When working with sheet metal, the word “gauge” is often used. For example, if you don’t know how the gauge system works, it might not be clear what 18 gauge steel means. As a resource, this blog has a sheet metal gauge chart and a description of the gauge system.
How are Sheet Metal Gauges Used?
Gauges are used to measure the thickness of a piece of sheet metal. The values of gauges don’t depend on either the metric system or the standard system for measuring. Using a gauge conversion chart, you can figure out how thick a piece of sheet metal really is in inches or millimeters. A gauge conversion chart shows that 18 gauge steel is the same as 0.0478 inches or 1.214 millimeters. The number “18” on the gauge has nothing to do with the lengths themselves.
There are many different gauge systems in use today, and each type of metal has its own gauge number. Under one gauge system, the thickness of 18 gauge steel is 0.0478 inches, while the thickness of 18 gauge aluminum is 0.0403. Due to the different thicknesses, a gauge chart should be used to make sure the metal is the right size.
History of the Gauge System
The gauge system has been used for a long time in metalworking. Before the standard and metric measurement systems were widely used, it probably came from the British wire business. Gauges were used to measure the size of the metal wire being pulled at the time. Since then, it has been a common way to show the thickness of wire and metal sheets.
Sheet Metal Gauge Charts
Use these sheet metal gauge charts to determine the metal gauge you require:
Jump to:
Mild Steel Gauge Chart
Aluminum Gauge Chart
Stainless Steel Gauge Chart
Galvanized Steel Gauge Chart
Brass Gauge Chart
Copper Gauge Chart
| Mild Steel Gauge Chart* | ||
| GaugeNumber | Inches | MM |
| 7 | .1793 | 4.554 |
| 8 | .1644 | 4.175 |
| 9 | .1495 | 3.797 |
| 10 | .1345 | 3.416 |
| 11 | .1196 | 3.038 |
| 12 | .1046 | 2.656 |
| 14 | .0747 | 1.897 |
| 16 | .0598 | 1.518 |
| 18 | .0478 | 1.214 |
| 20 | .0359 | .911 |
| 22 | .0299 | .759 |
| 24 | .0239 | .607 |
| 26 | .0179 | .454 |
| 28 | .0149 | .378 |
Buy Mild Steel
| Aluminum Gauge Chart* | ||
| GaugeNumber | Inches | MM |
| 7 | .1443 | 3.665 |
| 8 | .1285 | 3.264 |
| 9 | .1144 | 2.906 |
| 10 | .1019 | 2.588 |
| 11 | .09074 | 2.305 |
| 12 | .08081 | 2.053 |
| 14 | .06408 | 1.628 |
| 16 | .05082 | 1.291 |
| 18 | .04030 | 1.024 |
| 20 | .03196 | .812 |
| 22 | .02535 | .644 |
| 24 | .02010 | .511 |
| 26 | .01594 | .405 |
| 28 | .01264 | .321 |
| 30 | .01003 | .255 |
Buy Aluminum
| Stainless Steel Gauge Chart* | ||
| GaugeNumber | Inches | MM |
| 8 | .17187 | 4.365 |
| 9 | .15625 | 3.968 |
| 10 | .14062 | 3.571 |
| 11 | .125 | 3.175 |
| 12 | .10937 | 2.778 |
| 14 | .07812 | 1.984 |
| 16 | .0625 | 1.587 |
| 18 | .050 | 1.270 |
| 20 | .0375 | .9525 |
| 22 | .03125 | .7937 |
| 24 | .025 | .635 |
| 26 | .01875 | .476 |
| 28 | .01562 | .396 |
| 30 | .0125 | .3175 |
Buy Stainless Steel
| Galvanized Steel Gauge Chart* | ||
| GaugeNumber | Inches | MM |
| 8 | .1681 | 4.269 |
| 9 | .1532 | 3.891 |
| 10 | .1382 | 3.510 |
| 11 | .1233 | 3.1318 |
| 12 | .1084 | 2.753 |
| 14 | .0785 | 1.9939 |
| 16 | .0635 | 1.6129 |
| 18 | .0516 | 1.310 |
| 20 | .0396 | 1.005 |
| 22 | .0336 | .853 |
| 24 | .0276 | .701 |
| 26 | .0217 | .551 |
| 28 | .0187 | .474 |
| 30 | .0157 | .398 |
Buy Galvanized Steel
| Brass Gauge Chart* | ||
| GaugeNumber | Inches | MM |
| 7 | .1443 | 3.665 |
| 8 | .1285 | 3.264 |
| 9 | .1144 | 2.906 |
| 10 | .1019 | 2.588 |
| 11 | .09074 | 2.305 |
| 12 | .08081 | 2.053 |
| 14 | .06408 | 1.628 |
| 16 | .05082 | 1.291 |
| 18 | .04030 | 1.024 |
| 20 | .03196 | .812 |
| 22 | .02535 | .644 |
| 24 | .02010 | .511 |
| 26 | .01594 | .405 |
| 28 | .01264 | .321 |
| 30 | .01003 | .255 |
Buy Brass
| Copper Gauge Chart* | ||
| GaugeNumber | Inches | MM |
| 7 | .180 | 4.572 |
| 8 | .165 | 4.191 |
| 9 | .148 | 3.759 |
| 10 | .134 | 3.404 |
| 11 | .120 | 3.048 |
| 12 | .109 | 2.769 |
| 14 | .083 | 2.108 |
| 16 | .065 | 1.651 |
| 18 | .049 | 1.245 |
| 20 | .035 | .889 |
| 22 | .028 | .711 |
| 24 | .022 | .559 |
| 26 | .018 | .457 |
| 28 | .014 | .356 |
| 30 | .012 | .305 |
Buy Copper
Read More :
Difference Between Mild Steel Channels and Mild Steel Flat Bars – Mild steel channels, also known as rolled steel channels, are C-shaped beams that have good structural properties and are inexpensive, Mild steel flat bars are made of low carbon steel that is easy to weld, cut, and machine.
ISMC (Indian Standard Medium Channel) Weight Chart: Channels made of mild steel are U-shaped steel constructions, and their dimensions and wall thickness are typically employed to define them. The bottom flange and the top web are the two components that make up a channel manufactured out of mild steel.
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