Sheet metal thickness is denoted by gauge, sometimes spelled gage, which indicates a standard thickness before processing. Click here for a Gauge to mm Conversion Chart. Processing may include polishing, or the applying of protective plastics which will decrease or increase a sheet’s thickness respectively. As the gauge number increases the material’s thickness decreases. Below is our best attempt to capture all of the standard gauge thickness of different materials. Be sure to check with your supplier when purchasing steel what your actual thickness is going to be, especially if you’re receiving polished or treated material.
Gauge # | Standard Steel (Inches) | Standard Steel (mm) | Strip / Tubing (Inches) | Non-Ferrous / Aluminum (Inches) | Non-Ferrous / Aluminum (mm) | Galvanized Steel (Inches) | Galvanized Steel (mm) | US Standard |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0000000 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | .5000 |
000000 | - | - | - | .5800 | 14.732 | - | - | .4688 |
00000 | - | - | .500 | .5165 | 13.119 | - | - | .4375 |
0000 | - | - | .454 | .4600 | 11.684 | - | - | .4063 |
000 | - | - | .425 | .4096 | 10.404 | - | - | .3750 |
00 | - | - | .380 | .3648 | 9.266 | - | - | .3438 |
0 | - | - | .340 | .3249 | 8.252 | - | - | .3125 |
1 | - | - | .300 | .2893 | 7.348 | - | - | .2813 |
2 | - | - | .284 | .2576 | 6.543 | - | - | .2656 |
3 | .2391 | 6.073 | .259 | .2294 | 5.827 | - | - | .2500 |
4 | .2242 | 5.695 | .238 | .2043 | 5.189 | - | - | .2344 |
5 | .2092 | 5.314 | .220 | .1819 | 4.620 | - | - | .2188 |
6 | .1943 | 4.935 | .203 | .1620 | 4.115 | - | - | .2031 |
7 | .1793 | 4.554 | .180 | .1443 | 3.665 | - | - | .1875 |
8 | .1644 | 4.176 | .165 | .1285 | 3.264 | - | 4.270 | .1719 |
9 | .1495 | 3.797 | .148 | .1144 | 2.906 | .1532 | 3.891 | .1563 |
10 | .1345 | 3.416 | .134 | .1019 | 2.588 | .1382 | 3.510 | .1406 |
11 | .1196 | 3.038 | .120 | .0907 | 2.304 | .1233 | 3.132 | .1250 |
12 | .1046 | 2.657 | .109 | .0808 | 2.052 | .1084 | 2.753 | .1094 |
13 | .0897 | 2.278 | .095 | .0720 | 1.829 | .0934 | 2.372 | .0938 |
14 | .0747 | 1.897 | .083 | .0641 | 1.628 | .0785 | 1.994 | .0781 |
15 | .0673 | 1.709 | .072 | .0571 | 1.450 | .0710 | 1.803 | .0703 |
16 | .0598 | 1.519 | .065 | .0508 | 1.290 | .0635 | 1.613 | .0625 |
17 | .0538 | 1.367 | .058 | .0453 | 1.151 | .0575 | 1.461 | .0563 |
18 | .0478 | 1.214 | .049 | .0403 | 1.024 | .0516 | 1.311 | .0500 |
19 | .0418 | 1.062 | .042 | .0359 | .912 | .0456 | 1.158 | .0438 |
20 | .0359 | .912 | .035 | .0320 | .813 | .0396 | 1.006 | .0375 |
21 | .0329 | .836 | .032 | .0285 | .724 | .0366 | .930 | .0344 |
22 | .0299 | .759 | .028 | .0253 | .643 | .0306 | .853 | .0313 |
23 | .0269 | .683 | .025 | .0226 | .574 | .0276 | .777 | .0281 |
24 | .0239 | .607 | .022 | .0201 | .511 | .0247 | .701 | .0250 |
25 | .0209 | .531 | .020 | .0179 | .455 | .0217 | .627 | .0219 |
26 | .0179 | .455 | .018 | .0159 | .404 | .0202 | .551 | .0188 |
27 | .0164 | .417 | - | .0142 | .361 | .0187 | .513 | .0172 |
28 | .0149 | .378 | - | .0126 | .320 | .0172 | .475 | .0156 |
29 | .0135 | .343 | - | .0113 | .287 | .0157 | .437 | .0141 |
30 | .0120 | .305 | - | .0100 | .254 | .0142 | .399 | .0125 |
31 | .0105 | .267 | - | .0089 | .226 | .0134 | .361 | .0109 |
32 | .0097 | .246 | - | .0080 | .203 | - | .340 | .0102 |
33 | .0090 | .229 | - | .0071 | .180 | - | - | .0094 |
34 | .0082 | .208 | - | .0063 | .160 | - | - | .0086 |
35 | .0075 | .191 | - | .0056 | .140 | - | - | .0078 |
36 | .0067 | .170 | - | .0050 | .127 | - | - | .0070 |
37 | - | .163 | - | .0045 | .114 | - | - | .0066 |
38 | - | .152 | - | .004 | .102 | - | - | .0063 |
39 | - | - | - | - | .089 | - | - | .0059 |
40 | - | - | - | - | .079 | - | - | .0055 |
41 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | .0053 |
42 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | .0051 |
43 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | .0049 |
44 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | .0047 |
Sheet Metal Tolerances
Because sheets are rolled to the desired thickness there is almost always some crowning of the rollers, resulting in a thinner sheet on the edges compared to the center.
Steel / Stainless Steel | Aluminum | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thickness | 36'' Wide Sheet | 48'' Wide Sheet | Thickness | 36'' Wide Sheet | 48'' Wide Sheet |
.170 - .030 | .0015 | .002 | .018 - .028 | .002 | .0025 |
.031 - .041 | .002 | .003 | .029 - .036 | .002 | .0025 |
.042 - .059 | .003 | .004 | .037 - .045 | .0025 | .003 |
.060 - .073 | .003 | .0045 | .046 - .068 | .003 | .004 |
.074 - .084 | .004 | .0055 | .069 - .076 | .003 | .004 |
.085 - .099 | .004 | .006 | .077 - .096 | .0035 | .004 |
.100 - .115 | .005 | .007 | .097 - .108 | .004 | .005 |
.116 - .131 | .005 | .0075 | .109 - .125 | .0045 | .005 |
.132 - .146 | .006 | .009 | .126 - .140 | .0045 | .005 |
.147 - .187 | .007 | .0105 | .141 - .172 | .006 | .008 |
.173 - .203 | .007 | .010 | |||
.204 - .249 | .009 | .011 |
Galvanized Coating Thicknesses
As you can see from our first chart the galvanized columns are thicker than the regular steel. The process of galvanizing bonds a layer of zinc to the steel. This layer’s thickness can be controlled and the different thicknesses are designated below. The thicknesses are based off of how many ounces per square foot of the galvanizing material is added to the base steel.
Triple Spot | Single Spot | ||
---|---|---|---|
Designation | Both Sides | One Side | Both Sides |
G235 | 2.35 | .80 | 2.00 |
G210 | 2.10 | .72 | 1.80 |
G185 | 1.85 | .64 | 1.60 |
G165 | 1.65 | .56 | 1.40 |
G140 | 1.40 | .48 | 1.20 |
G115 | 1.15 | .40 | 1.00 |
G90 | .90 | .32 | .80 |
G60 / A60 | .60 | .20 | .50 |
G40 / A40 | .40 | .12 | .30 |
G30 / A30 | .30 | .10 | .25 |
A25 | .25 | .08 | .20 |