Sheet metal gauge chart

A sheet metal gauge number stands for a thickness, and the thickness depends on the metal: 16 gauge is .0598 in (1.52 mm) in carbon steel, .0625 in (1.59 mm) in stainless and .0635 in (1.61 mm) in galvanized steel. A higher gauge number is thinner. Aluminum is usually ordered by decimal thickness instead.

Steel, stainless and galvanized gauge thickness

Each metal has its own gauge table, so always check which one a drawing means. Carbon steel uses the Manufacturers' Standard Gauge; stainless and galvanized steel have their own. Steel weights are per square foot of sheet.

Gauge to thickness and weight, by metal
Gauge	Steel in	Steel mm	Steel lb/ft²	Stainless in	Stainless mm	Galvanized in	Galvanized mm
7	.1793	4.55	7.50	.1875	4.76	–	–
10	.1345	3.42	5.62	.1406	3.57	.1382	3.51
11	.1196	3.04	5.00	.1250	3.17	.1233	3.13
12	.1046	2.66	4.37	.1094	2.78	.1084	2.75
14	.0747	1.90	3.12	.0781	1.98	.0785	1.99
16	.0598	1.52	2.50	.0625	1.59	.0635	1.61
18	.0478	1.21	2.00	.0500	1.27	.0516	1.31
20	.0359	0.91	1.50	.0375	0.95	.0396	1.01
22	.0299	0.76	1.25	.0312	0.79	.0336	0.85
24	.0239	0.61	1.00	.0250	0.64	.0276	0.70

Weight per square foot is thickness in inches times 41.82 for carbon steel, the figure the Manufacturers' Standard Gauge is built on. Stainless weighs slightly more or less depending on the grade; ask the supplier.

Aluminum thickness

Aluminum sheet is normally ordered by its decimal thickness: .040, .063, .080, .090, .125, .190 in and so on, then plate in fractions from 1/4 in. When someone does give aluminum a gauge, it is usually the Brown & Sharpe (American Wire Gauge) scale, which is thinner than steel's at the same number.

Aluminum by Brown & Sharpe gauge
Gauge	Inches	Millimeters	Nearest common decimal
10	.1019	2.59	.100 in
12	.0808	2.05	.080 in
14	.0641	1.63	.063 in
16	.0508	1.29	.050 in
18	.0403	1.02	.040 in
20	.0320	0.81	.032 in
22	.0253	0.64	.025 in
24	.0201	0.51	.020 in

Standard sheet sizes

Sheet and plate are sold in a handful of standard sizes, width by length. A nest is usually laid out across the full width so what is left is one clean drop off the end.

Common sheet and plate sizes
Inches	Feet	Millimeters
36 x 96	3 x 8	914 x 2438
48 x 96	4 x 8	1219 x 2438
48 x 120	4 x 10	1219 x 3048
60 x 96	5 x 8	1524 x 2438
60 x 120	5 x 10	1524 x 3048
60 x 144	5 x 12	1524 x 3658
72 x 144	6 x 12	1829 x 3658
96 x 120	8 x 10	2438 x 3048
96 x 240	8 x 20	2438 x 6096

Nestor's sheet list, when it opens: 48 x 96, 48 x 120, 60 x 96, 60 x 120, 96 x 120, 96 x 240, plus any custom size or an odd-shaped remnant drawn in a DXF.

Nestor is a free online DXF nesting tool for laser, plasma, waterjet and router, opening soon. When it opens, you will drop in DXF parts, pick a sheet or remnant, and download a nested DXF of every sheet. Sign up to hear when it opens.

Sources

Updated October 4, 2026.