Interactive lookup
Stainless Steel Gauge-to-Thickness Converter
Select a gauge or enter a thickness to find the closest nominal stainless steel gauge.
Nominal reference only. Gauge is material-specific and does not define allowable delivered thickness. Specify critical stainless parts by decimal thickness, grade, finish, and the applicable tolerance specification.
- Gauge
- 16
- Inches
- 0.0625 in
- Millimeters
- 1.5875 mm
- Fraction
- 1/16 in
- Next thicker
- 15 gauge
- Next thinner
- 17 gauge
Nominal reference data
Stainless Steel Gauge Thickness Chart
Search, sort, select, and copy nominal gauge thicknesses from 0000000 through 38.
Search by gauge, decimal inch, millimeter value, or fraction. The default view emphasizes gauges 7–30; choose the complete statutory range for every listed designation.
No gauge matches the current search. Try a gauge number, decimal thickness, millimeter value, fraction, or clear the filters.
| Compare | Fraction | Specification note | Actions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000000 | 0.5 | 12.7 | 1/2 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 000000 | 0.46875 | 11.90625 | 15/32 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 00000 | 0.4375 | 11.1125 | 7/16 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 0000 | 0.40625 | 10.31875 | 13/32 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 000 | 0.375 | 9.525 | 3/8 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 00 | 0.34375 | 8.73125 | 11/32 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 0 | 0.3125 | 7.9375 | 5/16 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 1 | 0.28125 | 7.14375 | 9/32 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 2 | 0.265625 | 6.74687 | 17/64 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 3 | 0.25 | 6.35 | 1/4 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 4 | 0.234375 | 5.95312 | 15/64 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 5 | 0.21875 | 5.55625 | 7/32 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 6 | 0.203125 | 5.15937 | 13/64 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 7 | 0.1875 | 4.7625 | 3/16 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 8 | 0.171875 | 4.36562 | 11/64 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 9 | 0.15625 | 3.96875 | 5/32 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 10 | 0.140625 | 3.57187 | 9/64 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 11 | 0.125 | 3.175 | 1/8 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 12 | 0.109375 | 2.77812 | 7/64 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 13 | 0.09375 | 2.38125 | 3/32 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 14 | 0.078125 | 1.98438 | 5/64 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 15 | 0.0703125 | 1.78594 | 9/128 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 16 | 0.0625 | 1.5875 | 1/16 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 17 | 0.05625 | 1.42875 | ≈ 5/89 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 18 | 0.05 | 1.27 | 1/20 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 19 | 0.04375 | 1.11125 | ≈ 5/114 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 20 | 0.0375 | 0.9525 | 3/80 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 21 | 0.034375 | 0.87313 | ≈ 1/29 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 22 | 0.03125 | 0.79375 | 1/32 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 23 | 0.028125 | 0.71437 | ≈ 2/71 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 24 | 0.025 | 0.635 | 1/40 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 25 | 0.021875 | 0.55562 | ≈ 2/91 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 26 | 0.01875 | 0.47625 | ≈ 2/107 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 27 | 0.0171875 | 0.43656 | ≈ 1/58 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 28 | 0.015625 | 0.39687 | 1/64 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 29 | 0.0140625 | 0.35719 | ≈ 1/71 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 30 | 0.0125 | 0.3175 | 1/80 | Common fabrication reference; verify supplier availability. | ||
| 31 | 0.0109375 | 0.27781 | ≈ 1/91 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 32 | 0.01015625 | 0.25797 | ≈ 1/98 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 33 | 0.009375 | 0.23812 | ≈ 1/107 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 34 | 0.00859375 | 0.21828 | ≈ 1/116 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 35 | 0.0078125 | 0.19844 | 1/128 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 36 | 0.00703125 | 0.17859 | ≈ 1/128 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 37 | 0.00664062 | 0.16867 | ≈ 1/128 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. | ||
| 38 | 0.00625 | 0.15875 | 1/160 | Extended statutory range; normally specify by decimal thickness. |
Nominal reference only. For purchasing, drawings, or inspection, specify decimal thickness, unit system, stainless grade, finish, dimensions, and the applicable product and tolerance requirements.
Table and export options
Selected-row comparison
Compare Stainless Steel Gauge Thicknesses
Bars show how quickly nominal thickness changes between selected gauge designations.
Select gauges in the table to compare their nominal thicknesses.
How to Use the Stainless Steel Gauge Chart
- Select a gauge to see nominal thickness in inches, millimeters, and a practical fractional reference.
- Reverse-match a thickness by entering a measured or required value and choosing closest, next thicker, or next thinner.
- Confirm the table row and compare nearby gauges before choosing a stock size.
- Specify critical work by decimal thickness with the applicable grade, finish, and tolerance basis.
- Closest nominal
- Returns the listed thickness with the smallest absolute difference.
- Next thicker
- Returns the smallest listed thickness greater than or equal to the entered value.
- Next thinner
- Returns the largest listed thickness less than or equal to the entered value.
Why larger gauge numbers are thinner
Gauge is a designation sequence rather than a linear unit. The numerical step between gauges does not represent one fixed thickness increment, so arithmetic interpolation between gauge numbers is not valid.
Stainless Gauge Lookup Examples
Convert 16 gauge to thickness
Select 16 gauge. The chart returns 0.0625 in, 1.5875 mm, and an exact 1/16 in fractional reference.
Check: This is a nominal conversion, not an acceptance tolerance for delivered material.
Find the closest gauge to 0.070 in
Enter 0.070 in and choose Closest nominal. The nearest listed value is 15 gauge at 0.0703125 in, a difference of 0.0003125 in.
Check: Confirm that 15 gauge is stocked or specify 0.070 in directly.
Choose the next thicker gauge for 1.50 mm
Enter 1.50 mm and choose Next thicker or equal. The tool identifies 16 gauge at 1.5875 mm.
Check: The result is a nominal size selection, not proof that every delivered sheet exceeds 1.50 mm.
Gauge, Sheet, Plate, and Actual Thickness
Use gauge for quick shop reference
- Communicating familiar thin-sheet sizes
- Comparing nearby nominal thicknesses
- Identifying existing material approximately
Use decimal thickness for engineering documents
- Drawings and purchase orders
- Inspection and acceptance criteria
- Parts with fit, strength, or forming constraints
Include the complete material callout
- Stainless grade or UNS designation
- Ordered thickness and unit system
- Finish, width, length, and applicable standard
Is it stainless steel sheet or plate?
Commercial terminology varies, and the search phrase “plate gauge” is commonly used even though thicker stainless products are normally ordered directly by decimal thickness. Treat gauge as a thin-flat-product reference, not a universal definition of sheet versus plate.
Do not transfer gauge values between materials. The same gauge number can correspond to different thicknesses in stainless steel, carbon steel, galvanized steel, and aluminum reference systems.
Nominal thickness versus delivered thickness
The values in this chart identify nominal gauge thickness. Actual ordered material is governed by the applicable product specification, dimensional tolerance, width, edge condition, finish, and purchase requirements. ASTM A480/A480M provides general requirements for flat-rolled stainless plate, sheet, and strip, but its copyrighted tolerance tables are not reproduced here.
Engineering Basis and Data Transparency
Scope: nominal U.S. sheet-and-plate gauge designations, with exact inch-to-millimeter conversion. No ASTM tolerance table is reproduced.
The primary numerical dataset follows the gauge and nominal thickness sequence published in 15 U.S.C. §206. ASTM A480/A480M is cited for general flat-rolled stainless requirements, and ASTM A240/A240M for common stainless plate, sheet, and strip product-specification context. No copyrighted ASTM dimensional-tolerance table is reproduced.
- 15 U.S.C. §206 — Standard gauge for sheet and plate iron and steelSupports the gauge designations and nominal thickness values used in the table.
- ASTM A480/A480M-25bActive general-requirements specification used for stainless flat-product terminology and dimensional-tolerance context; copyrighted tables are not reproduced.
- ASTM A240/A240M-26Active product specification covering chromium and chromium-nickel stainless steel plate, sheet, and strip for pressure vessels and general applications.
Dataset and Review Details
- Publisher
- Turn2Engineering Editorial Team
- Updated
- August 4, 2026
- Dataset version
- ss-gauge-uscode-206-v1
- Primary units
- Decimal inches and millimeters
- Conversion
- 1 in = 25.4 mm exactly
- Rights status
- Public U.S. Code values; ASTM summary only
- Known exclusion
- Delivered-thickness tolerances and supplier stock
- Review status
- Dataset, interaction, accessibility, and source QA completed; no professional-engineer review claimed
Stainless Steel Gauge Chart FAQs
Sixteen gauge stainless steel is nominally 0.0625 inch or 1.5875 millimeters thick, equivalent to exactly 1/16 inch in this gauge table.
Yes. Fourteen gauge is nominally 0.078125 inch, while 16 gauge is 0.0625 inch; lower gauge numbers are generally thicker in this sequence.
Eleven gauge is nominally 0.125 inch, exactly 1/8 inch in this reference, though precision-critical material should be ordered by decimal thickness.
No universal equivalence should be assumed. Always use a chart identified for the intended material because common steel, galvanized, stainless, and aluminum gauge references can differ.
For engineering drawings, inspection, and thicker flat products, order by actual decimal thickness together with grade, finish, dimensions, and the applicable tolerance specification.
Stainless Steel Gauge Chart Summary
Use the converter for fast nominal gauge lookup, then confirm critical purchases with a decimal thickness and applicable stainless material specification. Gauge is a convenient designation—not a substitute for dimensional tolerance or project-specific design verification.