Mechanical Engineering · Fabrication
Sheet Metal Gauge Chart
Look up sheet metal gauge thicknesses for carbon steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, and aluminum in inches and millimeters, or find the nearest gauge from a measured thickness.
- Range
- 3–30 gauge
- Materials
- 4 references
- Units
- in + mm
Gauge lookup
Sheet Metal Gauge to Thickness Lookup
Gauge numbers are material-dependent. Select the material before using a gauge value.
Gauge is not one universal thickness scale. A 16-gauge carbon-steel sheet, 16-gauge stainless sheet, and 16-gauge aluminum sheet can have different reference thicknesses. For drawings and purchasing, specify the material and actual required thickness when dimensional certainty matters.
Sheet Metal Gauge Thickness Chart
Use the material and unit controls above to narrow the columns, or search for a gauge number. The full multi-material table remains in the page source and is available without JavaScript.
No matching gauge is available in this reference. Check the gauge designation or clear the search.
Scroll horizontally to view additional material columns and vertically to view additional rows. Column headers remain visible while scrolling.
| Carbon steel (MSG) | Galvanized steel | Stainless steel | Aluminum (AWG/B&S) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0.2391 | 6.073 | — | — | 0.2500 | 6.35 | 0.2294 | 5.827 |
| 4 | 0.2242 | 5.695 | — | — | 0.2344 | 5.954 | 0.2043 | 5.189 |
| 5 | 0.2092 | 5.314 | — | — | 0.2187 | 5.555 | 0.1819 | 4.62 |
| 6 | 0.1943 | 4.935 | — | — | 0.2031 | 5.159 | 0.1620 | 4.115 |
| 7 | 0.1793 | 4.554 | — | — | 0.1875 | 4.762 | 0.1443 | 3.665 |
| 8 | 0.1644 | 4.176 | 0.1681 | 4.27 | 0.1719 | 4.366 | 0.1285 | 3.264 |
| 9 | 0.1495 | 3.797 | 0.1532 | 3.891 | 0.1562 | 3.967 | 0.1144 | 2.906 |
| 10 | 0.1345 | 3.416 | 0.1382 | 3.51 | 0.1406 | 3.571 | 0.1019 | 2.588 |
| 11 | 0.1196 | 3.038 | 0.1233 | 3.132 | 0.1250 | 3.175 | 0.0907 | 2.304 |
| 12 | 0.1046 | 2.657 | 0.1084 | 2.753 | 0.1094 | 2.779 | 0.0808 | 2.052 |
| 13 | 0.0897 | 2.278 | 0.0934 | 2.372 | 0.0938 | 2.383 | 0.0720 | 1.829 |
| 14 | 0.0747 | 1.897 | 0.0785 | 1.994 | 0.0781 | 1.984 | 0.0641 | 1.628 |
| 15 | 0.0673 | 1.709 | 0.0710 | 1.803 | 0.0703 | 1.786 | 0.0571 | 1.45 |
| 16 | 0.0598 | 1.519 | 0.0635 | 1.613 | 0.0625 | 1.587 | 0.0508 | 1.29 |
| 17 | 0.0538 | 1.367 | 0.0575 | 1.46 | 0.0562 | 1.427 | 0.0453 | 1.151 |
| 18 | 0.0478 | 1.214 | 0.0516 | 1.311 | 0.0500 | 1.27 | 0.0403 | 1.024 |
| 19 | 0.0418 | 1.062 | 0.0456 | 1.158 | 0.0437 | 1.11 | 0.0359 | 0.912 |
| 20 | 0.0359 | 0.912 | 0.0396 | 1.006 | 0.0375 | 0.952 | 0.0320 | 0.813 |
| 21 | 0.0329 | 0.836 | 0.0366 | 0.93 | 0.0344 | 0.874 | 0.0285 | 0.724 |
| 22 | 0.0299 | 0.759 | 0.0336 | 0.853 | 0.0312 | 0.792 | 0.0253 | 0.643 |
| 23 | 0.0269 | 0.683 | 0.0306 | 0.777 | 0.0281 | 0.714 | 0.0226 | 0.574 |
| 24 | 0.0239 | 0.607 | 0.0276 | 0.701 | 0.0250 | 0.635 | 0.0201 | 0.511 |
| 25 | 0.0209 | 0.531 | 0.0247 | 0.627 | 0.0219 | 0.556 | 0.0179 | 0.455 |
| 26 | 0.0179 | 0.455 | 0.0217 | 0.551 | 0.0187 | 0.475 | 0.0159 | 0.404 |
| 27 | 0.0164 | 0.417 | 0.0202 | 0.513 | 0.0172 | 0.437 | 0.0142 | 0.361 |
| 28 | 0.0149 | 0.378 | 0.0187 | 0.475 | 0.0156 | 0.396 | 0.0126 | 0.32 |
| 29 | 0.0135 | 0.343 | 0.0172 | 0.437 | 0.0141 | 0.358 | 0.0113 | 0.287 |
| 30 | 0.0120 | 0.305 | 0.0157 | 0.399 | 0.0125 | 0.318 | 0.0100 | 0.254 |
These are nominal/reference gauge values, not guaranteed finished-product measurements. Blank cells indicate that this reference does not list that gauge/material combination; values are never extrapolated. Coatings, product specifications, tolerances, and supplier practices can change actual measured thickness.
How to Read a Sheet Metal Gauge Chart
Start with the material, then read the gauge. Within a given gauge system, a larger gauge number generally means a thinner sheet. The material matters because the gauge number is a designation, not a universal physical unit.
- Carbon steel
- This page uses the the common Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge (MSG) sheet-steel series. The 10–28 values are cross-checked against the cited EPA nongalvanized carbon-steel ductwork table.
- Galvanized steel
- The galvanized column uses the conventional published sheet-gauge series shown in the cited full-range reference; values from 10–28 are also cross-checked against the EPA ductwork table. Blank cells are retained where the full-range reference does not list a value.
- Stainless steel
- The stainless column uses the conventional published stainless sheet-gauge series shown in the cited full-range reference; values from 10–28 are also cross-checked against the EPA 304/316 ductwork table. Treat gauge values as nominal references rather than a universal product standard.
- Aluminum
- This page uses American Wire Gauge/Brown & Sharpe thickness values for the nonferrous sheet-gauge convention.
Why the Same Gauge Has Different Thicknesses
Federal regulations explicitly distinguish U.S. Standard Gauge (USSG), American Wire Gauge/Brown & Sharpe (AWG), and Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge (MSG). That distinction is why a single number such as “16 gauge” is incomplete unless the material or gauge system is also known.
Do not treat gauge as a unit
Gauge is a designation. Convert only after choosing the correct material/system.
Do not mix USSG and MSG
The statutory U.S. Standard Gauge table in 15 U.S.C. §206 is a different system from the common MSG sheet-steel values used here.
Use actual thickness for design
When a drawing, tolerance stack, bend setup, or purchased part depends on thickness, specify the required thickness and material rather than relying on gauge alone.
Steel, Stainless, Galvanized & Aluminum Gauge Charts
- Steel gauge chart
- Use the carbon-steel column for Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge (MSG) reference thicknesses. Common fabrication gauges include 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30.
- Stainless steel gauge chart
- Use the stainless column rather than assuming the same thickness as carbon steel. The two series differ at many gauge numbers.
- Galvanized steel gauge chart
- Use only listed galvanized values. Blank cells are intentionally left unsupported instead of being extrapolated.
- Aluminum gauge chart
- The aluminum column follows the Brown & Sharpe/AWG numerical thickness series used for nonferrous sheet references.
Gauge vs Actual Sheet Thickness
The chart is a reference for nominal/conventional gauge thickness. Actual sheet can vary because product standards and purchase specifications allow dimensional tolerances, and coatings can affect a caliper measurement. Modern ASTM specifications such as A480/A480M for stainless sheet, B209/B209M for aluminum sheet and plate, and A653/A653M for coated steel govern product requirements in their respective scopes; they should not be mistaken for a universal gauge-conversion standard.
Practical check: if a measured sheet falls between two nominal gauge values, the reverse lookup reports the nearest listed reference only. It does not certify the material, product standard, coating condition, or purchasing designation.
How to Measure Sheet Metal Thickness
For an existing part, identify the material first and measure thickness with a micrometer or suitable caliper. Measure on a clean, flat area away from burrs, bends, and sheared edges, and check more than one location when the result matters.
- Identify the material or coating condition if possible.
- Clean the measurement point and avoid raised burrs.
- Measure the flat sheet with a micrometer or suitable caliper.
- Compare the measurement with the matching material column.
- Use the reverse lookup only as a nearest nominal reference; do not treat it as certification of gauge or product specification.
Sheet Metal Gauge Examples
Example 1: 16 gauge is not one thickness
Assumption: compare the reference systems used by this page.
In the EPA ductwork reference, 16-ga nongalvanized carbon steel is 0.0598 in (1.519 mm), galvanized carbon steel is 0.0635 in, and 304/316 stainless is 0.0625 in. The AWG/Brown & Sharpe nonferrous value used here for aluminum is 0.05082 in.
Interpretation: specifying only “16 gauge” can create a material-dependent dimensional error.
Example 2: Identify a gauge from a caliper reading
Assumption: the material is known to be nongalvanized carbon steel and the measured thickness is 0.060 in.
The closest listed MSG value is 16 gauge at 0.0598 in, a difference of 0.0002 in.
Limitation: this nearest match is an identification aid, not proof that the sheet was manufactured or purchased as 16 gauge.
How to Specify Sheet Metal on Drawings
When thickness affects fit, strength, forming, weld setup, fastener engagement, or tolerance stack-up, specify the material and required thickness directly. Add the applicable material/product specification and tolerance requirements when the project requires them.
- Ambiguous: “16 ga sheet.”
- Clearer: “Carbon steel sheet, 0.060 in nominal thickness,” followed by the applicable project material specification and tolerance when required.
- For existing parts: record the measured thickness and identified material before inferring a gauge designation.
Standards, Sources, and Dataset Scope
Scope: 3–30 gauge reference values where published/listed for four material/gauge conventions; no claim is made that one standard governs all four.
The page intentionally separates common sheet-steel MSG values from the statutory U.S. Standard Gauge and from AWG/Brown & Sharpe. That resolves the frequent web error of labeling all sheet-metal gauges as one standard.
- U.S. EPA — Air Pollution Control Cost Manual, Sixth EditionTable 1.5 in Section 2, Chapter 1 (Hoods, Ductwork, and Stacks), used to cross-check the 10–28 values for nongalvanized carbon steel, galvanized carbon steel, and 304/316 stainless ductwork.
- GaugeCharts — Sheet Metal Gauge ChartCC BY 4.0 full-range 3–30 comparative reference used for the expanded steel, galvanized, stainless, and aluminum rows outside the EPA table scope. Values are retained as nominal reference data and blank galvanized combinations are not extrapolated.
- Argonne National Laboratory — American Wire Gauge (AWG)AWG/Brown & Sharpe numerical thickness values used for the aluminum nonferrous gauge column.
- 46 CFR §105.12 — Tank thickness terminologyCurrent eCFR footnote defining USSG for iron/steel, AWG/Brown & Sharpe for nonferrous sheet thicknesses, and MSG for sheet-steel thicknesses.
- 15 U.S.C. §206 — Standard gauge for sheet and plate iron and steelShown as the separate statutory U.S. Standard Gauge system; it is not used as the carbon-steel MSG dataset on this page.
Dataset and Source-Check Details
- Publisher
- Turn2Engineering
- Shared CORE
- 18.2.0
- Dataset label
- sheet-gauge-reference-2026-09
- Source checked
- September 27, 2026
- Canonical units
- Inches; metric values calculated with 25.4 mm/in
- Interpolation
- None; reverse lookup selects only a listed gauge
- Download rights
- No bulk multi-source CSV in this release
- Key limitation
- Nominal/reference thickness is not a manufacturing tolerance
Related Engineering References
Sheet Metal Gauge FAQ
It depends on the material/reference: this chart shows 0.0598 in for EPA nongalvanized carbon steel (MSG convention), 0.0635 in for the EPA galvanized ductwork reference, 0.0625 in for the EPA 304/316 stainless ductwork reference, and 0.05082 in for aluminum AWG/Brown & Sharpe.
Within the same gauge system, a higher ordinary gauge number generally means a thinner sheet.
No. Carbon sheet steel and aluminum commonly use different gauge conventions, so compare the actual inch or millimeter thickness rather than the gauge number alone.
Yes, if the material is known, the reverse lookup can find the nearest listed reference; coatings and tolerances can prevent an exact match.
When dimensional certainty matters, specify the material and required actual thickness, plus the applicable product specification or tolerance requirement when needed.
Use the Gauge Number With the Material
The fastest safe workflow is: identify the material, use the matching gauge convention, read the nominal/reference thickness, then verify the actual product specification or measurement when thickness affects design or purchasing. For an existing part, use the reverse lookup as a nearest-reference check rather than proof of designation.