REFERENCE TABLE · CONSTRUCTION · SHEET METAL
One gauge number, two different thicknesses: 16 gauge steel is 0.0598 in (1.52 mm, 2.50 lb/sq ft), while 16 gauge aluminum is only 0.0508 in (1.29 mm). The full chart below covers gauges 7 to 30 in both metals, and the lookup turns any gauge into inches, millimetres, and weight. Remember the trap: higher gauge means thinner metal.
Pick a gauge and a material. Steel uses the Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge; aluminum uses the Brown & Sharpe (non-ferrous) scale, which is why the same gauge number is a different thickness in each metal. The weight column applies to steel only in the table; the lookup also shows an aluminum weight computed from aluminum’s density.
Setup: 16 gauge, steel, from the table below.
Line 1 — read the steel thickness. 16 gauge steel is 0.0598 in on the Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge.
Line 2 — convert to millimetres. 0.0598 × 25.4 = 1.52 mm.
Line 3 — weigh it. Steel weight per square foot is thickness × 41.82, so 0.0598 × 41.82 = 2.50 lb/sq ft — matching the published 16-gauge figure exactly, which is how the factor was checked.
Line 4 — compare the aluminum trap. 16 gauge aluminum is 0.0508 in (1.29 mm), not 0.0598 in. Same gauge number, different metal, different thickness — always order by material plus decimal thickness, never by gauge alone.
The gauge trap, stated plainly: higher gauge = thinner sheet. 14 gauge steel (0.0747 in) is thicker than 16 gauge steel (0.0598 in), which is thicker than 22 gauge steel (0.0299 in). And gauge alone never specifies strength: two sheets of the same gauge and thickness can differ hugely in strength by alloy and temper (for example, 5052-H32 versus annealed 1100 aluminum), so a structural job needs alloy, temper, and thickness on the order, not a gauge number.
| Gauge | Steel thickness (in) | Steel (mm) | Aluminum thickness (in) | Aluminum (mm) | Steel weight (lb/sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0.1793 | 4.55 | 0.1443 | 3.67 | 7.50 |
| 8 | 0.1644 | 4.18 | 0.1285 | 3.26 | 6.88 |
| 9 | 0.1495 | 3.80 | 0.1144 | 2.91 | 6.25 |
| 10 | 0.1345 | 3.42 | 0.1019 | 2.59 | 5.62 |
| 11 | 0.1196 | 3.04 | 0.0907 | 2.30 | 5.00 |
| 12 | 0.1046 | 2.66 | 0.0808 | 2.05 | 4.37 |
| 13 | 0.0897 | 2.28 | 0.0720 | 1.83 | 3.75 |
| 14 | 0.0747 | 1.90 | 0.0641 | 1.63 | 3.12 |
| 15 | 0.0673 | 1.71 | 0.0571 | 1.45 | 2.81 |
| 16 | 0.0598 | 1.52 | 0.0508 | 1.29 | 2.50 |
| 17 | 0.0538 | 1.37 | 0.0453 | 1.15 | 2.25 |
| 18 | 0.0478 | 1.21 | 0.0403 | 1.02 | 2.00 |
| 19 | 0.0418 | 1.06 | 0.0359 | 0.91 | 1.75 |
| 20 | 0.0359 | 0.91 | 0.0320 | 0.81 | 1.50 |
| 21 | 0.0329 | 0.84 | 0.0285 | 0.72 | 1.38 |
| 22 | 0.0299 | 0.76 | 0.0253 | 0.64 | 1.25 |
| 23 | 0.0269 | 0.68 | 0.0226 | 0.57 | 1.12 |
| 24 | 0.0239 | 0.61 | 0.0201 | 0.51 | 1.00 |
| 25 | 0.0209 | 0.53 | 0.0179 | 0.45 | 0.87 |
| 26 | 0.0179 | 0.45 | 0.0159 | 0.40 | 0.75 |
| 27 | 0.0164 | 0.42 | 0.0142 | 0.36 | 0.69 |
| 28 | 0.0149 | 0.38 | 0.0126 | 0.32 | 0.62 |
| 29 | 0.0135 | 0.34 | 0.0113 | 0.29 | 0.56 |
| 30 | 0.0120 | 0.30 | 0.0100 | 0.25 | 0.50 |
Steel: Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge for sheet steel. Aluminum: Brown & Sharpe (non-ferrous) gauge. Millimetres are inches × 25.4, rounded to two decimals. Steel weight is thickness × 41.82 lb/sq ft per inch. Tolerances vary by mill and product; confirm decimal thickness with your supplier before cutting. Print this page for the shop wall using the print button above.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Steel thickness | Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge table value | 16 ga steel = 0.0598 in; the table value, not a calculation. |
| Thickness in millimetres | inches × 25.4 | 16 ga steel = 1.52 mm; 16 ga aluminum = 1.29 mm. |
| Steel weight per square foot | thickness (in) × 41.82 | 16 ga steel = 2.50 lb/sq ft; a 4 × 8 ft sheet weighs about 80 lb. |
| Aluminum weight per square foot | thickness (in) × 14.26 (density 0.099 lb/in³ × 144) | 16 ga aluminum = 0.72 lb/sq ft; roughly a third of steel at a comparable gauge. |
Steel values are the Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge; aluminum values are the Brown & Sharpe non-ferrous scale. Both are nominal values: real sheets carry mill tolerances (commonly around ±0.002–0.005 in at these gauges), galvanized and stainless sheets use their own slightly different tables (for example, 16-gauge galvanized steel is 0.0635 in and 16-gauge stainless steel is 0.0625 in, versus 0.0598 in for plain Manufacturers’ Standard steel), and modern aluminum is usually ordered by decimal thickness rather than gauge. Gauge says nothing about alloy, temper, coating, or strength. Always confirm the decimal thickness, alloy, and temper with the supplier for anything structural or load-bearing.
Bright Side Kit. "Sheet Metal Gauge Chart: Steel & Aluminum Thickness 2026." https://brightoolbox.com/sheet-metal-gauge-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.Data sourcesThinner. 14 gauge steel (0.0747 in) is thicker than 16 gauge (0.0598 in), which is thicker than 22 gauge (0.0299 in). The scale runs backwards, which is the single most common gauge mistake.
No. 16 gauge steel is 0.0598 in (1.52 mm); 16 gauge aluminum is 0.0508 in (1.29 mm). Steel and aluminum use different gauge scales, so always state the material with the gauge.
1.52 mm. Multiply 0.0598 in by 25.4. It also weighs 2.50 lb per square foot, so a 4 × 8 ft sheet weighs about 80 lb.
2.50 lb/sq ft. The lookup multiplies thickness by 41.82 lb/sq ft per inch, a factor checked against the published 16-gauge weight. The same gauge in aluminum weighs about 0.72 lb/sq ft.
26 gauge steel (0.0179 in) is common for residential ductwork, with heavier gauges for larger ducts and commercial work. Always check the local mechanical code and the duct size, not just habit.
No — never by itself. Strength depends on alloy and temper as well as thickness. Two 16-gauge aluminum sheets can have very different strength; order by alloy, temper, and decimal thickness for structural work.
Because there are several gauge systems. Manufacturers’ Standard (steel), US Standard, galvanized, stainless, and Brown & Sharpe (non-ferrous) all differ slightly. This page labels its two systems explicitly so you can tell which table you are reading.
Yes — use the print button above the calculator or your browser’s print command. The print view hides the ad slots so the table prints cleanly for the shop wall.