Sheet Metal Gauge Thickness Chart

Common Sheet Metal Gauge Thickness Comparison

Gauge	Steel	Stainless Steel	Aluminum
10 ga	0.1345 in / 3.42 mm	0.1406 in / 3.57 mm	0.1019 in / 2.59 mm
12 ga	0.1046 in / 2.66 mm	0.1094 in / 2.78 mm	0.0808 in / 2.05 mm
14 ga	0.0747 in / 1.90 mm	0.0781 in / 1.98 mm	0.0641 in / 1.63 mm
16 ga	0.0508 in / 1.29 mm	0.0598 in / 1.52 mm	0.0625 in / 1.59 mm
18 ga	0.0478 in / 1.21 mm	0.0500 in / 1.27 mm	0.0403 in / 1.02 mm
20 ga	0.0359 in / 0.91 mm	0.0375 in / 0.95 mm	0.0320 in / 0.81 mm
22 ga	0.0299 in / 0.76 mm	0.0312 in / 0.79 mm	0.0253 in / 0.64 mm
24 ga	0.0239 in / 0.61 mm	0.0250 in / 0.64 mm	0.0201 in / 0.51 mm

Important: Gauge is a reference system, not a universal thickness unit. Always check the material-specific chart before converting gauge to mm or inches.

Steel Gauge Thickness Chart

This chart uses commonly referenced Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge values for sheet steel. Actual purchased material thickness may vary within the applicable product standard and supplier tolerance.

Gauge	Thickness (in)	Thickness (mm)	Typical Fabrication Use
7 ga	0.1793	4.55	Heavy brackets, structural panels
8 ga	0.1644	4.18	Heavy-duty covers, machine components
10 ga	0.1345	3.42	Industrial housings, heavy enclosures
11 ga	0.1196	3.04	Cabinets, frames, welded assemblies
12 ga	0.1046	2.66	Electrical cabinets, guards, panels
13 ga	0.0897	2.28	Heavy panels and formed parts
14 ga	0.0747	1.90	Enclosures, brackets, chassis
15 ga	0.0673	1.71	Medium-duty panels and covers
16 ga	0.0598	1.52	General enclosures, panels, chassis
17 ga	0.0538	1.37	Formed covers and light housings
18 ga	0.0478	1.21	Cabinets, HVAC parts, brackets
19 ga	0.0418	1.06	Light enclosures and panels
20 ga	0.0359	0.91	Appliance covers, light brackets
21 ga	0.0329	0.84	Light formed sheet metal parts
22 ga	0.0299	0.76	Covers, light panels, electronic housings
23 ga	0.0269	0.68	Light-duty sheet metal components
24 ga	0.0239	0.61	Light covers, vents, small brackets
25 ga	0.0209	0.53	Thin covers and decorative panels
26 ga	0.0179	0.45	Ventilation, light fabricated parts
27 ga	0.0164	0.42	Light sheet components
28 ga	0.0149	0.38	Thin panels, covers, vent parts
29 ga	0.0135	0.34	Very light sheet applications
30 ga	0.0120	0.30	Thin covers and light formed parts

Stainless Steel Gauge Thickness Chart

Stainless steel sheet generally has a greater nominal thickness than mild steel at the same gauge number. Stainless grade, finish, supply condition, and thickness tolerance should be specified separately.

Gauge	Thickness (in)	Thickness (mm)	Typical Fabrication Use
7 ga	0.1875	4.76	Heavy stainless panels, industrial equipment
8 ga	0.1719	4.37	Heavy-duty stainless assemblies
10 ga	0.1406	3.57	Industrial housings, food equipment
11 ga	0.1250	3.18	Cabinets, structural enclosures
12 ga	0.1094	2.78	Equipment panels, formed assemblies
13 ga	0.0937	2.38	Durable panels and stainless covers
14 ga	0.0781	1.98	Enclosures, medical and food-grade parts
15 ga	0.0703	1.79	General stainless fabrication
16 ga	0.0625	1.59	Chassis, cabinets, stainless panels
17 ga	0.0562	1.43	Covers and formed components
18 ga	0.0500	1.27	Enclosures, appliance panels, brackets
19 ga	0.0437	1.11	Light stainless housings
20 ga	0.0375	0.95	Light panels and covers
21 ga	0.0344	0.87	Light sheet components
22 ga	0.0312	0.79	Thin panels, electronics covers
23 ga	0.0281	0.71	Light fabricated components
24 ga	0.0250	0.64	Thin covers, brackets, trims
25 ga	0.0219	0.56	Light stainless sheet applications
26 ga	0.0187	0.48	Thin formed components
27 ga	0.0172	0.43	Thin stainless sheet
28 ga	0.0156	0.41	Light covers and trim
29 ga	0.0141	0.36	Very thin stainless components
30 ga	0.0125	0.32	Thin stainless covers

Aluminum Gauge Thickness Chart

Aluminum sheet commonly follows the Brown & Sharpe / AWG-based gauge system. Do not assume that an aluminum gauge matches the same gauge in steel or stainless steel.

Gauge	Thickness (in)	Thickness (mm)	Typical Fabrication Use
7 ga	0.1443	3.67	Heavy panels, structural aluminum parts
8 ga	0.1285	3.26	Heavy enclosures, transport components
10 ga	0.1019	2.59	Chassis, frames, industrial panels
11 ga	0.0907	2.30	Cabinets, formed covers
12 ga	0.0808	2.05	Enclosures, machine panels
13 ga	0.0720	1.83	General aluminum fabrication
14 ga	0.0641	1.63	Enclosures, brackets, panels
15 ga	0.0571	1.45	Formed covers and housings
16 ga	0.0508	1.29	Electronics chassis, light enclosures
17 ga	0.0453	1.15	Light aluminum covers
18 ga	0.0403	1.02	Appliance panels, light housings
19 ga	0.0359	0.91	Light fabricated aluminum parts
20 ga	0.0320	0.81	Covers, vents, cosmetic panels
21 ga	0.0285	0.72	Light panels
22 ga	0.0253	0.64	Thin covers and electronics parts
23 ga	0.0226	0.57	Thin aluminum components
24 ga	0.0201	0.51	Light covers, trims, vents
25 ga	0.0179	0.46	Thin formed aluminum parts
26 ga	0.0159	0.40	Light sheet metal applications
27 ga	0.0142	0.36	Thin aluminum sheet
28 ga	0.0126	0.32	Very light aluminum covers
29 ga	0.0113	0.29	Thin aluminum sheet
30 ga	0.0100	0.25	Lightweight covers and foil-like components

Galvanized Steel Gauge Thickness Chart

Galvanized sheet thickness may be specified as base-metal thickness, nominal coated thickness, or a product-specific thickness range. For critical parts, state the required steel grade, base-metal thickness, coating designation, and whether the dimension applies before or after coating.

Gauge	Nominal Thickness (in)	Nominal Thickness (mm)
8 ga	0.1681	4.27
9 ga	0.1532	3.89
10 ga	0.1382	3.51
11 ga	0.1233	3.13
12 ga	0.1084	2.75
13 ga	0.0934	2.37
14 ga	0.0785	1.99
15 ga	0.0710	1.80
16 ga	0.0635	1.61
17 ga	0.0575	1.46
18 ga	0.0516	1.31
19 ga	0.0456	1.16
20 ga	0.0396	1.01
21 ga	0.0366	0.93
22 ga	0.0336	0.85
23 ga	0.0306	0.78
24 ga	0.0276	0.70
25 ga	0.0247	0.63
26 ga	0.0217	0.55
27 ga	0.0202	0.51
28 ga	0.0187	0.47
29 ga	0.0172	0.44
30 ga	0.0157	0.40

Common Starting Thicknesses for Fabricated Parts

Application	Typical Material	Common Starting Thickness	Design Considerations
Light electronic covers	Steel, stainless steel, aluminum	20–24 ga	Prioritize weight, appearance, and adequate stiffness
Electronic chassis	Steel, aluminum	16–20 ga	Consider grounding, hardware installation, and deflection
Control panels	Steel, stainless steel	14–18 ga	Review cutout density, operator use, and panel stiffness
Small electrical enclosures	Steel, stainless steel, aluminum	16–20 ga	Allow for bends, seams, doors, and mounting features
Junction boxes	Steel, stainless steel	14–18 ga	Consider knockouts, welded corners, and ingress requirements
Server chassis and rack parts	Steel, aluminum	14–18 ga	Balance stiffness, weight, airflow, and hardware load
Machine guards	Steel, stainless steel	12–16 ga	Evaluate impact risk, frame design, visibility, and safety requirements
Industrial cabinets	Steel, stainless steel	12–16 ga	Account for door sag, shelves, weld distortion, and transport loads
Structural brackets	Steel, stainless steel	10–14 ga	Verify load path, bend radii, gussets, fasteners, and fatigue conditions

These ranges are starting points for design discussion, not structural design values. Final thickness should be determined from material properties, load cases, joining method, manufacturing process, regulatory requirements, and the finished part geometry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about sheet metal gauge thickness, material differences, and thickness conversion.

Is a lower gauge number thicker?

Yes. In sheet metal gauge systems, a lower gauge number generally indicates a thicker sheet, while a higher gauge number indicates a thinner sheet.

Is 16 gauge always the same thickness?

No. Sixteen gauge thickness depends on the material: mild steel is commonly 0.0598 in / 1.52 mm, stainless steel is 0.0625 in / 1.59 mm, and aluminum is 0.0508 in / 1.29 mm.

What gauge is 1 mm sheet metal?

There is no exact universal gauge equivalent. For mild steel, 20 gauge is 0.91 mm and 19 gauge is 1.06 mm; for stainless steel, 20 gauge is 0.95 mm; for aluminum, 18 gauge is 1.02 mm.

What gauge is 1.5 mm steel?

For mild steel, 16 gauge is the closest common reference at 1.52 mm. For stainless steel, 16 gauge is approximately 1.59 mm, so a drawing should specify 1.50 mm if that is the actual requirement.

Should I specify gauge or millimeters on my drawing?

Specify the actual thickness in millimeters or decimal inches as the controlling requirement. You may include gauge as a secondary reference, but gauge alone can create ambiguity across materials.

Can ShincoFab fabricate custom thicknesses?

Yes. Send your drawing, material requirement, thickness, quantity, finish, and tolerance requirements for an engineering review and quotation.

Need Help Selecting Sheet Thickness?

Choosing sheet thickness affects strength, weight, bendability, hardware installation, cost, and finish quality. Upload your drawing and ShincoFab’s engineering team can recommend a suitable material and thickness for your application.

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