Sheet Metal Gauge & Thickness
Gauge-to-decimal thickness for steel, galvanized, stainless, and aluminum, with per-field inch/mm pickers.
Sheet Metal Gauge & Thickness Calculator
Convert gauge to thickness for steel, stainless, aluminum, brass, and copper, with weight per sheet, a thickness ruler, and the same-gauge comparison that catches costly mistakes.
Why gauge numbers are a mess
Gauge is an old wire-drawing scale where a higher number means thinner metal, and the steps were never standardized across materials. Ferrous sheet uses the Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge, stainless has its own table, and non-ferrous metals (aluminum, brass, copper) use Brown & Sharpe. The same "16 gauge" can mean three different thicknesses.
Example: a 4×8 sheet of 16 ga steel (0.0598") weighs 0.0598 × 41.82 = 2.50 lb/ft² × 32 ft² = 80 lb.
Reading the thickness ruler
The orange line marks your selected thickness against a fixed 0 to 0.200" scale, with everyday references (paper, a credit card, a quarter) for a gut-check. It is a fast way to catch a wrong gauge before you cut.
Common questions
Is 16 gauge steel the same as 16 gauge aluminum?
No. 16 ga steel is 0.0598" and 16 ga aluminum is 0.0508", about 15% thinner. Steel and galvanized use the Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge, stainless uses its own table, and aluminum, brass, and copper use the Brown & Sharpe (AWG) scale. The comparison table above shows all of them for whatever gauge you pick.
Why is galvanized thicker than plain steel at the same gauge?
Galvanized gauge thickness includes a zinc coating allowance on top of the base steel, so 16 ga galvanized (0.0635") is a few thousandths thicker than 16 ga cold-rolled steel (0.0598"). The base steel is the same; the extra is zinc.
How do I convert a measured thickness back to a gauge?
Switch the lookup mode to "Measured thickness," type the value in inches or mm, and the tool returns the nearest gauge for the selected material plus how far off you are. If you are more than about 6% from any standard gauge, it flags that you are between sizes.
How accurate is the sheet weight?
It is theoretical weight from nominal thickness and material density, which is what suppliers quote. Real coils vary with mill tolerance, so a stack can come in a percent or two off. For shipping or load planning, add margin.
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