Sheet Metal Gauge to Thickness Chart
Stainless steel · Gauge → inch → mm
Stainless steel sheet gauge is a North American shorthand, not a universal metric size. This chart converts gauge 7–30 to inches and millimeters. A lower gauge number is thicker; international orders should state the required metric thickness and tolerance as the controlling values.
Stainless Steel Gauge Chart
| Gauge | Inch | mm | Theoretical kg/m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0.1875″ | 4.76 mm | 37.75 |
| 8 | 0.1719″ | 4.37 mm | 34.65 |
| 9 | 0.1563″ | 3.97 mm | 31.48 |
| 10 | 0.1406″ | 3.57 mm | 28.31 |
| 11 | 0.1250″ | 3.18 mm | 25.22 |
| 12 | 0.1094″ | 2.78 mm | 22.05 |
| 13 | 0.0938″ | 2.38 mm | 18.87 |
| 14 | 0.0781″ | 1.98 mm | 15.70 |
| 15 | 0.0703″ | 1.79 mm | 14.19 |
| 16 | 0.0625″ | 1.59 mm | 12.61 |
| 17 | 0.0563″ | 1.43 mm | 11.34 |
| 18 | 0.0500″ | 1.27 mm | 10.07 |
| 19 | 0.0438″ | 1.11 mm | 8.80 |
| 20 | 0.0375″ | 0.95 mm | 7.53 |
| 21 | 0.0344″ | 0.87 mm | 6.90 |
| 22 | 0.0313″ | 0.79 mm | 6.26 |
| 23 | 0.0281″ | 0.71 mm | 5.63 |
| 24 | 0.0250″ | 0.64 mm | 5.08 |
| 25 | 0.0219″ | 0.56 mm | 4.44 |
| 26 | 0.0188″ | 0.48 mm | 3.81 |
| 28 | 0.0156″ | 0.40 mm | 3.17 |
| 30 | 0.0125″ | 0.32 mm | 2.54 |
US Standard Gauge. Area mass uses 7.93 g/cm³ generic stainless density; select a grade-specific density for contractual calculations. Thickness tolerance per the applicable edition of ASTM A480/A480M.
Common Export Thicknesses
Chinese mills roll to metric sizes. The usual stainless sheet program runs 0.3 / 0.5 / 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 / 1.5 / 2.0 / 3.0 mm (≈ gauge 30 to 11), and plate programs continue into heavier metric sizes. When a drawing specifies gauge, confirm the metric equivalent on the purchase order — "16 ga" delivered as 1.5 mm stainless is standard practice, but writing both numbers avoids disputes at inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What thickness is 16 gauge stainless steel?
16 gauge stainless steel is 0.0625 inch, or about 1.59 mm. Export orders commonly use a nominal 1.5 mm metric thickness, so the purchase order should state the required millimeter thickness and tolerance.
Is a lower gauge number thicker or thinner?
Lower is thicker. 14 gauge stainless (1.98 mm) is heavier than 18 gauge (1.27 mm). The numbering descends from wire-drawing tradition: each pass through the die reduced thickness and increased the gauge count.
Is stainless steel gauge the same as every sheet-metal gauge?
No. Gauge is material-specific and historical. Use this table only for stainless steel, and specify millimeter thickness and the applicable tolerance standard on international purchase orders.
Should I order sheet by gauge or by millimeters?
Order in millimeters for international purchases. Gauge is a North American shorthand with rounding ambiguity; mills in China and most of the world roll to metric thickness with tolerances such as ASTM A480. Quote both values if the drawing uses gauge.
Need shipment weight instead? Use themetal weight calculator with the same thicknesses.
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Technical content updated: 2026-07-29
Organizational author: Tsingshan (Shandong) Iron & Steel Co., Ltd..Review method, status and limitations.