Viscosity Chart & Unit Conversion Guide
Compare the viscosity of common liquids and quickly convert frequently used units for industrial applications.
Viscosity affects how a liquid flows, pours, mixes, pumps, and transfers. Understanding the approximate viscosity of a product can help when evaluating pumps, mixers, dispensing equipment, and other material-handling equipment.
The viscosity chart below provides reference values for a range of common materials, including dairy and food products, vegetable oils, pharmaceutical and personal care products, animal oils, and industrial liquids. Viscosity is shown as absolute viscosity in centipoise (cP) at the temperature listed for each material.
Use the conversion table to reference common conversions for volume, temperature, pressure, weight, length, area, and other measurements frequently encountered in industrial packaging and material handling.
Viscosity changes with temperature. The same material may have significantly different viscosity at different temperatures. Always consider the actual product, concentration, temperature, and operating conditions when selecting pumping, mixing, or dispensing equipment.
| Liquid / Material | cP | °F |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Products | ||
| Butter Fat | 42 | 110 |
| Butter Fat | 20 | 150 |
| Butter Deodorized | 45 | 120 |
| Cottage Cheese | 30,000 | 65 |
| Cocoa Butter | 50 | 140 |
| Cocoa Butter | 0.5 | 210 |
| Condensed Milk | 40 – 80 | 100 – 120 |
| Condensed Milk, 75% Solids | 2,160 | 70 |
| Cream, 30% Fat | 14 | 60 |
| Cream, 45% Fat | 48 | 60 |
| Cream, 50% Fat | 112 | 60 |
| Cream, 50% Fat | 55 | 90 |
| Milk | 2.0 | 65 |
| Milk | 10 | 120 |
| Milk Whey, 48% Sugar | 800 – 1,500 | 100 |
| Process Cheese | 6,500 | 175 |
| Process Cheese | 30,000 | 65 |
| Whole Egg | 150 | 40 |
| Yogurt | 152 | 105 |
| Food Products | ||
| Batter | 29,500 | 85 |
| Baby Food | 1,400 | 200 |
| Beer | 1.1 | 40 |
| Beet Sauce | 1,950 | 170 |
| Brewers Yeast | 368 | 65 |
| Brewers Yeast, 80% Solids | 16,000 | 40 |
| Broth Mix | 430 | 65 |
| Cake Frosting | 10,000 | 70 |
| Caramel | 400 | 140 |
| Carob Bean Sauce | 1,500 | 85 |
| Chocolate | 17,000 | 120 |
| Chocolate Milk | 280 | 120 |
| Citrus Fruit Pulp | 600 | 70 |
| Coffee, 30–40% Liquor | 10 – 100 | 70 |
| Condensed Milk, 77% Sweetened | 10,000 | 70 |
| Cookie Cream Pre-mix | 29,200 | 65 |
| Corn Starch | 300 | 85 |
| Corn Syrup | 12,000 | 130 |
| Cream Style Corn | 130 | 190 |
| Custard | 1,500 | 185 – 195 |
| Edible Oil | 65 | 70 |
| Emulsifier | 20 | 70 |
| Gelatin, 37% Solids | 1,190 | 110 |
| Glucose | 4,300 – 8,600 | 75 – 85 |
| Gravy Slurry | 110 | 175 |
| Fruit Juice | 55 – 75 | 65 |
| Honey | 1,500 | 100 |
| Hot Fudge | 36,000 | 120 |
| Liquid / Material | cP | °F |
|---|---|---|
| Food Products — Continued | ||
| Jam Garnish | 8,440 | 60 |
| Malt Extract, 80% | 9,500 | 65 |
| Malt Extract | 3,000 | 140 |
| Mashed Potato | 20,000 | 100 |
| Mayonnaise | 20,000 | 70 |
| Mincemeat | 100,000 | 85 |
| Molasses | 1,400 – 13,000 | 100 |
| Mousse Mix | 1,200 | 40 |
| Pabulum | 4,500 | 100 |
| Pear Pulp | 4,000 | 160 |
| Pectin | 300 | 100 |
| Pectin | 345 | 80 |
| Pet Food | 11,000 | 40 |
| Prune Juice | 60 | 120 |
| Orange Juice Concentrate (30 Brix) | 630 | 70 |
| Orange Juice Concentrate (30 Brix) | 91 | 175 |
| Orange Juice Concentrate (50 Brix) | 2,410 | 70 |
| Orange Juice Concentrate (50 Brix) | 330 | 175 |
| Rice Pudding | 10,000 | 210 |
| Salad Cream | 1,300 – 2,600 | 65 |
| Sauce-Apple | 500 | 175 |
| Sorbitol | 200 | 70 |
| Soybean Slurry | 5,000 – 10,000 | 120 – 195 |
| Tapioca Pudding | 1,000 | 235 |
| Toffee | 87,000 | 100 |
| Tomato Catsup | 1,000 | 85 |
| Tomato Paste, 30% | 195 | 65 |
| Vinegar | 12 – 15 | 70 |
| Yeast Slurry | 20 | 65 |
| Vegetable Oils | ||
| Castor Oil | 580 | 80 |
| Caster Oil | 36 | 175 |
| Chinawood Oil | 300 | 70 |
| Coconut Oil | 55 | 75 |
| Coconut Oil | 30 | 100 |
| Corn Oil | 28 | 135 |
| Cotton Seed Oil | 62 | 75 |
| Cotton Seed Oil | 24 | 125 |
| Linseed Oil Raw | 29 | 100 |
| Olive Oil | 40 | 100 |
| Palm Oil | 43 | 100 |
| Peanut Oil | 38 | 100 |
| Soybean Oil | 60 | 75 |
| Soybean Oil | 12 | 175 |
| Turpentine | 2.0 | 60 |
| Pharmaceutical & Personal Care Products | ||
| Cough Syrup | 190 | 85 |
| Detergents | 1,470 | 160 |
| Face Cream | 10,000 | 70 |
| Hair Cream | 5,000 | 70 |
| Hand Cleaner | 2,000 | 70 |
| Hand Cream | 780 | 65 |
| Latex Emulsion | 200 | 75 |
| Latex Emulsion | 48 | 150 |
| Paraffin Emulsion | 3,000 | 65 |
| Pill Pastes | 5,000 | — |
| Shampoo | 3,000 | 95 |
| Soap Arylan | 630 | 140 |
| Soap Solution | 82 | 140 |
| Toothpaste | 70,000 – 100,000 | 65 |
| Wax | 500 | 200 |
| Liquid / Material | cP | °F |
|---|---|---|
| Fish & Animal Oils | ||
| Bone Oil | 48 | 130 |
| Cod Oil | 32 | 100 |
| Ground Beef Fat | 11,000 | 60 |
| Lard | 62 | 100 |
| Lard Oil | 40 – 47 | 100 |
| Meat Emulsion | 22,000 | 40 |
| Melted Animal Fat | 43 | 110 |
| Pork Fat Slurry | 650 | 40 |
| Sperm Oil | 24 | 100 |
| Whale Oil | 25 – 39 | 100 |
| Industrial Products | ||
| Acetate Glue | 1,200 – 1,400 | 70 |
| Asphalt | 500 – 2,500 | — |
| Auto Lube Oil, SAE 40 | 200 | 100 |
| Auto Trans Oil, SAE 90 | 320 | 100 |
| Black Liquor | 1,100 | 122 |
| Black Liquor Soap | 7,000 | 122 |
| Black Liquor Tar | 2,000 | 300 |
| Box Glues | 3,000 | 70 |
| Clarified Sewage Sludge | 2000 Range | — |
| Cresol Crystals | 10 | 65 |
| Diethylene Glycol | 32 | 70 |
| Dye | 10 | 70 |
| Ethylene Glycol | 18 | 70 |
| Fuel Oil #6 | 660 | 122 |
| Glycerine, 100% | 648 | 70 |
| Glycerine, 100% | 176 | 100 |
| Gum | 5,000 | 100 |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | 1.9 | 185 |
| Kerosene | 3 | 68 |
| Lacquer, 25% Solids | 3,000 | 65 |
| Metallic Auto Paint | 200 | 80 |
| Paint Solvents | 0.5 – 10 | 70 |
| Paper Coating, 35% | 400 | — |
| Polyester | 3,000 | 85 |
| Polyester Resin | 3,000 | 70 |
| Polyisobutylene | 12,500 | 185 |
| Polypropylene | 240,000 | 120 |
| Polyvinyl Acetate Resin | 65,000 | 70 |
| Plastisol | 28,000 | 65 |
| Printers Ink | 550 – 2,220 | 100 |
| Printers Ink | 238 – 660 | 130 |
| Propylene Glycol | 52 | 70 |
| Resin Solution | 880 | 75 |
| Resin Solution | 975 | 70 |
| Resin Solution | 7,140 | 65 |
| Rubber & Solvent Cements | 15,000 | 70 |
| NaOH, 20% | 1.0 | 65 |
| NaOH, 30% | 10 | 65 |
| NaOH, 40% | 20 | 65 |
| Sulfide, 6% | 1,600 | — |
| Sulphonic Acid | 125 | 85 |
| Titanium Dioxide Slurry | 10,000 | — |
| Triacetate Dope | 48,000 – 60,000 | 105 |
| Triethylene Glycol | 40 | 70 |
| Varnish | 140 | 100 |
Understanding Centipoise (cP) and Viscosity
Centipoise (cP) is a unit used to express dynamic or absolute viscosity—the resistance of a fluid to flow. A lower centipoise value generally indicates a thinner, more free-flowing liquid, while a higher value indicates a thicker material that resists flow.
This difference matters when moving materials. A pump suited for a thin, free-flowing liquid may not suit a thick or highly viscous product. Therefore, consider viscosity along with chemical compatibility, flow requirements, temperature, container size, and other application needs when choosing transfer or dispensing equipment.
Why Viscosity Matters When Selecting a Pump
Viscosity is an important consideration when selecting equipment for transferring liquids from drums, pails, IBC totes, tanks, and other containers. As viscosity increases, a product generally becomes more resistant to flow, which can affect pump output, flow rate, suction capability, and the pumping technology best suited to the application.
When evaluating a pump or dispensing system, consider more than viscosity alone. Chemical compatibility, product temperature, desired flow rate, container opening, lift requirements, discharge distance, and wetted-part materials can all affect equipment selection.
Common Unit Conversion Factors
| Convert | To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Centimeters | Inches | 0.3937 |
| Cubic Centimeters | Cubic Inches | 0.061 |
| Cubic Inches | Cubic Centimeters | 16.3872 |
| Cubic Inches | Gallons | 0.00433 |
| Cubic Inches | Liters | 0.01639 |
| Degrees °C | Degrees °F | (°C × 1.8) + 32 |
| Degrees °F | Degrees °C | (°F − 32) × 0.5555 |
| Feet | Meters | 0.3048 |
| Gallons | Cubic Inches | 231 |
| Gallons | Liters | 3.78533 |
| Horsepower | Kilowatts | 0.7457 |
| Inches H₂O | Kilopascals | 4.0322 |
| Inches Hg | Kilopascals | 0.2953 |
| Convert | To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Kilometers | Miles | 0.62137 |
| Kilopascals | PSI | 0.145 |
| Kilopascals | mm H₂O | 0.0098 |
| Kilopascals | mm Hg | 0.1333 |
| Liters | Cubic Inches | 61.025 |
| Liters | Gallons | 0.26418 |
| Meters | Feet | 3.2808 |
| Meters | Inches | 39.37 |
| Miles | Kilometers | 1.6093 |
| Millimeters H₂O | Kilopascals | 102.0408 |
| Millimeters Hg | Kilopascals | 7.50 |
| Ounces (avoir) | Grams | 28.3495 |
| Ounces (fluid) | Cubic Centimeters | 29.5737 |
| Convert | To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Ounces (fluid) | Liters | 0.02957 |
| Pounds | Kilograms | 0.45359 |
| PSI | Kilopascals | 6.895 |
| Square Centimeters | Square Inches | 0.1550 |
| Square Feet | Square Meters | 0.0929 |
| Square Inches | Square Centimeters | 6.4516 |
| Square Meters | Square Inches | 1550 |
| Square Meters | Square Yards | 1.9598 |
| Square Yards | Square Meters | 0.83613 |
| Tons | Kilograms | 907.1846 |
| Yards | Meters | 0.9144 |
Need Help Moving a High- or Low-Viscosity Product?
Not sure which pump or dispensing equipment fits your material? BASCO product specialists can help evaluate your application based on product viscosity, chemical compatibility, container type, desired flow rate, and transfer requirements.
Call 1-800-776-3786 to talk with a BASCO product specialist.