How to Design for Pipe Stands at 26-ft?

4/14/2026

I have 6" and 8" sprinkler pipes that need to be supported by pipe stands at 26 ft.

What does NFPA 13 require to be done/designed for this situation?

Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe

6 Comments

Dan Wilder

4/14/2026 07:30:46 am

NFPA 13 - 2025 Edition

17.5.3.1 - You're going to be using 6" Sch 40, standard MI/Welded flanged ends with 5/8" anchor bolts (17.5.4), with a pipe saddle/U-Bolts, other wrap around top securement (as required in 17.5.5). Seismic per 18.8.

anthony

4/14/2026 08:48:43 am

You're able to use 4'' pipe up to 26.8ft AFF per Table 17.5.3.1 NFAP 13-2025. I would however encourage you to reach out to a Unistrut/powerstrut supply company and get a custom solution. They should have a structural PE that can get involved and get you a more robust solution with supports that are interconnected and can handle more abuse than axially loaded pipe stands.

Note please do not use coupling in your supporting lengths a single contiguous pipe. I once had a medical center with pipe 12'-0 AFF supported by pipe stands. The installing contractor use 10-6 pieces and vic couplings. Be better and don't do that.

Lots of good comments from an older post that was helpful to me here:
https://www.meyerfire.com/daily/sprinkler-system-supported-only-by-pipe-stands

Moderator

4/14/2026 09:52:33 am

Just to clarify, with 4-inch to 8-inch diameter system pipe (being supported), a 4-inch diameter pipe stand can stand up to 14.7 feet, and a 6-inch diameter pipe stand can stand up to 26.8 feet in this table (Table 17.5.3.1(a) in NFPA 13-2025).

That might be what you're saying Anthony, just wanted to clarify pipe stand diameter versus supported system pipe diameter because it's easy to mix those with that table.

Anthony

4/14/2026 10:09:35 am

Yeah I got my columns mixed up and did mean 6'' pipe up to 26.8 feet.

I agree with Ken and others that a pipe rack is a much better option than 26' sch 40 6'' pipe. Probably cheaper for a larger system too.

Jack G

4/14/2026 08:51:11 am

I generally do a “ slenderness ratio calculation “ for the length of the column which you can find on line. I also implant the column at least 1/3 of the height which can be done with 2 pieces and flanges that meet at the floor line.
Straightness will be a key factor ( levelness) as the pipe wall may buckle on one side.
Getting a piece of 6 inch at least 26 ft long will be hard to do. I’ve found double random pipe is “ bowed “ which will add a slight curve to your pipe.
Following the chart mentioned above may meet the intent of the code, however , it is prudent for a structural engineer to perform a calculation on it for the weight involved( 10 ft etc).

Ken Thackery

4/14/2026 10:03:26 am

I would depart from an NFPA solution and fabricate a pipe rack with tube steel. You can use a stud welder to attach. Can you add some context as to why this situation is occuring and why there is no structure above?

Leave a Reply.

Home
Our Cause

The Blog
The Forum

PE Exam Prep
The Toolkit
MeyerFire University

Pricing
Login
Support
Contact Us

MeyerFire.com is a startup community built to help fire protection professionals shine.
Our goal is to improve fire protection practices worldwide. We promote the industry by creating helpful tools and resources, and by bringing together industry professionals to share their expertise.

MeyerFire, LLC is a NICET Recognized Training Provider and International Code Council Preferred Education Provider.
All text, images, and media Copyright © 2016-2025 MeyerFire, LLC

We respect your privacy and personal data. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The views, opinions, and information found on this site represent solely the author and do not represent the opinions of any other party, nor does the presented material assume responsibility for its use. Fire protection and life safety systems constitute a critical component for public health and safety and you should consult with a licensed professional for proper design and code adherence.

Discussions are solely for the purpose of peer review and the exchange of ideas. All comments are reviewed. Comments which do not contribute, are not relevant, are spam, or are disrespectful in nature may be removed. Information presented and opinions expressed should not be relied upon as a replacement for consulting services. Some (not all) outbound links on this website, such as Amazon links, are affiliate-based where we receive a small commission for orders placed elsewhere.

How to Design for Pipe Stands at 26-ft?

Leave a Reply.

ALL-ACCESS

SUBSCRIBE

COMMUNITY

YOUR POST

PE EXAM

FILTERS

ARCHIVES

PE PREP SERIES