Propane Tank Sizes: What They Are And What You Need

Propane tanks come in a variety of sizes. The propane tank size depends on whether it is used for residential or commercial purposes.

It is not easy to figure out the exact sizes of the various propane tanks, so we had to do a lot of research, including talking to industry experts and researching documented content, before coming up with the information below.

Propane Tank Sizes

Propane tanks come in different sizes depending on their use. Generally, these tank sizes are suited for commercial and residential purposes. It also matters whether you want a portable or stationary tank.

While we will not cover every tank size in detail, below is a general summary of all the available propane tank sizes.

Propane Tank Size (In lb and gallon):	Length (Inches):	Diameter (Inches):	Width (Inches):	Height (Inches):	Empty Weight (In Pounds):
1 lb	8	4	4	4	1.3
2 lb	10	5	5	5	2.1
3 lb	10	7	7	7	3.7
1 gallon	12	7.6	7.6	7.6	5.9
5 lb	12	8	8	8	6.7
2 gallon	18	8.8	8.8	8.8	7.8
10 lb	18	9	9	9	9.8
11 lb	12.4	12.2	12.2	12.2	10.4
3 gallon	13	12.2	12.2	12.2	10.9
15 lb	18	10	10	10	11.8
4 gallon	18	11.6	11.6	11.6	12.7
20 lb	18	12	12	12	13.5
5 gallon	20	12	12	12	14.8
25 lb	21	12	12	12	15.1
6 gallon	24	12	12	12	17.2
7 gallon	24	12.4	12.4	12.4	18.9
30 lb	24	12.5	12.5	12.5	19.2
33 lb	26.75	12.5	12.5	12.5	23.3
40 lb	27	14.5	14.5	14.5	27.4
10 gallon	27	15.1	15.1	15.1	31.8
50 lb	27.4	15.1	15.1	15.1	34.1
60 lb	44.1	12	12	12	37.3
15 gallon	44.7	12	12	12	39.7
80 lb	46	12	12	12	43.2
20 gallon	46	12.5	12.5	12.5	50.1
100 lb	48	14.5	14.5	14.5	67
25 gallon	48	15	15	15	69
120 lb	48	16	16	16	75
30 gallon	48	16.8	16.8	16.8	81
150 lb	48	18	18	18	101
40 gallon	48	19	19	19	118
200 lb	48	19.6	19.6	19.6	127
50 gallon	50	21	21	21	139
60 gallon	50	23.1	23.1	23.1	156
80 gallon	50	25.3	25.3	25.3	178
420 lb	50	27.9	27.9	27.9	206
100 gallon	50	28	28	28	212
500 lb	52	28.8	28.8	28.8	254
120 gallon	52	30	30	30	260
150 gallon	85	25	25	25	298
200 gallon	88	27	27	27	387
250 gallon	92	30	30	30	483
300 gallon	100	30	30	30	591
400 gallon	112	32	32	32	794
500 gallon	120	37	37	37	949
750 gallon	160	39	39	39	1,365
1,000 gallon	190	41	41	41	1,760
2,000 gallon	288	55	55	55	3,400

Defining the Tanks in Terms of Portability

Portable propane tanks are those whose capacities range from 0.13 gallons to 100 gallons of propane. Vertical residential tanks measure 12 gallons, whereas horizontal residential tanks measure 500 and 1000 gallons.

What are Some of the Most Popular Propane Tank Sizes?

Understanding the propane tank sizes is essential to choose the appropriate one for your needs.

Portable 20 Pound Tank

This is one of the most famous tanks and works well for people’s propane grills and heaters. This tank measures 1.5 feet tall and a foot wide. 

The tanks have a holding capacity of at least 5 gallons and are often brought in by a supplier for exchange when there is a need for a refill.

 Portable 100-pound tank

This is a larger-size propane tank that works best for single-use appliances within homes. It can work well with fireplaces, stoves, and dryers. These are typically exchanged and not refilled and must be placed 3 feet from windows/ doors and at least 5 feet from the source of ignition.

Stationary 120-gallon and 250-gallon tanks

This permanently installed tank is perfect for home and site/ work use. These are intermediate tanks that are good for equipment application but not heating. 

The sizes include the Cylinder type, 120 gallons, which measures 4’6″ high and 30″ in diameter, and the torpedo type, 250 gallons, measuring 7′ 10 “ long and 30″ in diameter.

Stationary 325-gallon or 500-gallon tanks 

These are larger, permanently installed outside propane tanks for home use. They can sustain most household needs for up to a month. 

They are ideally suited for houses that measure 2,500 to 4,500 square feet.

The recommended sizes for this are 350 gallons measuring 9’11” in length, 30″ diameter, and 500 gallons measuring 9’11” in length, 37.5″ diameter.

Stationary 1000-gallon tanks

These large tanks are used in larger residential spaces or for commercial/industrial needs. The typical size of this tank is 16’1.5″ long and 41″ diameter.

Which Sizes Should You Get?

There is no one-size fit for all propane tank sizes. The exact size of the propane tank you go for depends on your needs. 

Below are some of the factors you need to consider.

You first need to decide if you want propane for backup power generation. If so, then a 100-gallon tank is the right fit. If you need propane to power some of your appliances without the furnace, a tank between 100 to 500 gallons will work well.

If you want to include the furnace, choose a 500-gallon tank or more significant. For commercial and business needs, go for propane tanks measuring 1000 gallons, which will accommodate commercial-grade appliances.

Key Takeaways

• There are different sizes of propane tanks for residential and commercial use
• Propane tanks can either be portable or stationary
• Choose a propane tank size based on your needs and intended use