REFERENCE
55 gallon drum dimensions and weight
A 55 gallon drum is about 23 in across and 34 to 37 in tall. Mauser lists its steel tight head drum at 23.43 in (595 mm) across and 34.37 to 34.69 in tall, and plastic drums in the spec sheets below run 23 to 23.5 in across and 34.75 to 36.75 in tall. Empty, a steel drum weighs 33 to 40 lb and a plastic one 21 to 22 lb. Full of water at 60 F, the water alone weighs 458.5 lb.
Updated October 12, 2026
Sources: NIST Chemistry WebBook, water at 1 atm; Skolnik CQ5514 spec sheet and drawing. 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches = 3.785411784 L and 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg (NIST); water at 60 F is 8.3372 lb per gallon.
55 gallon drum dimensions by maker
| Drum | Type | Outside diameter | Height | Empty weight | UN mark | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skolnik CQ5514 | Steel, tight head | 23 in | 35.25 in | 40 lb | 1A1/X1.2/250 | Skolnik CQ5514 spec sheet and drawing |
| Cary 26W55T | Steel, tight head | 23.468 in | 34.75 in | 33 lb | 1A1/X1.4/300 | The Cary Company 26W55T listing |
| Mauser Packaging Solutions Large tight-head steel drum | Steel, tight head | 23.4252 in | 34.685 in | Not published | Not given | Mauser Packaging Solutions, steel drums |
| Skolnik CQ5504 | Steel, open head | 23 in | 34.25 in | 38 lb | 1A2/Y1.6/150 | Skolnik CQ5504 spec sheet and drawing |
| Greif GP-55 | Plastic (HDPE), tight head | 23.3 in | 34.8 in | 21 lb | 1H1/Y1.9/150 | Greif GP-55 spec sheet |
| Mauser L-1 | Plastic (HDPE), tight head | 23.25 in | 34.75 in | 21.5 lb | 1H1/Y1.8/100 | Mauser L-1 55 gal plastic drum sheet |
| Greif NexDrum OH | Plastic (HDPE), open head | 23.5 in | 36.3 in | 21.9 lb | 1H2/Y150/S | Greif NexDrum OH spec sheet (Cary 56WN5B) |
| Uline S-20852 | Plastic (HDPE), open head | 23 in | 36.75 in | 22 lb | 1H2/X150/S | Uline S-20852 listing |
Outside diameter is the body; an open head drum is wider across its bolt ring (24.0 in on the Skolnik CQ5504). Heights are overall, with the cover on an open head drum.
Dimensions vary by maker, gauge and head type, so measure your own drums when the fit is tight, for example in a spill pallet, a cabinet or a rack. The Mauser page gives no empty weight or UN mark; its row is there for the dimensions.
How much does a full 55 gallon drum weigh?
Net weight is 55 gallons x the liquid’s pounds per gallon. Gross adds the drum: 21 lb for the Greif GP-55 plastic drum and 40 lb for the Skolnik CQ5514 steel drum. Use the tool above for your own liquid, fill and drum.
| Liquid (55 gal) | Net weight, lb | Gross in a 21 lb plastic drum | Gross in a 40 lb steel drum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 459 | 480 | 499 |
| Diesel fuel, No. 2 | 372 to 399 | 393 to 420 | 412 to 439 |
| Ethanol, anhydrous | 362 | 383 | 402 |
| Ethylene glycol | 511 | 532 | 551 |
| Propylene glycol | 476 | 497 | 516 |
| Lubricating oil (ISO VG 46 to 680) | 393 to 419 | 414 to 440 | 433 to 459 |
| Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) 50% | 701 to 705 | 722 to 726 | 741 to 745 |
| Hydrochloric acid 31.45% (20 Baume) | 532 | 553 | 572 |
| Sulfuric acid 93% (66 Baume) | 842 | 863 | 882 |
| Corn syrup, 42 DE | 652 | 673 | 692 |
Ranges come from the liquid’s density range (fuels, oils, caustic grades). Densities and sources are on the pounds to gallons page.
30 gallon drums and 5 gallon pails
| Size | Container | Type | Outside diameter | Height | Empty weight | UN mark | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 gal | Skolnik CQ3008 | Steel, tight head | 18.6 in | 29.5 in | 26 lb | 1A1/Y1.5/300 | Skolnik CQ3008 spec sheet and drawing |
| 30 gal | Greif GP-30 | Plastic (HDPE), tight head | 19.5 in | 29.6 in | 13.8 lb | 1H1/Y1.9/150 | Greif GP-30 spec sheet |
| 5 gal | General Container N105FRC-HU-L | Steel, open head | 11.75 in | 13.6875 in | 5 lb | 1A2/Y2.1/100 | General Container, open head steel pails |
| 5 gal | Cary 56WRWU | Plastic (HDPE), open head | 12.375 in | 14.625 in | 2.12 lb | 1H2/Y1.5/30 | The Cary Company 56WRWU listing |
Pail diameters are the top outside diameter; pails taper toward the bottom.
Reading the UN mark on a drum
A drum certified for hazardous materials carries a UN mark, and 49 CFR 178.503 says what each part means. Take 1A1/Y1.4/150, the regulation’s own example of a steel drum for liquids:
1A1 is the packaging code from 49 CFR 178.502: 1 = drum, A = steel, 1 = non-removable head (tight head). 1A2 is a steel removable head (open head) drum, and 1H1 and 1H2 are the plastic versions.
Y is the packing groups the design passed: X for groups I, II and III, Y for II and III, Z for III only.
1.4 is the highest specific gravity the drum was tested for, rounded down to one decimal. The regulation lets the maker leave it out when it does not exceed 1.2.
150 is the hydrostatic test pressure in kPa.
A mark that ends in /S, such as 1A2/Y150/S, is for solids or inner packagings, and its number is the maximum gross mass in kg.
For hazardous materials, 49 CFR 173.24a(b)(1) allows a non-bulk packaging up to 400 kg to be filled with a liquid only up to the specific gravity or gross mass marked on it, or a specific gravity of 1.2 if none is marked, except as it lists. So 93% sulfuric acid at SG 1.84 is over the base limit of a drum marked 1.8 (the mark rounds down, so 1.8 is below 1.84) and well over the Skolnik CQ5514’s 1.2. The exceptions cover a packaging tested to a stricter packing group than the liquid needs: an X packaging may carry a Packing Group II liquid, and an X or Y packaging a Packing Group III liquid, up to the greater of 1.8 and 1.5 times the marked figure (2.7 and 2.25 times for an X packaging with a Packing Group III liquid), provided all the performance criteria can still be met. Whether a drum resists the chemical is a separate question for its maker. Type your drum’s mark into the tool and it shows the base limit and the exceptions. The same section says liquids must not completely fill a receptacle at 131 F (55 C) or less: leave headspace.
How many drums fit on a pallet?
Pallet maker Nelson Company says a 48 x 48 in drum pallet holds four 55 gallon drums without hanging over, and a 48 x 40 in plastic pallet can handle three. Four drums of water in 40 lb steel drums come to about 1,994 lb before the pallet. Enter a total in gallons above and the tool counts drums and pallets of four.
Common questions
How many gallons does a 55 gallon drum really hold?
More than 55 to the brim. Greif’s GP-55 plastic drum holds 57.2 gallons actual against 55.0 nominal, and its NexDrum open head drum 59.3. Fill to the nominal 55 and the rest is headspace.
What is the difference between tight head and open head?
A tight head drum has a non-removable head with small openings (the Skolnik CQ5514 has a 2 in and a 3/4 in fitting) and is the one filled with liquids. An open head drum has a removable cover held by a bolt or lever ring, for solids, pastes and thick products. Both open head plastic drums in the table are rated for solids only: check for /S in the mark.
How tall is a 55 gallon drum in feet?
About 2 ft 10 in to 3 ft 1 in: 34.25 in for the Skolnik open head steel drum up to 36.75 in for the Uline open head plastic drum with its lid.
Sources
WHERE MORSA FITS
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