scope; NBC 2016 Part 4 does not by itself make Heavy class a universal rule, so confirm the class named by the approved fire-NOC drawing and fire hydrant spec before ordering.
Light, Medium, and Heavy at 100 NB
The site class-thickness chart and the pipe-weight table use the same 100 NB row: OD 114.3 mm, Light 3.6 mm, Medium 4.5 mm, Heavy 5.4 mm. Class is a wall series, not a working-pressure stamp.
| Class | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg/m) | Mass per 6 m (kg) | MS ERW band (₹/kg, 24 May 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light (A) | 3.6 | 9.83 | 59.0 | 48-54 |
| Medium (B) | 4.5 | 12.18 | 73.1 | 51-57 |
| Heavy (C) | 5.4 | 14.50 | 87.0 | 54-62 |
The IS 1239 standard guide, the class chart and the weight table all give 50 NB Medium as a 3.6 mm wall, with Light at 2.9 mm and Heavy at 4.5 mm. Reconcile the purchased BIS edition, the tender table, and the mill MTC before the PO.
GI at 100 NB Medium on the GI pipe price list is ₹62-70 per kg as of 24 May 2026, against ₹51-57 for black MS. That dated table sits 15 to 25 percent above the matching MS ERW rows.
How to specify IS 1239 on an RFQ
Write one product per line. A note that says only MS pipe IS 1239 returns mixed Light and Medium offers. Use the RFQ form so class, finish, and documents sit together.
- Part and edition: Part 1:2004 for tubes, Part 2:2011 for fittings. Do not write IS 1239 alone on a fittings line.
- Size: NB from 15 to 150 mm, plus OD if the drawing uses millimetres.
- Wall: Light / Medium / Heavy, or Class A / B / C, plus wall in mm when the BOQ shows it.
- Length: 6 m is the usual commercial length on this site; 4 m or 5 m when the site cannot handle 6 m.
- Ends: plain end or threaded and coupled.
- Finish: black, or hot-dip galvanized. Where IS 4736 applies, the amended minimum average zinc mass is 360 g/m².
- Documents: EN 10204 3.1 MTC, heat number, BIS licence number. TPI if the tender names SGS, Bureau Veritas, Lloyds, or TUV.
- Delivery: metres or MT, ex-warehouse Kanpur or the named PIN. Budget GST 18% extra on the invoiced steel.
Worked mass for 120 lengths of 100 NB Medium
Mass for this take-off uses (OD − t) × t × 0.02466 kg/m. The 100 NB Medium row on the class chart is OD 114.3 mm and wall 4.5 mm, so (114.3 − 4.5) × 4.5 × 0.02466 = 109.8 × 4.5 × 0.02466 = 12.18 kg/m. One 6 m length is 73.1 kg on the weight table.
One hundred and twenty lengths are 120 × 73.1 = 8,772 kg, or 8.772 MT. The MS ERW price list band for 100 NB Medium is ₹51-57 per kg ex-warehouse Kanpur as of 24 May 2026. The steel line is 8,772 × 51 = ₹4,47,372 to 8,772 × 57 = ₹5,00,004 before tax and freight.
The same 120 lengths in Heavy class weigh 120 × 87.0 = 10,440 kg. Do not compare a Medium quote to a Heavy quote as if the rupee-per-kg band were the whole cost.
Common mistakes on IS 1239 orders
In practice, buyers write a class when they mean a material grade, or a grade when they mean a class. An IS 1239 order line carries NB and class (Light, Medium or Heavy); a YST 210, 240 or 310 grade belongs on an IS 1161 structural-tube line, not on an IS 1239 tube line.
A second failure puts Light class GI on a wet riser without checking the approved fire-NOC drawing or project specification. The fire hydrant spec shows a cited CPWD reference naming Heavy (C-class) for its own scope; confirm the class the design actually names before assuming Light class will pass.
A third failure offers IS 1239 at 150 NB against an IS 3589 trunk because both say water. The class chart tops Part 1 at 150 mm NB (OD 165.1 mm on that chart). IS 3589 starts at 168.3 mm OD.
A fourth failure assumes zinc when the PO said black, or black when the BOQ said GI. State IS 4736 and the 360 g/m² amended minimum when zinc is required.
A fifth failure treats Part 2 as larger tube. Elbows and sockets are fittings. Large water pipe is IS 3589.
Standards and compliance for IS 1239
The governing tube document is IS 1239 Part 1:2004, reaffirmed 2019, committee MTD 19. The fittings document is IS 1239 Part 2:2011, reaffirmed 2021. The BIS Part 1 product manual PM/1239 (Part 1)/4 (February 2022) states the scope as NB 15-150 mm in Light, Medium, and Heavy class, and states that each steel tube is eddy-current or hydrostatically tested to 5 MPa.
This site's class table also records 50 kg/cm² as the hydrostatic test pressure for Light, Medium, and Heavy. 5 MPa is 50.99 kg/cm²; treat the two figures as the same test-pressure family already printed on the standards page, and read the purchased edition for the exact clause.
Galvanizing, when ordered, follows IS 4736. The amended minimum average zinc-coating mass used on this site is 360 g/m² (Amendment 3). Fire-fighting wet-riser and hydrant pipe class is set by the approved fire-NOC drawing and project specification; see the fire hydrant spec for a cited CPWD reference naming Heavy (C-class) within its own scope.
BIS product certification (ISI mark) and EN 10204 Type 3.1 answer different questions. The mark is mill licence. The MTC is heat-wise test data. Tender language often wants both.
Buying IS 1239 pipe in Kanpur
JJM and PWD contractors working Jajmau, about 10 km from the Bartan Bazar yard, and the Fazalganj and Chakeri industrial pockets, take Part 1 by NB and class for house connections and building services. Fire-system installers stay on Heavy GI when the approved riser schedule says so. Borewell contractors should check whether the casing line is actually IS 4270 before they copy an IS 1239 class.
Black MS for fabrication and GI for wet service leave the same yard on separate bundle tags. See MS ERW pipe in Kanpur, GI pipes in Kanpur, steel pipes in Kanpur, and the Kanpur steel market.
Outstation drops to Lucknow (80 km via NH-27), Unnao (18 km), and Prayagraj (200 km on NH-19) use the city pages already on this site. Name the PIN beside the NB and class so freight is a line, not a guess.
The MS ERW band across 15-150 NB is ₹47-70 per kg ex-warehouse Kanpur as of 24 May 2026. GI is ₹57-86 per kg on the same date. Both bands are indicative. The proforma states the size, class, finish, and quantity you actually buy.
Part 1 tube versus Part 2 fitting
Keep tubes and fittings on two PO lines. A socket that does not match the tube class leaks at the thread. The Part 2 product manual ties tubulars back to Part 1 tube.
| Item | Part 1:2004 | Part 2:2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Steel tubes | Steel pipe fittings and tubulars |
| Reaffirmation on BIS e-sale | 2019 | 2021 |
| Committee | MTD 19 | MTD 19 |
| Size basis | NB 15-150 mm, Light/Medium/Heavy | Fitting type and the matching Part 1 tube |
| Kanpur buy | Water, GI, fire Heavy, utility MS | Sockets, elbows, tees on the same class |
Order the fitting part number, the matching NB, and the same class as the tube. A Medium tube with a Light socket is a site leak, not a saving.
Stencil, colour band, and goods-receipt checks
Trade practice commonly paints Light yellow, Medium blue, and Heavy red. Paint is a warehouse aid. Read the stencil for NB, class, heat, and BIS licence, then match those marks to the MTC and the challan.
Gauge the wall on a sample length. At 100 NB the three classes are 3.6 mm, 4.5 mm, and 5.4 mm. A Medium stencil on a Light wall is a reject before the truck leaves Bartan Bazar.
For GI, ask for the galvanising record beside the steel MTC. The zinc mass line should meet the amended IS 4736 minimum of 360 g/m² when that standard applies. Threads cut after galvanising may need a coupling check.
Stock versus mill-direct from the Kanpur yard
The glossary lead-time entry lists 3-7 days for stocked sizes and 14-21 days for mill-direct standard grades. Common NB and class combinations often sit in the stock band. An unusual length, a named mill, or a TPI hold moves the date.
RP Sales cuts to length when the RFQ asks for it. A 6 m commercial length remains the default on the price lists. State the cut tolerance if the site cannot burn the end in the trench.
Send NB, class, finish, quantity, and the Part 1 or Part 2 call-out on the RFQ. The buying-guide cluster pages record a 4-working-hour RFQ response from this desk.
Where you'll meet this in procurement
You will meet IS 1239 when a buyer, consultant, or mill quote names a governing specification. Confirm which revision applies, what tests the standard requires, and whether the grade on the MTC actually matches the IS 1239 call-out on the RFQ before you lock commercial terms.
Related terms
Related resources
- Steel pipe standards library
- IS 1239 Part 1 standard reference
- IS 1239 class thickness chart
- MS ERW pipe price list
- GI pipe price list
- MS ERW pipe supplier in Kanpur
- GI pipes in Kanpur
- Steel pipes in Kanpur
- IS 1239 vs IS 3589
- Jal Jeevan Mission contractor page
- Kanpur steel market
- Request a quotation (RFQ)
- Back to full glossary
Key points
- IS 1239 Part 1:2004 covers steel tubes 15-150 mm NB in Light, Medium, and Heavy class; Part 2:2011 covers fittings.
- Part 2 is not larger tube. IS 3589 covers 168.3 mm to 2540 mm OD water and sewage pipe.
- 100 NB Medium is 114.3 mm OD by 4.5 mm wall, 12.18 kg/m and 73.1 kg per 6 m on the site weight table.
- Fire-service wet-riser and hydrant class comes from the approved fire-NOC drawing and project specification; the cited CPWD reference on the fire hydrant spec names Heavy class within its own scope, not as a universal NBC rule.
- MS ERW bands are ₹47-70 per kg and GI ₹57-86 per kg ex-warehouse Kanpur as of 24 May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- IS 1239 : Part 1 : 2004 (reaffirmed 2019). Steel Tubes, Tubulars and Other Wrought Steel Fittings : Part 1 Steel Tubes. Active listing, committee MTD 19 (Bureau of Indian Standards e-sale (BSB Edge))
- PM/1239 (Part 1)/4 Feb 2022. Product Manual for Steel Tubes, Tubulars and Other Wrought Fittings Part 1: Steel Tubes according to IS 1239 (Part 1):2004. NB 15-150 mm, class Light/Medium/Heavy, hydro/eddy-current 5 MPa (Bureau of Indian Standards)
- IS 1239 : Part 2 : 2011 (reaffirmed 2021). Steel Tubes, Tubulars and Other Steel Fittings Part 2 Steel Pipe Fittings. Scope: water, non-hazardous gas, air and steam (Bureau of Indian Standards e-sale preview)
- PM/IS 1239 Pt.2:2011. Product Manual for Steel Tubes, Tubulars and Other Steel Fittings, Part 2 Steel Pipe Fittings; tubulars from Part 1 tube (Bureau of Indian Standards)
- CPWD General Specifications for Electrical Works, Part V (2020). Fire-fighting works — mild steel Heavy (C-class) pipe to IS 1239 up to 150 mm, within that specification's scope, as cited on the site fire hydrant spec (Central Public Works Department (CPWD))
- IS 4736:1986. Hot-dip zinc coatings on mild steel tubes; amended minimum average zinc mass 360 g/m² (Amendment 3) as used on this site (Bureau of Indian Standards)