{"id":6950,"date":"2026-06-09T13:13:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T13:13:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidcision.com\/?p=6950"},"modified":"2026-06-08T19:35:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:35:39","slug":"sheet-metal-gauge-chart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidcision.com\/de\/sheet-metal-gauge-chart\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheet Metal Gauge Chart: Thickness for Steel, Stainless, Aluminum, and Galvanized"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00dcberpr\u00fcft vom Rapidcision-Entwicklungsteam | Letzte Aktualisierung: Juni 2026<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A sheet metal gauge is a number that indicates the thickness of a sheet, where a higher gauge number means a thinner sheet. The catch that trips up engineers and buyers is that the same gauge number is not the same thickness across different metals. An 18-gauge stainless steel sheet, an 18-gauge mild steel sheet, and an 18-gauge aluminum sheet are all different thicknesses, because the gauge systems were built separately for ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The chart below gives the actual thickness for each common gauge in steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, in both inches and millimeters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Use it to translate a gauge callout into a real dimension, to compare materials, and to avoid the costly mistake of assuming a gauge number carries the same thickness from one metal to the next. We work to these standards across our<\/span> sheet metal fabrication services<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sheet Metal Gauge Thickness Chart<\/b><\/h2>\n

Thicknesses are shown as inches with the millimeter equivalent in parentheses. Steel, galvanized, and stainless follow the Manufacturers\u2019 Standard Gauge; aluminum follows the Brown and Sharpe (American Wire Gauge) system.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Gauge<\/span><\/td>\nBaustahl<\/span><\/td>\nVerzinkter Stahl<\/span><\/td>\nRostfreier Stahl<\/span><\/td>\nAluminium<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/span><\/td>\n0.1793 (4.55)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2014<\/span><\/td>\n0.1875 (4.76)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1443 (3.67)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/span><\/td>\n0.1644 (4.18)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1681 (4.27)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1719 (4.37)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1285 (3.26)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/span><\/td>\n0.1495 (3.80)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1532 (3.89)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1563 (3.97)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1144 (2.91)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/span><\/td>\n0.1345 (3.42)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1382 (3.51)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1406 (3.57)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1019 (2.59)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/span><\/td>\n0.1196 (3.04)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1233 (3.13)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1250 (3.18)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0907 (2.30)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/span><\/td>\n0.1046 (2.66)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1084 (2.75)<\/span><\/td>\n0.1094 (2.78)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0808 (2.05)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/span><\/td>\n0.0897 (2.28)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0934 (2.37)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0938 (2.38)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0720 (1.83)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/span><\/td>\n0.0747 (1.90)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0785 (1.99)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0781 (1.98)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0641 (1.63)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/span><\/td>\n0.0673 (1.71)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0710 (1.80)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0703 (1.79)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0571 (1.45)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/span><\/td>\n0.0598 (1.52)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0635 (1.61)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0625 (1.59)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0508 (1.29)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17<\/span><\/td>\n0.0538 (1.37)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0575 (1.46)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0563 (1.43)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0453 (1.15)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18<\/span><\/td>\n0.0478 (1.21)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0516 (1.31)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0500 (1.27)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0403 (1.02)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19<\/span><\/td>\n0.0418 (1.06)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0456 (1.16)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0438 (1.11)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0359 (0.91)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20<\/span><\/td>\n0.0359 (0.91)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0396 (1.01)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0375 (0.95)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0320 (0.81)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22<\/span><\/td>\n0.0299 (0.76)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0336 (0.85)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0312 (0.79)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0253 (0.64)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
24<\/span><\/td>\n0.0239 (0.61)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0276 (0.70)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0250 (0.64)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0201 (0.51)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
26<\/span><\/td>\n0.0179 (0.45)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0217 (0.55)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0187 (0.48)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0159 (0.40)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28<\/span><\/td>\n0.0149 (0.38)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0187 (0.47)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0156 (0.40)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0126 (0.32)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30<\/span><\/td>\n0.0120 (0.30)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0157 (0.40)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0125 (0.32)<\/span><\/td>\n0.0100 (0.25)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Millimeter values are converted from the standard inch thicknesses and rounded to two decimals. Galvanized sheet thinner than 8 gauge is uncommon at the heavy end, so 7-gauge galvanized is left blank.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Gauge Differs by Material<\/b><\/h2>\n

The reason a gauge number shifts thickness between metals is historical. Gauge systems grew out of wire drawing, where wire was once sold by weight, and different industries standardized differently. Two systems still govern sheet metal today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carbon steel, galvanized steel, and stainless steel use the <\/span>Manufacturers\u2019 Standard Gauge<\/b>. Aluminum and other non-ferrous metals such as brass and copper use the <\/span>Brown and Sharpe Gauge<\/b>, also known as the American Wire Gauge. Because these systems were defined independently, a 16-gauge mild steel sheet is about 1.52 mm, while a 16-gauge aluminum sheet is about 1.29 mm. You cannot convert a gauge directly from one metal to another. Always read the thickness from the column for the specific material you are using.<\/span><\/p>\n

Galvanized steel is also slightly thicker than uncoated steel at the same gauge, because the zinc coating bonded to the steel adds to the measured thickness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Choosing the Right Gauge for the Job<\/b><\/h2>\n

Gauge selection balances strength, weight, formability, and cost. As a general guide:<\/span><\/p>\n